How to Get The Most Out of Counselling
If you’ve decided to try counselling, you’ve already done something really wonderful for yourself: engaging in this type of therapy can change your life for the better, and at the very least can make you feel good by having your thoughts and feelings heard by someone who is objective and intent on listening to you. At Yellow Gazebo we seek out the most empathetic, caring psychotherapists and social workers for our counselling team because we know that who you are matters, and we want you to get the most out of your counselling sessions. But what can you do to get the most out of your sessions with us? Here are some tips that might serve you well:
1. Set Goals for Yourself. This can be easy for some and it can be hard for others. If you’re not sure what your real goals are in counselling, keep your goals broad at first, e.g. “just having someone to listen to my feelings.” Having a sounding-board can make all the difference anyway. And as you progress in your work with your counsellor, be sure to ask yourself questions to try and continue to hone your goals. What do you want more or less of in counselling? How will you know that you’re “finished” with counselling? These types of questions may help you get the most out of your sessions.
2. Make Counselling a Priority. Be sure to treat your work seriously; be on time for your sessions and work your life around them so you don’t have to cancel them at the last minute. This will help train your mind to really explore your work seriously and to honor your insights that you gain with more seriousness. This will help you achieve your goals in counselling more easily.
3. Be Open to The Work. The more you can open yourself up during sessions the more easily you’ll find you can discover new things about yourself. And if you carry these new insights with you into the world after your sessions, you’ll find that you can apply them and in so doing, enrich your life more profoundly.
4. Review Your Sessions. Most counsellors will remind you of things you’ve said in past sessions and help you gain perspective on your progress as you work. But you can also proactively review every six sessions or so, and reflect back on your work with your counsellor. This can help your counsellor hear your wants and needs with more clarity, and in turn help them help you better.
5. Be Patient. You’ll start to see progress in counselling and will expect to see immediate results in your relationships. This is normal - we’re used to pressing a button and seeing a result. But your thoughts (and your relationships too) are organic and will therefore shift and change daily. What might seem crystal clear to you in a counselling session may not apply immediately to your life and may take some time to have a noticeable effect, or it may need some slight tweaking before really becoming as powerful as you can see it to be. And give yourself time to make leaps - you’re only human after all!
If you’d like some more information, would like to book a free consultation or would like to go ahead and schedule an appointment at Yellow Gazebo, please give us a call at 416-909-2334, email us at info@yellowgazeboclinic.com, or use the online booking link below. We’ll be happy to help you get on your way to optimum health.
