Emotional Health & Wellbeing

Counselling

What is counselling?
Counselling is a type of talking therapy. You will work with one of the trained College counsellors to help you find ways to deal with emotional issues. Appointments are usually weekly or fortnightly and counselling tends to last between six to eight sessions.

The aim of counselling is to give you space to come to understand your thought process and feelings and to support you in finding your own solutions to problems. Counselling is not usually giving advice, but it does take place in a supportive, non-judgemental environment.

How can it help?
Counselling can help you cope with mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression; difficult life events like parents getting divorced or bereavement; emotions such as anger or low self-esteem or other issues like sexuality and gender identity.

Things to consider before beginning counselling:

1. Give yourself credit for taking this step – it is an unknown one but will hopefully be worthwhile
   
   
2. Ask questions – if you are unsure about anything please say
   
   
3. Think about what you want to achieve – this will help your counsellor support you in getting the most out of counselling
   
   
4. Be realistic – it will take time for you and your counsellor to get to know each other and build trust and give yourself space after the sessions to reflect and re-engage with your daily activities.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

What is CBT?
CBT is a talking therapy that supports you in managing your problems by developing new ways to change your thinking and behaviour. It is often the first approach recommended to treat anxiety and depression, but it is also effective for other mental health and physical problems. CBT is based on the idea that your thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, and actions are all connected and that certain behaviours/ responses are caused by negative thoughts that leave you feeling trapped and going around in circles.

CBT helps you develop ways to change the negative thought patterns and rather than focusing on your past, it deals with the current problems you are facing and looks for practical ways to improve your state of mind on a daily basis.

How can it help?
CBT is effective in treating several different mental health conditions including anxiety, depression and anger. It teaches you useful and practical strategies that can be used in everyday life even after the therapy has finished.

Things to consider before CBT
As with all therapy, the outcomes of CBT are dependent on your engagement with it. You need to commit to the process to get the most out of it by attending each session and completing any extra work suggested by your therapist between sessions. It can feel uncomfortable confronting your emotions and anxieties, but your therapist will support you through this process and the focus of the sessions will be on your capacity to change your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours in the here and now.