Services
At Unique Counselling support is available for clients experiencing immediate or long-term difficulties with:
- anxiety
- low self-esteem
- stress
- lack of assertiveness
- depression
- self-defeating behaviour
- grief and loss
- addictions
- trauma
- relationship issues
- occupational challenges
- life transitions
- loneliness or isolation
If any of these or other issues are concerning you, please feel welcome to contact us for a no-obligation free chat about your situation.
What is the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?
In working with his clients at 'Unique Counselling' Rod uses a mixture of what can be described as both counselling interventions and psychotherapy for these issues.
The terms “counselling” and “psychotherapy” are often used interchangeably, but there is a slight distinction.
Many times counselling refers to a short-term theraputic approach while psychotherapy typically refers to a longer-term treatment protocol. Counselling usually deals with present issues that are easily resolved on a conscious level for the client whereas psychotherapy intensively and thoroughly examines a client’s psychological history and symptoms.
In other words, counselling is more concerned with practical or immediate issues and outcomes while psychotherapy is more focused on helping a person understand their life in a deep and reflective manner.
Counselling normally helps a client process powerful emotions such as grief, loss or anger, deal with immediate causes of stress and anxiety. It can also help clarify needs and values and identify options when making important personal or professional decisions, manage conflicts within relationships, develop better interpersonal and communication skills, or intentionally change unproductive thoughts and behaviours.
Psychotherapy, on the other hand, is a more exploratory process that helps a client look at long-standing attitudes, thoughts, and behaviours that have resulted in the current quality of their life and relationships. It goes much deeper to uncover the foundational causes of problems, resulting in more dramatic changes in perspective regarding themselves, one’s life experience, and the world in general. Ultimately, psychotherapy aims to empower the individual by bringing freedom from the grip of unconscious triggers or compulsions through increased self-awareness.