According to NHS Choices, UK, “Counselling is a type of talking therapy that allows a person to talk about their problems and feelings in a confidential and dependable environment. A counselor is trained to listen with empathy (by putting themselves in your shoes). They can help you deal with any negative thoughts and feelings that you have. Counseling can be used to overcome different psychological conditions that are causing pain or making you feel uncomfortable, such as:
– Depression
– Sadness
– Anger Problem
– Relationship Issues
– Parenting Issues
– Self Understanding
– Want to have better self-confidence
– Sleeping Problems
– Anxiety
– Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
– Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
– Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
– Eating Disorder, such as – Anorexia Nervosa & Bulimia
– Sexual Identity
– Drug Misuse
– Long Term Illness
It can provide a safe and regular space for you to talk and explore difficult feelings. The counsellor is there to support you and respect your views. They will not usually give advice, but will help you find your own insight and understanding of your issues. Counselling / Psychotherapy can often involve talking about difficult or painful feelings and, as you begin to face them, you may feel worse in some ways for a short while. However, with the help and support of your therapist, you should gradually start to feel better. In most cases, it takes a number of sessions before the counselling starts to make a difference, and a regular commitment is required to make the best use of the therapy.
The word “Coaching” first appeared in the academic press in 1937 (Gorby, 1937); it became more popular in the 1980s and the 1990s (Bock, 2001; Hudson, 1999; Wilkins, 2000).
Today, the term “coaching” is used to describe a professional designed to assist people in a number of ways, such as speech, career, sports, spiritual, executive, and personal life coaching.
Life coaching is a structured solution-focused process that helps clients to bridge the gap between now and the future destination where they want to embark on.
It is a process from a phase of exploration of values, hidden potentials, maladaptive behavioral patterns, purpose, and meaning in life to an exciting phase of adaptive new behaviors, goal setting, and action planning. Throughout the process, individuals will be guided to remove blocks and be supported to increase self-confidence, and learn some new tools in order to achieve a desirable outcome for every aspect of their lives.
Counseling works on your Past & Now
If, you feel emotions affect you that diminish your present well-being, in aspect of relationships, self-confidence, emotional state (such as, stress problems, anxiety, panic attack, phobia, depression, feeling low, trauma, bereavement, relationship issues, child-rearing, anger problem & personality disorder). It means Counseling may be for you.
Coaching works on your Now & Future
If, you get stuck in present situations and need some help to move to a desired outcome, be it about work performance,
career path, or life purpose / goals. It means Counseling may be for you.
Worry, fear, and anxiety are the normal human emotions we all experience at times. But when these feelings are overwhelming and become a distress that interfere a person’s life, this may be a signal to get professional help. There are different types of anxiety disorders, including :
Social anxiety disorder : Overwhelming worries and self-conscious about social situations, extremely fear of being judged or ridiculed by others.
Generalized anxiety disorder : Excessive worries, fears over little things, or anxiety comes without a reason.
Panic disorder : Feelings of terror that attack you suddenly and repeatedly with no reasons, sweating, chest pain, fast heart beats, heart attack.
Specific phobias : Extremely fear of specific objects, situations, such as height, flying.
Obsessive-Compulsive disorder (OCD) : Intrusive thoughts and fear that lead to repeated behaviors, such as checking or handwashing.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) : Flash back of past traumatic events, such as sexual or physical assault, death of loved ones.
Although there are many types of mood disorders, the common ones are Bipolar Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Dysthemic Disorder. In general the following symptoms are common:
- Exhibits very low mood
- Do not enjoy the activities once used to enjoy any more
- No motivation in anything
- Sometimes feel high, while other times feel so low
- Feel worthless, useless, hopeless
- Feel tearful
- Very low esteem
- Feel irritated
- Sudden weight loss or gain
- Difficulty in sleeping, or excessive sleeping
- Fatigue
- Can’t concentrate
- Can’t make decisions
- Don’t want to go out
- Self harm
Other than anxiety disorder and depressive disorder are the common problems people coming for counseling, there are also many but not limited to the followings people would seek for professional help.
Eating Disorder – Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa
Personality Disorder – Paraniod Personality Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Dependent Personality Disorder, etc
Sleeping Problem – Insonmia, waking early during midnight
Relationship Problem – Having affairs, constant arguments with partner, etc.
Winnie is a Chartered Psychologist & a Life Coach with high intuition, excellent listening & counselling skills, together with wide exposure on counselling & coaching with people from all walks of life. Winnie would listen to the very best in you, help you to discover what you truly want, learn what is really stopping you get that, remove your internal conflicts and finally create inner peace and desired orientation – in emotions, career, relationship, financial, family, personal interest and growth, work/ life balance and more.
Winnie specializes in working with adults to resolve career issues, emotional disturbance & relationship issues. Another area she works with parents for parental difficulties, as well as children and teenagers on issues of academic, learning ability, social relationship etc. She uses psychodynamic psychotherapy, hypnotherapy, emotion-focused therapy, EMDR, and play therapy to help clients work through their life issues.