Short Term vs. Long Term Counselling
“How long will it take?”
This is a question people ask me often upon starting counselling. There is never a simple answer. The length of time can depend on a number of things. These include:
- The nature of the issue.
- How long an issue has been occurring.
- How much work, inside and out of the office, you are willing to do.
- How much of the situation is under your control.
- Time and funds available
Length of time also is affected by how open you are with yourself and with me. Sometimes people have come in and there is a part of their story that they hide from themselves or from me. Often, this is the key to change. It is at times hard for people to be open about things especially if they feel ashamed about them or are afraid that they are going to be judged. Effectiveness of counselling depends on trust and comfort level, and these take time to build. For some issues, people have less need to trust a therapist at a very deep level, and for others, they have to trust more.
Most people have issues which cause them some shame or guilt. It may be something they have done, something they saw, something that happened to them, or something they fantasize about. Whereas it can be hard to talk about these things, most people find that the acceptance they experience from me goes a long way towards helping them accept themselves. Examining what happened, or using various therapeutic techniques, I am often able to help people move beyond the shame and guilt which is running them.
I have worked with people for varying lengths of time. For some people coming in through their employer’s Employee Assistance Programme, we have only six or eight sessions. For other people it has been periods of several months and some clients I see for a year or two. Generally, the latter are people who wish to make some deeper, long term changes in their functioning. They may have histories of neglect, physical or sexual abuse, addictions, or continually self destructive patterns of behaviours.
Whatever the length of time we have worked together, I have been privileged to work with people who have had the courage and strength to make profound changes in their lives.
How To Contact Us |
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| Tel: 778-885-5695 Fax: 604-874-7725 |
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| Email: info@counsellor-coach.ca | |
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