Service & Treatment Definition
Counselling is the process that occurs when a client and counsellor set aside time in order to explore difficulties which may include the stressful or emotional feelings of the client. Counselling is offered by a trained, experienced professional in a safe, secure, confidential, trusting and non-judgemental environment.
The following section attempts to explain the common understanding of the various therapy service and treatment definitions.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy refers to a range of treatments that can help with mental health problems, emotional challenges, and some psychiatric disorders. It aims to enable patients, or clients, to understand their feelings, and what makes them feel positive, anxious, or depressed. This can equip them to cope with difficult situations in a more adaptive way.Often, the course of therapy lasts under 1 year; individuals who are eager to change and willing to put in the effort often report positive results.
Psychotherapy can provide help with a range of problems, from depression and low self-esteem to addiction and family disputes. Anyone who is feeling overwhelmed by their problems and unable to cope may be able to benefit from psychotherapy. Psychotherapy is sometimes called a “talking treatment” because it uses talking, rather than medication.
Some forms of psychotherapy last only a few sessions, while others are long-term, lasting for months or years. Sessions are usually for 1 hour, once a week, and they follow a carefully structured process.
Psychology
Clinical Psychology
Clinical psychology is the application of psychological theories, models and research to a range of psychological, psychiatric, mental health and developmental problems.
Clinical psychologists provide a variety of services including assessment, therapy, and consultancy services. They work primarily, but not exclusively in child and/or adult and learning disability services where emotional, behavioural, psychiatric or developmental difficulties are addressed.
Counselling Psychology
Counselling psychology, as a psychological specialty, facilitates personal and interpersonal functioning across the life span with a focus on emotional, social, vocational, educational, health-related, and developmental concerns.
Counselling psychology encompasses a broad range of practices that help people improve their wellbeing, alleviate distress and maladjustment, resolve crises, and increase their ability to live more highly functioning lives. Counselling psychologists work with people who have experienced a range of emotional and psychological difficulties. These include problems of identity and bereavement, relationship problems, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and neglect.
Play Therapy
Play therapy is based on the belief that play is a child’s natural way of expressing themselves. Through play children can play out their thoughts, feelings and difficulties just as an adult may talk out their difficulties.
The therapeutic relationship between the play therapist and child provides opportunities for healing and development. The child is provided with a safe space where they can express themselves. Play therapy facilitates the development of emotional intelligence and resilience, while helping the child to make sense of their world.
All children can benefit from play therapy as it promotes self-confidence, communication, creativity and problem solving skills.
Possible referrals may include:
- Anxiety
- Behavioural issues
- Communication difficulties
- Delayed development
- Attachment issues
- Relationship difficulties
- Parental separation
- Bereavement or loss
- Bullying
- Low self-esteem
- Poor play skills
Children cannot always put their thoughts and feelings into words. Play Therapy provides them with a safe way of expressing themselves and a way of coming to terms with and learning to deal with life’s difficulties and challenges, all in the context of a warm non-judgemental caring relationship.
Hypnotherapy
Hypnosis is a naturally occurring state which humans engage in during daily activity such as driving, daydreaming or reading a good book, etc. Contrary to popular myth hypnosis does not imply giving the therapist control of your mind. The client is fully aware at all times. Hypnosis is a state of guided relaxation and focussed attention. It is a natural state and non-addictive. A client does not do or say anything that conflicts with his/her own moral or religious code.
Hypnotherapy can resolve a problem that is inside you but outside of your control. Very often the cause of a client’s symptom is within the subconscious mind. Clinical Hypnosis allows a client to set aside the conscious or rational mind and access the unconscious mind, thereby uncovering the root cause of the presenting symptom.
EDRM
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of psychotherapy developed by Francine Shapiro that emphasizes the role of distressing memories in some mental health disorders, particularly post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is an evidence-based therapy used to help with the symptoms of PTSD. It is thought that when a traumatic or distressing experience occurs, it may overwhelm normal coping mechanisms. The memory and associated stimuli are inadequately processed and stored in an isolated memory network.
The goal of EMDR is to reduce the long-lasting effects of distressing memories by engaging the brain’s natural adaptive information processing mechanisms, thereby relieving present symptoms. The therapy uses an eight-phase approach that includes having the patient recall distressing images while receiving one of several types of bilateral sensory input, such as side to side eye movements. EMDR was originally developed to treat adults with PTSD; however, it is also used to treat trauma and PTSD in children and adolescents.