Psychotherapy and Counselling

Everything that irritates us about others can lead to an understanding of ourselves
Carl Jung


Everyone is unique and so will experience life from their own personal perspective. Usually when troubles come along or difficulties arise, we use our own creativity and resilience to work them through, often with the help of family and friends. Sometimes though no matter what we try we can end up feeling lost or stuck. This can be intensely painful and frustrating, even debilitating and it is often at this point that we seek alternative ways to address the problem.


Psychotherapy or counselling is one way people could choose so what is it?

UKCP definition
Psychotherapy is the provision by qualified practitioners of a formal and professional relationship within which patients/clients can profitably explore difficult, and often painful, emotions and experiences. These may include feelings of anxiety, depression, trauma, or perhaps the loss of meaning of ones life. It is a process which seeks to help the person gain an increased capacity for choice, through which the individual becomes more autonomous and self determined. Psychotherapy may be provided for individuals or children, couples, families and groups.

There is a crossover between the practice of counselling and psychotherapy. Traditionally psychotherapy was used to work through early trauma impacting on life’s experience today. It focuses on the unconscious psychological patterns that no longer work for that person. It was considered to be deeper than counselling which in itself was thought to be primarily person centred and concerned with talking through what the person was conscious of as a problem. Today however with the many and varied psychological trainings in the marketplace, some counsellors work at a very deep level of consciousness and some psychotherapists work more with behaviours. This can be very confusing when seeking a therapist and so what is important is to choose a registered therapist that you feel comfortable with.

People choose to come to therapy for all sorts of reasons. There may be specific symptoms such as depression, anxiety or feelings of wanting to commit suicide or self harm.

Alternatively and without knowing why, there may be an underlying worry that things aren’t quite right or that life is flat and unfulfilling. Over time these feelings can create a sense of lost direction.

Others may be well aware of hurtful situations that keep re-occurring but become dispirited, angry or frustrated when no matter what they try the same things seem to keep happening.

The process of psychotherapy or counselling works to build a professional, confidential relationship that facilitates the clients own natural process of healing by alleviating symptoms or by developing awareness and insight.

Psychotherapists don’t prescribe medication unless they are also trained as medical doctors with a current licence to practice. As a general rule it will be GP’s or psychiatrists who prescribe medication when necessary.

For more information, please see the FAQ page

and try these links:
www.healthatoz.com
www.medical-advisor.org

Clinical Hypnotherapy

We have the extraordinary coded within us
Waiting to be released
Jean Houston


Hypnosis is a process which helps you to relax and focus inwardly at a deeper level than you would normally go to when going about your day to day activities.

This enables you to bypass the more outward or defensive parts of your mind that might be getting in the way of what you really want to do and to make changes that are chosen by you and for your own benefit.

It is important to know that a person cannot be made to do anything under hypnosis that would contradict their personally and deeply held beliefs and values.

During the day at some point almost all of us will experience a mild level of a waking hypnotic state. It might be when you are focusing intently on something specific and lose awareness of what’s going on around you or of how quickly time has passed. Another example of a mild state of hypnosis would be when you are daydreaming, just slipping away into your own private thoughts.

Hypnosis is not sleep, but sometimes the word sleep might be used during hypnosis to convey a deep state of relaxation. Even when you are in a deep state of trance your mind will be aware of everything you need to be aware of. Hypnosis does not make you lose control. During the process, even though you have your eyes closed and are feeling very nicely relaxed you will be fully aware of what is going on and, in most cases, will be able to hear everything that is going on around you. Should you feel threatened or uncomfortable you will quickly be able to bring yourself back to fully waking consciousness and have complete physical mobility without the assistance of the therapist. Simply put, you are always in control.

In 1955 The British Medical Association recognised Clinical Hypnotherapy as an effective therapy for treating both psychological and physiological illness. Over the years it has been used as anaesthesia during childbirth and for some surgical operations. It is also used for pain relief and in treating conditions related to stress such as IBS.

The British Society of Clinical Hypnosis is the recognised registering body for hypnotherapy. Their website has a good information page. www.bsch.org.uk

Hypnotherapy is often used with already established methods of treatment from psychological disciplines such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. Research shows that using these methods with hypnosis increases the efficacy of the treatments.

Hypnotherapy is well know for it’s treatment of weight loss, smoking cessation and phobias but it can also be effective in the treatment of anxiety disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder and panic attacks.

Facilitation

Facilitation can be adapted to suit all kinds of group goals and training objectives. It can be useful for organisations with limited resources because, unlike one to one work, group work provides a resource for a greater number of people at any one time. Groups tend to average out at around eight people and run weekly or fortnightly with one and a half to two hour sessions over an agreed period.

Groups can be themed using an agreed context. An example would be:

• A group of professionals working in a challenging environment who want to come together in a confidential space to work through how they are affected by what they see and experience during the course of their work. These groups would tend to be monthly rather than weekly.

