What is Counselling?
Professional counselling is a safe and confidential collaboration between qualified, registered counsellors and clients
It promotes mental health and wellbeing, enhances self-understanding, and seekes to resolve identified concerns.
Clients are active participants in the counselling process at every stage
Changes facilitated by counselling include:
new skills and capactiry to tolerate and regulate feelings
New understanding of the role of emotion in ones life
change in perspective,
new insight,
new ways of thinking about situations,
new awareness of feelings,
new actions or behaviours,
and new decisions about life.
Counsellors work with children, young people, adults, couples, families and groups.
Counselling may be short term, long term, or over a lifetime, according to clients’ needs.
Counsellors are fully present with their clients, using empathy and deep listening to establish positive working relationships.
Counselling is effective when clients feel safe, understood, respected, and accepted without judgement.
Counselling is a profession with a strong evidence base.
Counsellors use empirically supported interventions and specialised interpersonal skills to facilitate change and empower clients.
Counsellors are trained in a range of modalities to work with clients from diverse backgrounds.
Counselling can be broad or focused.
Clients may explore:
aspects of identity,
spirituality,
relationships with self and others,
past experiences,
parenting,
grief and loss,
trauma,
domestic violence,
child abuse,
use of alcohol and other substances,
depression,
anxiety,
and other experiences
Registered counsellors have completed an undergraduate or postgraduate counselling qualification.
They are required to participate in ongoing professional development and supervision, including their own counselling, to stay current with developments in their profession and to ensure safe, ethical practice.
they are required to keep records of their sessions, securely stored.
*Confidentiality is limited when there are risks to the safety of the client or others
With thanks to the Psychotherapists and Counsellors Federation Australia (emphases are Robyn’s)
For more info, please see my FAQs page, or email me with any of your own questions.
In my counselling, I utilise a variety of methods. My fundamentally person-centred approach ensures you feel heard and understood with compassion. I also take aspects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Family Systems and creative therapies to help move your towards the life that you want, which matches to your deeply held values and where you can truly thrive.