If you are seeking therapy for the first time, you might be wondering whether you are better suited to counselling or psychotherapy. Our team of experienced practitioners are qualified to offer both kinds of professional help to suit a wide range of different situations for people of all ages. To help you decide which form of therapy is best for you, this blog post gives you a clear explanation of what each one offers.
Counselling
Counselling focuses on dealing with the issues you are facing in the present moment. You might have a specific crisis you are going through and need a place to talk freely about the issue at hand. In this instance, short-term, CBT-based counselling can be very beneficial, as your therapist will work with you to create actionable solutions and healthier ways of thinking about the problem, which in turn reduces the negative role it plays in your life.
To do this, your therapist may also incorporate mindfulness into your work together. This will involve increasing your awareness of the thoughts, feelings and behaviours that happen automatically and contribute to poor mental health. Your therapist will help you to notice and identify these feelings and ultimately process them in a more compassionate, healthier way.
Psychotherapy
While counselling deals with issues affecting you in the here and now, psychotherapy explores your life in a deeper way. It is a longer-term treatment that is generally better suited to more complex mental health conditions that have existed for a prolonged period of time. The aim is to improve your awareness of where certain emotions/behaviour come from and how they influence the way you think, feel and behave in the present.
Once again, we may use mindfulness as a way of helping you turn towards uncomfortable past experiences and how they make you feel in the moment. Allowing yourself to become truly aware of past events and the role they play in the present is a crucial part of psychotherapy. Having this level of understanding makes it much easier to prevent certain emotions and/or behaviours from continuing to negatively affect your life in the same way as before.
If you are still unsure about whether you require counselling or psychotherapy in Hampstead or online, feel free to get in touch with us to arrange a free, no-obligation 30-minute consultation.