• A group of people who are sharing a life condition such as, life threatening illness or women who have experienced or are in violent or controlling relationships.
  

Group work is facilitated and boundaried with the ground rules being set by the group from the outset. In this way group members work out what they need from each other and from the facilitating therapist, creating a safe container in which the members can express themselves freely.

When we go through personal and painful experiences it’s easy to feel we’re the only one’s having these experiences. At the lowest points we can look out and see ‘everyone else’ coping beautifully with life and this adds to our sense of isolation and loss.

When we hear other people stories we realise we’re not alone in our experiences.

If you are a professional looking to provision therapeutic services you may want to consider group work as an adjunct to one to one therapy.

Whilst the value of personal therapy is well recognised there are those who feel more comfortable working in a group, they will often say how they are reassured by hearing how other people have experienced similar problems and how they can learn from each other.

Small selection of feedback from group members…

“This is going to change my life”

“I’m so gratified to find that there are other people who have gone through the same stuff as me”

“When it’s really bad I think of the group and hang on”

Healthcare Supervision

This facility is primarily used by professionals within statutory organisations and the voluntary sector. It could also be beneficial for people in challenging or stressful roles within the private sector.

Supervision can help maintain personal resilience and enhance creativity. The supervision sessions help to facilitate personal process and enable individuals to work through any unhelpful build up of stress or barriers to productive creative working.

Sessions are held monthly away from the workplace and last for an hour. It is for people who would benefit from time away from the working environment in a confidential space to talk through their work related issues or any personal issues that may be impacting on their work. The supervision sessions would be invoiced to the organisation directly leaving the individual free to relax and make the most of a restorative session to support their working practice.

Currently this facility is used by people by people from the NHS or voluntary sector but anecdotal evidence shows that it has been of enormous benefit to employees as a psychological support. Research shows that a healthy balance between support and challenge in the working environment engenders loyalty, creativity and satisfaction in the workplace.

Monthly supervision sessions can contribute to the overall sense of health and wellbeing for individuals in any organisation which in turn leads to greater productivity. Although many people prefer one to one supervision, it is possible to arrange group supervision for natural working teams.

Labyrinth Work

Workshops for personal growth and creative teamwork.
Opportunities for reflection, relaxation, meditation and healing.

Existing workshops
• Stories and the Labyrinth. A one day workshop that can be tailored for natural working teams or held as an open course within organisations or levels of management.

• Working with the Labyrinth. A half day workshop to introduce people to walking the labyrinth and to learn a little about their history and mystery


If you would like to experience a labyrinth walk in your own time I am at Gorton Monastery with my 36’ canvas labyrinth every two months. Dates are on the Gorton Monastery website www.themonastery.co.uk




“There are many ways to describe a Labyrinth. It is a path of prayer, a walking meditation, a crucible of change, a watering hole for the spirit and a mirror for the soul."
Dr Lauren Artress, founder of Veriditas



What is a labyrinth and why would you walk one?
A gentle, reflective walk on a labyrinth is a wonderful way to quiet the mind, relax and allow your natural creative energy to flow. The meandering pattern helps to disengage the logical thought processes giving time and space for abstract ideas and insight to develop. The labyrinth is often referred to as an archetype, a universal pattern that engenders healing and transformation. The walk can be a metaphor for your personal journey through life so whatever comes to you, irritates or delights you as you walk, will have some meaning to offer.

In today’s world walking the labyrinth is being used in many diverse settings, in hospitals, prisons, schools, churches and other sacred spaces. Amongst other things it is used to help people suffering from stress, trauma and feelings of alienation or depression. It is also being used increasingly in the business world as a creative and inspirational tool for change.

Perhaps if you looked at the labyrinth pictured above you might think of a maze but they are very different. A labyrinth has one winding pathway that takes you to the centre and back out again, a maze has dead ends and high sides. There are no dead ends in a labyrinth and it’s designed to help you find yourself rather than get you lost. There is no right or wrong way to walk a labyrinth you may want to walk quickly or slowly and you may need to pass someone else on the path. The centre of the labyrinth is sometimes called the rose and people often spend time there in quiet reflection before beginning the return journey. Just follow your intuitive sense with whatever feels right for you.

A labyrinth is an ancient pattern that has found expression through belief systems and religions all over the world emerging in different forms and cultures through time. They have been found on pottery and tiles that date back to 2000 BC. During the middle ages they were incorporated into churches and cathedrals symbolizing the idea of pilgrimage or sacred journey. The most famous of these is the stone labyrinth set into the nave at Chartres Cathedral in France.

If you are interested to know more about labyrinths or want to know where you can find them please contact me on 01625 574943 or elizabeth@e-c-therapy.com

Other websites for labyrinth information www.labyrinthos.net or www.veriditas.org