Sometimes we experience feelings of sadness and misery, lack purpose in life either now or in the future, feel knotted up inside and are unable to sleep or eat properly. We cannot think straight and make decisions and life seems to be extremely difficult. We wonder how we will possibly make it through the next day, not to mention the next weeks or years.
Whilst each stage of life brings its own challenge, some life changes have an unexpected effect upon us and we need help to deal with these transitions as they happen. It is easy to lose perspective and see the future as a “minefield” of problems threatening to overwhelm us. Knowing we have lost control, we do not always know where to turn, often putting on a brave face for the sake of others.
This is when counselling can be helpful to you.
By talking and building up a relationship with someone entirely separate from your immediate circle you can, in confidence, discuss your anxiety about the circumstances you are facing. A counsellor can support and help you to recognize and accept your fears and feelings about your situation by aiding insight and suggesting skills that will enable you to move on and make personal decisions in an informed and constructive way.
For many years I worked with offenders and, having qualified as a Social Worker twenty years ago, I completed a number of training courses covering
a wide variety of grief and loss issues such as relationship problems, domestic violence, sexual abuse, addictive behaviour and bereavement. My job as a Probation Officer involved not only working with offenders but also with their families. During this time I recognized that not all those who fall foul of the
law are inherently “bad” but that often situations prove to be so overwhelming that many people cannot fathom out how to resolve them appropriately until they are given the opportunity to talk to an independent observer. So, when
I moved to Spain in 1997 I began working as a counsellor and freelance social worker for local doctors and, again, found that due to the isolation often associated with separation from family and friends, many people find it helpful just to talk, to be heard and valued.
Last year I completed a course in the dynamics of colour therapy which I use in conjunction with more traditional psychoanalytical counselling. Colours affect us emotionally, physically and mentally because our bodies absorb electromagnetic energy through the vibration or frequency of rainbow colours from sunlight. As our physical and mental health and sense of well being can be improved by the conscious use of a particular colour at a particular time I introduce this into my work with clients as a way of effecting change in a positive and enjoyable way.
I usually see a client, in private, for a maximum of six sessions of about an hour/hour and a half each week – it can, of course, be less and sometimes more. The first stage is to talk together to build up a picture of a person’s personal circumstances, personality and needs. Thereafter the sessions are based on discussion and the use of colour until the client feels confident to face the “minefield” that previously seemed so overwhelming.
