Page 6 - Top Cover Issue 8

6 TOP COVER ISSUE 8

FEATURE

A SIGN OF

STRENGTH AND

NOT WEAKNESS

WRITTEN BY JULIE ROWLAND, REG MBACP (ACCRED)

OU’VE GOT A STINKING in the perception of either gender.
HEADACHE, the car is making a funny However, the issue isn’t whether or
noise, and you’ve had a row with your not we have problems – we all do
teenage son. Or there may be the bigger – but whether or not we have the
issues which can affect any one of us – courage to face our difficulties and
moving house, trying to stop smoking, resolve them.
relationship breakdown, bereavement, Who do you talk to when you know that worries are
Y finances and so on. All these things are preventing you from managing as well as you would like? Those
normal – and mostly manageable – but not so good when you of us who have a supportive network of family and friends are
are under pressure at work. Things can build up so that they lucky indeed, but even then there can be difficulties about what
affect our professional and personal lives, but would you consider you say and to whom. It is possible that you have to tailor your
counselling as a way of dealing with problems? words to make them acceptable for others to hear – which means
I am very familiar with the reasons why people are reluctant to that you aren’t able to express yourself openly and honestly.
enter into counselling. Counselling provides a private and impartial open-minded
In a random poll I recently asked a group of workers about space in which to reflect upon the things that cause us worry,
their main worries. The people I asked were office staff – they anxiety and stress – whether personal or work related. If you want
don’t carry weapons or have to make fast and accurate decisions in to access counselling, you can self refer through PFOA. There are
volatile circumstances. Their answers were: six sessions provided initially, usually lasting 50 minutes. There is
• they didn’t want other people knowing they were in no cost to you, and there is the possibility of extending the work
counselling; if it is appropriate. It is also available for family members.
• they would want to hold off and see if ‘it’ goes away; The PFOA has a network of counsellors who are registered
• the stigma – being labelled as ‘not coping’, or being seen by or accredited with professional organisations such as the British
others as not being able to cope; Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy or UK Council
• being judged by others (and by extension, judging or blaming for Psychotherapy and members adhere to specific ethical
yourself for ‘failing’); frameworks.
• being seen as weak; and
• it’s going to cost a lot. SO WHAT IS COUNSELLING LIKE?
It’s a safe bet that these are the things that you think too. It’s a contractual arrangement where a practitioner meets a client,
These are among the things that we all think – no matter what in privacy and in confidence, to explore the distress the client may
our profession. Stress is stress – it can affect any of us in all sorts be experiencing. This could be any type of issue whether personal
of ways. However, professionally we are all supposed to be seen or work related. The ultimate aim of counselling or psychotherapy
as fully functioning and at the top of our game. But what about is to help the client regain some control over their lives by
when we recognise that we aren’t? understanding how their thoughts and behaviours impact, and to
The stigma of being seen as ‘not being able to cope or manage’ better understand problems or issues which affect the quality of
is deeply entrenched in most of us, and is potentially amplified their life.
in people working in high-risk situations. There is no difference It is supportive, warm and non-judgmental. It does not involve