What is counselling and what can I expect from my first session?

Therapeutic counseling is all about creating a safe environment for a person to explore issues that are impacting on their lives.  

Counselling can assist with finding ways to deal with issues including trauma, mental health conditions and difficult emotions. Furthermore, it is a non-judgmental space where you can work through problems, challenges and explore thoughts you may not wish to say out loud to family or friends. Most clients who access support through our therapeutic services will be victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence, stalking or honor based violence and will in many cases be the first time a person is acknowledging their trauma.  

A person may need counselling due to many factors, often the experiences someone has had means they may have developed potentially unhealthy coping mechanisms. They may need help to unpick what happened and often need help understanding that what did happen, wasn’t their fault. 

Counselling can take different forms depending on your needs and what type of therapy is most suited to your situation. Our counsellors have all been through 4-5 years of education and training, including going through their own physiological journey. To allow a person to be truly heard, counsellors have been trained to put their own thoughts and feelings to the side. 

When a person comes in for their first counselling session there is a safe space created through a contract which sets down what keeps that space safe. The counsellor will talk about confidentiality and safeguarding. All counselling is confidential except in cases of serious safeguarding concerns or criminal acts. You will also discuss cancellations, what happens if you do not attend a session and the ground rules as to what you’re both working towards. Within the first session you will not be asked to elaborate or explain your experience. 

But how will it feel to walk through that door? 

It will be a scary experience for many people but it is important to remember that your counselor will talk to you about anxiety and how you can manage feelings like this. Overall, walking through that door and attending a counselling session is a step towards recovery. You will learn essential skills needed to aid recovery, learn how to control your thoughts and learn how to manage panic attacks and flashbacks.