Counselling Articles

The Most Common Reasons for Embarking on Therapy

When going through emotionally difficult times, individuals often seek help from a therapist. This is partly due to the greater acceptance for psychotherapy in our society. Several decades ago, psychotherapy, or counselling, was viewed as something that should be kept a secret; but times have changed, and now people talk about the experience of their latest session over coffee with their friends who are also in therapy. The frequency of which people now undergo therapy could be attributed to many factors, and could even be viewed as a “trend.” However, the real reason for why people have therapy is because it works. This article will discuss the top reasons for embarking on therapy.

The most common reasons for having therapy are: (more…)

Taking the time to understand and recreate yourself can be the start of a healthy process of change and personal development; a process termed ’therapy’. If you have never had therapy or you are thinking about making your first appointment, you may wonder what therapy will entail. Questions such as, “Will my therapist think I’m crazy?” or “Do I really have to tell my shrink everything?” or “Will my therapist be able to help?” are actually quite common. So what happens in therapy and what should you know?

You are not alone

Feeling sceptical or hesitant about something you have never tried before is natural, and this applies to therapy too. One of the secrets shared among experienced therapists: YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE EXPERIENCING THE ISSUES THAT BROUGHT YOU TO THERAPY! Yes, it is true, other people are also trying to handle the same or similar issues. Many of them are in therapy as well. The issues you confront can raise feelings of isolation or uniqueness. Combating pre-therapy jitters is easier when you remember that you are not alone in your struggle, and that seeking therapy is quite common. (more…)

Making the decision to undergo a procedure to alter your physical appearance is not to be taken lightly. The financial cost, physically discomfort or pain, health risks (i.e. infections, mortality), and complications (i.e. unforeseen necessary further operations) are some of the reasons why you should think very carefully before having cosmetic surgery. When considering going under the knife, we  often think about the concerns highlighted by cosmetic surgeons, beauty experts, and television shows on cosmetic surgery. However the psychological and emotional impact that results from the intentional alteration of one’s appearance is often overlooked. Here we examine the possible negative psychological impact of cosmetic surgery.

Many individuals consider cosmetic surgery because they live with an emotional distress that results from how they feel about their physical appearance. The mirror over the bathroom sink can become the site of an emotional battleground, where they feel defeated by their reflection. As cosmetic procedures gain social acceptance, it is not surprising that many individuals think that relief from their troubling emotions will be found via the scalpel in a surgeon’s hand. (more…)

Depersonalisation Disorder (DPD) is a mental illness, medically documented for over 100 years, but relatively unknown by the public. Precise statistics about this disorder are not known, in part because those who suffer from the disorder are often misdiagnosed with depression or anxiety. Individuals might fear being viewed as “crazy” if they share their feelings, and some mental health professionals fail to recognize its symptoms. Leading experts on Depersonalisation Disorder estimate that at least 2% of the population may suffer from this disorder, so there may be at least 600,000 people in the UK now suffering from this disorder. Surprisingly Depersonalisation Disorder occurs almost as often as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or Schizophrenia.

Definition & Symptoms of Depersonalisation Disorder

Depersonalisation Disorder is a type of disorder that classifies as a Dissociative Disorder in the  DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychiatric Disorders). Strict criteria need to be met in order to give a positive diagnosis. Diagnosis is difficult, so it is important that a Clinical Psychologist or Psychiatrist do this. Individuals who suffer from the disorder may have symptoms including:  (more…)