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How Counselling is Practiced
These are just some of the ways in which counselling and psychotherapy is carried out...
Individual Counselling / Therapy
Individual counselling or psychotherapy is the most popular form of therapy, it's sometimes called 'one-to-one’ counselling and is conducted in various ways, including:
- 45 or 60 minute sessions once a week for several months (or longer) until issues are identified and resolved.
- Fixed-term therapy (e.g. 6, 10, 20 sessions) to resolve pre-determined issues. (‘Brief Therapy’).
This method can offer high levels of confidentiality, privacy, attention, containment, intimacy and safety. It is often assumed to be the best way to offer counselling. However, other factors should be taken into consideration, before making this assumption. These include: The counsellor’s expertise and the potential for dependency on the counsellor.
Couple Counselling
This method originated in marriage guidance and marital therapy. Now provided for unmarried and same-sex couples. Unique to this method is the focus on the relationship between the partners. Conflicts over domestic arrangements, personal and sexual issues, children, money and affairs are common themes raised in this modality. Individual clients who constantly raise conflicts with partners should consider using this form of counselling.
Group Therapy
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