Why come to counselling?
People can often feel stuck due to things that happen in their life, sometimes in the present, sometimes things from the past and sometimes things that may yet happen. Sitting with a counsellor who is listening to and understanding your feelings can be very healing. Talking about what is concerning you can help clarify where the problem lies and help you to discover how you might change things to achieve the outcomes you desire. You can improve your life by increasing your self-awareness and emotional strength which can enable you to love yourself in a positive way, create change, and enhance healthy relationships in your life.

Issues that may bring you to counselling
Counselling issues are so varied and no person’s life story is exactly the same. Below are some brief examples of what may bring you to counselling.

Abuse, Neglect
Not getting the attention you needed or getting the attention you didn’t need can create deep wounding in your life. Sexual, physical and psychological abuse along with neglect can individually and in combination create great trauma. That wounding and pain will need attending to in order for you to grow around what you have experienced. I believe it is critical to work at a speed that feels safe to you, slowly growing your capacity to explore what has hurt you.

Trauma
Trauma can be caused by so many things in life. It could be through abuse and neglect, earthquakes, environmental tragedies, road accidents, witnessing violence, seeing something disturbing on the news - the list is enormous and any of these experiences can actually affect how the brain functions. Some symptoms may include tiredness and exhaustion, loss of concentration, nervousness and worry, a loss of faith and trust in others, even mistrusting the ground we stand on and the world at large.

Low self-esteem and confidence
How you feel about yourself is the key to gaining a happy life. Understanding what you believe about yourself, and where your self-belief comes from, can be very useful in positively changing how you do think and feel about yourself. Some of your negative self-belief could have come from how others have treated you. Exploring where the truth lies can lead to increasing your sense of self value and can also change how others see you.
Death, Grief and Loss
Loss is an unfortunate but ever present part of life and it is normal to feel sadness, isolation and anger when things change. Sometimes having someone who is really listening can bear witness to how bad and difficult things really do feel.

Depression
If you feel an ongoing deep sadness and a lack of interest in the things you used to enjoy and like, then you may be depressed. Mild or deep, depression can take its toll and make life feel like it is never going to get better. Talking with someone about these feelings can help change that view and bring a new sense of hope.

Relationships
When any of your relationships are not working life can become very stressful. Partners, wives, husbands, children, parents, friends, acquaintances and colleagues can all affect how well your life works. Life can be so much more fulfilling when there is harmony in your relationships.

Stress
If the stress in your life is becoming too much and feels out of balance, then having a fresh set of eyes and ears may help you find ways of getting it back on track.

Anxiety and Phobias
If you find yourself anxious and fearful in situations to the point that it stops you enjoying your life, then you may need to talk to someone about this. There are simple techniques that can help change how you see these situations, which can lead to you being free of the anxiety.

Professional and organisational performance
Are you prone to being late, having a messy desk or room, and want to feel more in control of your time? Cluttered thoughts can lead to cluttered lives. Simply by talking it through you can find new ways of doing things and change in a positive way how each day goes for you. If you want to find ways of increasing professional opportunities by understanding what may be holding you back or keeping you from your goals, then working with a counsellor to find new and different ways of thinking can lead to great professional rewards together with an increased sense of achievement and confidence.




 Sawyer Counselling - Phone on 027 292 7764 or email brett@sawyercounselling.co.nz