A Counsellor is more likely to help with a specific difficulty, current problem or surface issue, such as stress, anxiety or bereavement. Counselling tends to take place on a short-term basis, addressing a more focused issue.

A Therapist is more likely to help with deep-rooted difficulties and provides therapy approaches or solutions in various fields.

Therapy tends to take place over a longer period, focussing on more complex issues.

An Integrative Counsellor believes there isn’t just one therapeutic approach that can help a client in all situations. They are often trained in varying specialities or approaches to help you to explore and manage a number of different issues.

A Psychotherapist is a broader term that includes all professionals who deal with the management of mental health problems or emotional issues.

Marriage counselling tends to deal with present day events. It focuses on the ‘now’ and the challenges of married life so that you can get your relationship back on track.

Relationship therapy is different in two ways. One is that the relationship could be any relationship of importance, be that parent/child, siblings, work colleagues, friends, or iintimate relationships, including those that involve more than two, such as open or poly.

Secondly, although therapy deals with the present day, it also looks at any history that causes unhealthy patterns of relating and may focus on what is going on for each member of the group, that impacts on the whole relationship.

The fact that you are conducting research suggests that you know that yourself or someone you care for is in need of some kind.
Are emotions becoming expressed more often, inappropriately or in a less controlled manner? Maybe more tearful, impatient or angry?

Are previously normal routines feeling difficult now, such as eating, sleeping, getting up in the morning, exercising or going to work?

Has your thinking changed? Maybe bouncing from one thought to the other, with difficulty focussing? Or is one thought continuously re-cycling, maybe invading your mind? Are you feeling a loss of control with the way your thoughts are combining?

Are these or any other thoughts or behaviours impacting on more than one area of life, maybe relational, professional, social, intimacy or relaxation?

Have habits now begun to control you, in that you are simply unable to stop?
Maybe there has been a life-changing experience that you are finding difficult to manage or trying to forget exists?

This is not a definitive list and anything going on that just does not feel right may mean that sharing and being heard could be a start to feeling better.

Finding the right therapist is very important. Maybe start by identifying what you feel your priority is, such as overthinking, phobia’s, trauma’s, addictions etc, and then search for a therapist that works with these issues.

Do you want face to face support?

If so limit your area of search to somewhere local to your home or workplace. If you are not sure if Zoom or phones are your thing, maybe start close to home and work outwards geographically if you are not finding the right therapist.

Would you prefer a male or female therapist?

See who or what you are drawn to, go with your instincts. Maybe a picture, or a bio speaks to you. Most therapists will offer a free consultation via phone or zoom. Book a time to speak to them. Talking to one may feel easier or more comfortable than another.

Know your requirements, such as your availability, whether you prefer weekly, fortnightly or ad-hoc. Whether or not you want consistent day/time slots or if this is unsuitable. Whether face to face, zoom, or a combination of all platforms.

What are your available finances?

There is rarely a rush, as most of us have been feeling ‘off’ for some time before we accept that our own tools or techniques have stopped working. Don’t feel pushed into making a decision.

In short, this should be up to you.

If you are focussing on one issue, it will be a shorter time than if there are complexities, a personality disorder, diagnosed mental health conditions or multiple matters that you want to work through.

On occasions you may start off with a focussed concern but realise that there are other thoughts and feelings that also deserve attention.

Whenever therapy does not feel to be of benefit anymore it is a good idea to talk this through with your therapist, but if that does not resolve the issue, maybe a different approach or therapist is worth considering.

Or maybe you realise that you have reached the end of your journey, you are feeling much better, more resourceful and you have reached your aims within therapy.
We are all different and there should be no expectation that you ‘should be fixed’ within a certain amount of sessions. Go at your own pace.