It’s good to talk

Did you know that talking about problems is more acceptable now? A research project showed that 95% of respondents agreed that ‘it is a good idea to seek counselling or psychotherapy for a problem before it gets out of hand’ (BACP, 2013).

As a counsellor I often hear clients say after a few sessions, “I wish I’d done this before”. Having overcome initial concerns or scepticism about counselling, people are surprised at the benefits of talking through their problems.

They see that, even in the very act of describing their difficulties, a sense of clarity and reason can emerge. Frequently people feel relieved of a burden of worries that have been circulating in their minds for months or even years. Working hard to put certain thoughts or feelings away can feel like they’re working at their problems. But in counselling, they soon begin to see that this only fuels such thoughts and feelings with greater weight, thereby increasing levels of anxiety or low-mood.

Talking to someone is a way of climbing out of feeling immersed in feelings or situations that seem to have power over us. By gaining a wider perspective, of seeing other ways of reacting and relating, we can choose alternatives to the familiar and outworn perceptions that no longer seem to serve us.


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© Duncan Stoddart

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