Effective counselling & psychotherapy checklist
It is a good idea to use the following checklist to protect yourself, or someone you know, from ineffective or even harmful types of counselling and psychotherapy:
An effective psychotherapist or counsellor:
- knows how to build rapport quickly with distressed people
- understands depression and how to set about lifting it straight away
- helps immediately with anxiety problems including panic attacks, nightmares, trauma, PTSD, phobias or other fear-related symptoms
- is prepared to give advice if needed or asked for
- will not use jargon or 'psychobabble'
- will not tell you that counselling or psychotherapy has to be 'painful' (it definitely does not have to be painful)
- will not dwell unduly on the past
- will be supportive when difficult feelings emerge, but will not encourage you to get emotional beyond the normal need to 'let go' of any bottled up feelings
- will assist you, if necessary, to develop your social skills so that your needs for affection, friendship, pleasure, intimacy, connection to the wider community etc. can be better fulfilled
- will help you to draw and build on your own resources (which may prove greater than you thought)
- will be considerate of the effects of counselling / therapy on the people close to you
- will teach you to relax deeply
- will help you think about your problems in new and more empowering ways
- will use a wide range of therapeutic techniques
- may ask you to do things between sessions
- will take as few sessions as possible
- will increase your self confidence and independence and make sure you feel better after every consultation.
How is human givens therapy different from other therapeutic approaches?