Hello there! Have you heard of counselling, but you’re not quite sure what it is or whether it could be helpful to you? Getting therapy or counselling is often thrown around as an idea, but you might be wondering, “What even is counselling?” As an integrative psychotherapist/counsellor, I’m here to shed some light on this topic and hopefully answer some of your questions.
*Integrative = I integrate theories or ways of working. But I have a person-centred core, which means I’m led by each client as an individual.
Counselling is a process of talking through your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours with a trained professional in a safe and confidential space. It doesn’t mean you’re going to end up on a couch like the movies. Being person-centred also means you won’t get told what to do, think or feel. You’re in control.
It helps you gain insight into yourself, your relationships, and your life experiences. Whether you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, or just feeling stuck in life, counselling can provide a supportive environment to explore and work through these challenges.
It’s not a magic wand, and no counsellor can promise that you’ll have one session and suddenly all of your problems will vanish – normally things take a little time. You build trust and a working relationship and work on things. (Though you may feel better just knowing you have someone that you can go and talk to, everyone is different). You work at a pace that feels right for you. This can vary depending on what’s going on, and whether you choose to work online or face-to-face.
So how does it work?
When you start working with a therapist, in person-centred theory, we say that you are in a state of ‘incongruence’ – This could mean that you’re not feeling like yourself; you may be anxious, depressed or grieving. It may simply be that something in your life just isn’t what you’d like it to be, or that you have a particular problem at work or within a relationship you want to work on.
You can spend your therapy sessions, either short term or over a longer term, working through things with your therapist. You use them to offload, process and work through things emotionally and even practically. Your therapist is there to listen, not judge, and to support you. After a time, you reach a state of ‘congruence’ – feeling better and more aligned in the different areas of your life. I’ll go into more detail about this in a later blog. But that’s a simple way of explaining what counselling is.
So now you know what to expect from therapy; what next?
If you’re not sure whether therapy is right for you, that’s okay! It’s normal to have questions and concerns. But if you’re feeling like you could benefit from some support, I encourage you to reach out and give it a try. Therapy can be a powerful tool for personal growth and healing, and I’m here to support you every step of the way.
I work both online with adults and young people from across the UK, and in-person from rooms in Rayleigh or Southend-On-Sea.
To get in touch or book a session: click here.
*Post updated 07/07/2026