Counseling tends to be short term and focuses on a particular problem. Psychotherapy is more long term and tends to be more open ended. Therapy refers to both counseling and psychotherapy.
I offer a guarantee of confidentiality. The information that is disclosed in the session is confidential and stays in the room. The exceptions to this are in my supervision where I discuss my case load, but a person's identity is not disclosed. This is discussed in more detail in the initial session.
I am required by the I.A.C.T and the I.A.H.I.P. to attend supervision by an accredited therapist who is also a qualified supervisor, at least once a month. This ensures objectivity in my work.
A very important aspect of this work is that you feel comfortable with, are able to talk freely to, and that you feel that your therapist is competent. Most importantly of all is that you can trust the therapist that you are sitting in front of. This is one of the most important elements of this work. When I see a person for the first time I always emphasize this and tell them to trust and listen to their instinct. It may be important to you to find out the therapist's qualifications, experience, training and if they are accredited and to which professional body they are accredited to.
The goal of therapy is to increase self awareness, skill acquisition and independence. The relationship between client and therapist is a means for experiencing growth and change. It leads to more tolerance of life's experiences and higher levels of creativity. Counseling / Psychotherapy can also help ones personal development in building self esteem, achieving greater self confidence, compassion, and assertiveness as well as performance enhancement.