I would like to welcome all people of all ethnic origins of all walks of life, and of all ages to the WalkerCounselling.com web site. As this is the first post of this website I would like to begin by dispelling some myths about the counselling process. I do this in the hope that for those seeking help, this profession does not intimidate you.
It may seem obvious in retrospect, but if you are facing mental distress, counsellors are available to help reduce it. Yes we have extensive training both practical and theoretical, but the reality is that we are also people like you who have ourselves been “through the mill”. If we as counsellors are worth our salt, we will not tell you what you must do; rather we will work with you in your unique person and situation and see if we can provide ideas and tools so that you can master the difficulties in your life. There also appears to be an idea in the general public that if you see a counsellor, there is something “wrong” with you. Unlike auto mechanics we can’t just change a flat and presto you’re up and running the way you want. The fact is that it is often our own ways of thinking, feeling and behaving that we judge as good or bad. It can be helpful to stand back and really question our self worth. But how we see our world has a great deal to do with how well we can operate in it. My job as a counsellor is not to criticize how you are thinking, feeling, or behaving, but rather to help you to become aware of your own processes regarding these three basic parts of our psychological being. If you determine that you are not satisfied with your current values and beliefs, you are free to change them. It sounds easy doesn’t it? The reality is that it can be quite difficult. If we think of ourselves as a programmable system and we recognize that we have been programming ourselves for as long as we’ve been alive, then it becomes evident that changing our habitual programming is not nearly so easy as changing a tire. Again this is where I can help. By working with me you will be able examine your own psychological system from a much more objective perspective in which you will: firstly become more aware of your current situation, secondly, to choose if you wish to change and thirdly if you see fit, to make those changes over time.
One very important aspect of counselling is this: Few if any counsellors are a good fit for all people. The first and probably most important issue is to find a counsellor who fits your needs. Again unlike repairing a car, the “mechanic” counsellor needs to be able to relate well to you. If this does not occur, and you can’t seem to relate well you may need to find a counsellor who does.
Counselling is about exploring who you are in a trusting, and secure environment with a caring individual so that you can get on with your life in a more satisfying and meaningful way.
So, don’t be put off counselling or therapy, and don’t wait until the bottom falls out of your world. I am here to help with all my experience and training
Cheers