The reasons why you should try counselling.
By Míde Dineen
There has always been a certain stigma associated with counselling. That people should only go if they have suffered with certain mental health illnesses or issues such as anxiety, addiction, depression and psychotic or eating disorders.
Counselling has always held this concept that people only use it when things are ‘really bad’. This warps counselling into being used as an indicator of someone’s mental psyche. I think this stigma needs to end, and I think everyone should go to counselling at some stage in their life.
Counselling allows people to delve deeper into their own understanding of themselves. It gives a safe and non- judgemental space to explore your thoughts and feelings, regardless of how severe they are. For those who do not have people in their lives they can be fully open and honest with, I think it is a must.
Yes, I know it is quite an expensive hobby, at usually 40/50 euro a go, but there are some amazing free services (they will be linked below). The cliché common phrases like ‘talking really helps’ or ‘tell a friend’ are common phrases for a reason. I truly believe talking helps immensely. It allows you to construct your thoughts as you verbally say them aloud which allows you to come to terms with them and rationalise them with yourself.
Counsellors help you reveal the hidden meanings behind your words, thoughts, and actions. They have an outside perspective as someone who has never fully known you before. Therefore, they can only judge you on what you tell them. This helps you get unbiased feedback. Of course, they are also professionals, so they can analyse and help you in ways that friends and families cannot. It really makes you sit back and think ‘oh so that’s what I think? And that’s why I think it? And this is where it stems from?’.
If you are aware of a common pattern of reactions you might have to certain situations or people, this could allow you to find out the reason why behind that. For example, ‘why do I constantly compare myself to others?’ , stems from a possible insecurity or ‘why am I so competitive?’ might stem from a need to prove or validate yourself, and ‘why can’t I say no to people?’ could be down to being a people pleaser.
Counselling also educates people on coping mechanisms, such as breathing techniques and meditation that helps cope with stress, or anxiety coping techniques, for instance, the tapping method or naming your surroundings to ground yourself. From my experience I have learned many techniques that I still use today such as the ‘why method’: if there is something making you upset or bothering you, if you keep questioning it, asking yourself ‘why?’, you will eventually come to the root of the problem.
What I have learned specifically from counselling is that it takes time to find a counsellor suited to you. I have heard many terror stories of judgemental counsellors shaming people when they express themselves, so it really is a process of trial and error to find one for you that you feel comfortable and at ease around. Counselling obviously will not work for you if you feel as though you are not in a comfortable environment where you can freely express your thoughts/emotions, so don’t be too critical of counselling if you try it and you and your counsellor don’t get along. I had to do the trial-and-error process and I came across some counsellors that well… let’s just say shouldn’t be counsellors at all. However, I found some fantastic ones that helped me in ways I wouldn’t be able to do myself.
So, if you have issues that are constantly annoying you, or you have feelings sometimes you can’t explain, or even if you just want to figure out more about you, I would strongly recommend trying counselling : )
Here are some free services you can contact for counselling:
https://www.nuigalway.ie/counsellors/
NUIG Counselling you can leave a message on their website or call 081874001. Located in 5 Distillery road, but I think appointments are mainly online now due to COVID.
Let’s get talking Galway is also free, but you can leave a donation every time you go at a price of your choosing. So, you could decide to pay a tenner every time you go its up too you.
https://jigsaw.ie/location/galway/
Jigsaw is free for the ages 18-25, you can ring them at 091 549 252 or email them at galway@jigsaw.ie
