Counselling provides the opportunity to talk confidentially with a trained counsellor about areas of life that are causing anxiety or concern for you. It is a legitimate source of support in a crisis or during a difficult time, giving you the chance to explore feelings, thoughts, relationships or behaviours which trouble you.
Ruth’s role as a counsellor is to create a supportive environment where you can feel safe to explore any issues which may cause you concern and Ruth can share her professional knowledge with you to help you deal with those issues. With Ruth you will map a path to achieving the outcomes you are looking for. You are the expert on your life and Ruth’s role is to come along and empower you to use your insights and resources to their best potential. Ruth will offer you compassionate, respectful, non-judgmental listening as she attempts to understand what it feels like “to be in your shoes”.
Book a session with Ruth
Before you make an initial booking please email me therapy@ruthmcconnell.com to set up a free 1/2 hour conversation about whether I have availability to take on new clients and whether we can work together. If you are an existing client then go ahead and make a booking below and in the note section mention if you want online or in person session.
The Process
In a series of conversations or sessions the counsellor seeks to help you discover and use your own resources to work through emotional difficulties and meet the demands of life more effectively. Your counselling sessions will give you the time and space to focus on overcoming your current hurdles on life’s journey so that your life may blossom into fullness and vitality. Counselling can be an exciting and rewarding opportunity for you to come to know yourself and grow more fully into your best self. The benefits of counselling include gaining personal insights, learning new ways of coping or solving problems, developing new life skills and changing unwanted behaviours. Counselling is an opportunity to explore your inner world in all of its dimensions so that outward transformation can happen.
The Challenge
However, counselling sometimes requires courage and willingness to examine some difficult areas or times in your life and to try out new and different behaviours. The process can also evoke stronger than usual emotions, the surfacing of difficult memories, changes in self-awareness as well as different ways of relating to others. During these times, Ruth will be right alongside you helping you manage and process the emotions that may arise, as well as giving you resources to empower you.
Confidentiality
Personal information gathered in the course of counselling will be used for the purpose of enabling the counsellor to note areas of concern and trace themes that arise in the sessions. Confidentiality is a key part of the effectiveness of counselling, so the information you share in counselling will be kept confidential. This right to confidentiality continues after the end of the counselling relationship. There are, however, some exceptions to the counsellor’s duty to confidentiality, which are as follows:
- if a child is or may be at risk of abuse or neglect or in need of protection
- if a counsellor believes that you or another person is at clear risk of imminent harm
- for the purpose of complying with a legal order (i.e. a subpoena) or if the disclosure is otherwise required or authorized by law
As a counselling professional I regularly have supervision. I may also disclose information for the purpose of a professional consultation and supervision, in which case your identity will remain confidential.
Your Rights
In counselling it is your right at any time to:
- have a review of your progress;
- be provided with a referral to another counsellor or health professional if you feel our counselling work is not beneficial for you;
- end the counselling relationship;
- have access to a copy of the information in your confidential counselling records, subject to legal requirements. This right continues even after the ending of the counselling relationship.
Unsure?
If you are unsure if counselling is the option for you then I would be happy to set up a free introductory 1/2 hour online appointment. Please email me therapy@ruthmcconnell.com to set up a free 1/2 hour conversation about whether I have availability to take you on as a client, whether this is the direction you want to go and whether we would be a ‘good fit’ to work together.