Articles

WHY SHOULD I SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP?

Aristotle, the Greek philosopher said, ”Man is by nature a social animal.” Humans are inherently social. Society is something that precedes the individual. In our older societies, a child was not only born with two parents but a family with grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and close neighbours. Sharing was a large part of growing up and learning. Sharing of clothes, food, rooms and problems, thoughts and feelings came naturally without any anticipation, contemplation, inhibition or apprehension.

Times have changed, society saw a transition from close knit families to nuclear families. Ironically, where the families have shrinked, individuals have become global citizens, with the world just a click away. The social media revolution happened where there is an ocean of information and we sometimes seek answers to our problems from the artificial intelligence, share our thoughts on digital notes and withdraw to ourselves with the unpleasant feelings.

I feel that this lack of interaction and communication has limited the potential of human factors which are physical, emotional, cognitive, social and cultural because of which issues like depression, anxiety, anger, shame, low self-esteem and low confidence are on a surge.

A listening ear, compassion, empathy and a neutral perspective, counselling/therapy is all this and much more (will introduce you all to the concept of counselling and therapy very soon).

As aware individuals, we know that if we have persistent fever, recurrent cough, unexplained pain, as any other physical problem, rather than self-medicating or neglecting it, we need to consult a doctor, likewise, issues where you see yourself struggling being resilient, have trouble controlling your impulses or find yourself overthinking and worrying too much, you appear lost, perhaps, you need someone who can support and guide you towards a path of solution.

“YOU CANNOT STOP THE WAVES, BUT YOU CAN LEARN TO SURF.”

 THE BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY OF COUNSELLING

The general understanding of the process of counselling has been that there will be a person who will listen to the issues and give some advice or just engage with some pep talk to make you feel better. There also has been a misconception towards the entire process of counselling or therapy where people believe that only individuals suffering with problems like retardations, mood disorders or major nervous breakdowns, need to consult a professional. 

Thanks to the efforts made by mental health professionals, governments, the film fraternity and the social media, the stigma behind mental wellness is diminishing, people’s understanding of the process of counselling still remains limited, therefore, I am usually asked by people who approach me for the first time, what to expect after they come to me.

So, counselling is an interaction, where the counsellor uses their knowledge and experience of thoughts, emotions and human behaviour to help the client learn ways to practice resilience and deal with emotional problems, develop adaptive behaviours and find solutions. The process enables a person to have an insight into one’s own thought process, behaviour, attitudes, strengths and weaknesses. This self-understanding or self-awareness is one of the most essential aspects that leads us to have self-confidence because of which we are able to achieve our life goals.

A mind entangled with thoughts, feels numb and clouded. The process of counselling helps us to learn to organize our thoughts and let the bright and clear sunshine seep in and feel empowered. As we go through life’s modulations, like a butterfly emerging from it’s cocoon, we need someone to teach us to use our wings. A counsellor can become that guide and facilitator.

THE COUNSELLING PROCESS

During the psychological counselling process,” the counsellor supports clients with physical, emotional and mental health issues, helping them resolve crisis, reduce feelings of distress and improve their sense of wellbeing” (American psychological association,2008).

The first stage of counselling involves ‘Relationship Building’ (Initial Disclosure)

The counsellor engages with client to explore and understand the issues that directly affect them.

The second stage involves ‘Problem assessment’

While the process of rapport building continues, the counsellor carefully listens and understand the information given by the client about their life, work, home, relationships, etc. Crucial information is also drawn regarding the triggers in a given adverse situation, timing and pattern.

Stage three is ‘Goal setting’

The process of counselling becomes most effective when both the counsellor and the client set realistic and specific goals. The goal becomes the foundation for the next stages.

Stage four is ‘Intervention’

I use a very effective and globally used psychotherapy called Rational Emotive cognitive Behavioural therapy (RECBT). It is a multi_modal therapeutic approach. This is done through an active-directive, structured approach, using various tools to enable a process of sustained, long-term change.

Stage five is ’Evaluation, closure or Referral’

This stage is reached after reviewing or evaluating the progress from where the therapy started and gauging whether we’ve reached our goal or not. Sometimes, it would also mean referring the client.

At this stage there is also an understanding that follow ups can be done if the client observes any signs of a potential relapse.

Willingness of the client and empathy of the counsellor makes this journey full of hope and positive changes.

“I WILL BE ABLE TO HELP YOU, IF YOU HELP YOURSELVES”