Mental health still seems like a ‘dirty’ word, although arguably less dirty than it did just a few years back. So, yes, we are making some progress but still, the stigma around talking with a counsellor exists.

Why?

You have a broken leg, you go to the hospital.

You have a bad eye, you got to the optometrist.

So why, why, why is it not a no brainer to go to a counsellor when you have a ‘broken heart’… for any reason?

It’s taboo because people fear what they don’t understand and many people don’t understand what actually goes on in a counselling session! In fact, many think you lay on a couch and tell some old glasses wearing lady your deepest darkest secrets or you sit there, uncomfortable as all hell, and the clipboard holding shrink asks you “So how does that make you feel?”.

These assumptions make me giggle, but of course, they make me really sad too. Sad for all those people who could benefit from counselling sessions but who will never seek them out, purely because of widespread and socially accepted misconceptions.

Counselling can be challenging and confronting. But it can also be inspiring, cathartic and often times even funny (for both the client and the counsellor!) as people question themselves, their experiences and their reality from refreshing new angles. But, if I’m honest, the best thing about it is the sense of empowerment you walk away with.

So… with that in mind, I wanted to share with you today 5 ways talking to a counsellor will change your life…

You’ll feel less overwhelmed

… because problems are heavy and solutions are light. Yes, we do the heavy work but you walk away with a much lighter load to carry.

With the right support you’ll feel validated

How many times has your inner ‘mean girl’ kept you emotionally debilitated by trying to make you believe you are the only person in the entire world with *that* particular problem? Am I right? Sorry to burst that inner mean girl’s bubble but, no, you aren’t. So throw that embarrassment narrative away. Counsellors really have seen it all before, so your story won’t shock us. When you speak, and we listen and respond well, you will feel validated! Don’t forget, we are humans with a story too.

Counselling helps you clear mental space for better things!

You wouldn’t rent out your house for free… would you? So stop giving away rent free space in your mind to things that don’t need to be there! Counselling helps you ‘repair and release’. It’s true. Speaking with a counsellor really does de-clutter the mind which in turn allows for greater clarity and a stronger sense of empowerment as you face making your own choices and decisions. When you aren’t carrying the extra mental load you are free to carry whatever it is you choose to carry.

You’ll learn strategies for life

Think about all the takeaway tips, tricks and tools you’ll be able to draw on again and again as you sail through life, post counselling! In therapy we don’t’ just talk, we walk! We do the work and up-skill you so you are ready and able to get on with life, no matter what your story is. So, the investment you make in counselling will continue to offer you returns for the rest of your life. When you flip the story the action taking becomes a whole lot easier.

It’ll give you hope for a better life

… so that you can finally start living the life you want, and that you deserve, not just the life you think you have to settle for! If there’s one acronym I use consistently in my counselling practice, it’s this… H.O.P.E. Hold On Pain Ends. I know this as I speak from personal experience. Face the uncomfortable now and you’ll give yourself the best chance to live comfortably for the rest of your life, even with all the inevitable ups and downs.

So there you have it… Talking To A Counsellor Will Change Your Life | How?

I hope this article helps you to reframe the fear of speaking with a counsellor and allows you to make a gigantic step forward through the discomfort and into peace, because my friend, that’s what therapy is all about.

Naming. Observing. Learning. Healing. Liberating.

I hope to see you one day in my therapy space, it would be my privilege to hear your story and walk the road to mental health wellness with you!

If you’d like to connect with me and find out how I might be able to support you, please feel free to reach out here. I offer sessions in office, in the great outdoors, at your place* (*Southern Highlands of NSW only), over the phone or on a video platform. My services are available Australia wide.

Before you go you may like to check out these articles;

Should I Go To Therapy Because They Won’t?

3 Therapeutic Approaches I Use To Get You Unstuck

What Happens In Your First Counselling Session?

Until next week…

Yours in better mental health,