Social work counselling
Placing the problems faced by a person outside of them allows for a shift from a deficit-based medical model to a strength-based approach. For instance, a person’s anxiety in certain situations might stem from those situations’ inherent anxiety-inducing qualities, not a personal flaw. While the same situation may not trigger anxiety in one person but in another, it does not mean that one person is healthy while the other one is not. It simply means that people are different. Trying to find what is ‘wrong’ with the second person is unlikely going to help, but changing the situation or how it is perceived by the person can. Many experience exam-related anxiety; however, we can ease this through measures such as providing clear information about the content, replacing one large exam with several smaller assessments, or help students understand the results do not reflect on them as a person. Similarly, the medical model of disability sees a deficit, someone ‘less able’ because of an impairment. However, the social model of disability says that it is not the impairment that creates disability, but how people with are treated. Society creates disability, not impairments.
Strength based
People have many strengths, often without being aware of them. Rather than focusing on flaws, we focus on existing strengths, developing them to overcome challenges.
Person centred
No one can tell you how to live your life; you are the expert on that. However, we can help you make sense of it and improve the quality of your life.
Trauma informed
Rather than asking “What’s wrong with you?”, we want to know “What happened to you?”. The second point does not imply that you are flawed; you are still whole but need to adjust to an external event outside of your control.
Recovery focused
The power to heal comes from you, not from the outside. Everyone’s recovery journey is unique, and while support is available, ultimately the healing process is up to the individual.
Individual counselling
Focuses on a single person
Looks at relationships, but mainly from the person’s perspective
Increase the mental wellbeing of only this person
Couples counselling
Focuses on two people simultaneously
The romantic and sexual relationship is the key element
Improving the relationship leads to improved mental health for both
Family therapy
Focuses on the whole family
Relationships and behaviours in the family are key
Improves quality of relationships and addresses behaviour to improve the mental wellbeing for all
Anxiety
Anxiety, together with panic attacks, can have a tremendous impact on a person’s life. They can prevent you from doing the things you would like to do in life, but they can also render you unable to do normal day-to-day activities. The longer we leave them untreated, the more harmful they can get. CBT and meditation (amongst others) are proven techniques to help you regain control over your life.
Exam stress
For many children, school is not a place of self-discovery, experimental learning and maturation anymore. Instead, constant pressure to perform, around-the-clock surveillance, deficit-oriented thinking and unhelpful comparison with peers have led to a plethora of mental health issues, such as anxiety, perfectionism, self-punishment, low self-esteem, and many more. This leads to high exam stress even for straight-A students, yet we all know that the best performance can only be achieved in a relaxed state of mind.
Bullying
Although bullying is a criminal offense punishable in a court of law, bullying and other types of coercion are often an unwelcome feature of our lives, and often lead to trauma in one form or another. To stop the bullying or resisting to become a victim is important, yet it is equally important to address the potential harm already done.
Confidence / self-esteem
Our social roles and other demands of society take a huge toll on our confidence and self-esteem, yet the biggest obstacle is usually our own self. Even if we are deemed successful, there is this tiny voice in our head telling us that we do not deserve anything good happening to us, that we are a cheat, a failure and good for nothing. We tend to internalise inappropriate demands from those around us, and raise our own standards so high that we can only fail, leading to self-fulfilling prophecies (“I told you I am no good.”)
Life skills / Coaching and mentoring
Life skills are seldom taught as such, it is more or less assumed that people will pick them up while they learn other things. Yet these skills, such as good time management, the ability to self-motivate, adaptability to changing circumstances, good decision-making, goal alignment and personal development, are not at all secondary. In addition, love and kindness are deemed more or less optional, yet they can also be taught and one can argue that they do not only enrich an individual’s life, but also are the glue that holds our society together.
Family issues
Families are the basic building blocks of our society and are usually the first line of emotional support that we have. Most family issues can be handled “in-house”, yet some can benefit from outside help, where the professional acts as mediator and helps to facilitate a way forward that takes the interests of all parties into account.
Anger
We all get angry sometimes. It is a perfectly natural reaction. However, too much anger can get in the way of relationships, work, and your own goals in life. Anger can be sudden and explosive, or it can build up slowly with no visible signs. It is vital to address the underlying issues and develop a more sustainable outlook to prevent anger from consuming your life.
Sexuality
While most people will agree that sexuality is an essential part of our being, it is also true that we are mostly left alone with it. Despite a constant barrage in the media on our sexual senses, sex is private, and while the fantasy world of porn has become mainstream these days, we are lacking the language to talk about sex and our desires in a constructive and wholesome manner. While sex has maybe never been more available than today, it seems to become more of a quick fix rather than a meaningful and earth-shattering experience, resulting in frustration, false expectations, and disappointment.
Substance abuse
Although there are undoubtedly physical effects to substance abuse that form part of an addiction, it is usually the mental aspects that play a critical role in overcoming substance abuse and staying free. Addressing questions such as why you chose these substances in the first place need to be addressed to not fall back into old habits and create a sustainable, substance-free future.
Domestic violence
The effects of domestic violence are usually expressed in many forms and are in most cases long-lasting. This applies to survivors, bystanders, and perpetrators as well. Domestic violence is hardly ever ‘simple’, and often survivors feel guilty about their actions. The recovery process from the associated trauma can be very difficult. CBT and other therapies have proven to be very effective in unmasking the underlying psychological effects of domestic violence to heal and create a meaningful future without coercion. This applies especially to young people who have experienced domestic violence.
Abuse and trauma
Abuse has many forms and usually involves trauma in one way or another. Speaking out, identifying the abuse for what it was (or is) and refusing to be a victim are all crucial elements in reclaiming your freedom. Everybody has a different way of dealing with abuse to move forward, and we are here to help you find yours.
LGBTQI+
While it is fantastic that our society is becoming more open-minded about sexual preferences, non-binary viewpoints, etc, this has by no means made life any easier for the LGBTQI+ community. With public opinion in constant flux, they still experience an incredible amount of discrimination on a daily basis, while trying to figure out their identity and how they want to live their lives at the same time, which is not a small undertaking.