Counselling

The cost of private counselling depends on your individual circumstances, as well as which therapist you choose. At the time of your appointment your consultant will discuss all options with you and ensure all your questions are answered.

Mental health treatment such as counselling is covered by some health insurance policies, so it’s always worth checking with your provider.

Counselling can help with a range of emotional and mental health issues, such as:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Phobias
• Addiction issues, such as addiction to drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex or shopping
• Managing the impact of physical health conditions on your mental and emotional health, such as infertility or long-term (chronic) health conditions 
• Difficult or stressful life events including relationship problems, unemployment, work-related stress, financial issues and bereavement
• Difficult or unpleasant feelings or emotions, such as low self-esteem or anger

While both counselling and psychotherapy are forms of talking therapies, counselling typically focuses on tackling specific problems by establishing short-term goals, whereas psychotherapy is a more in-depth approach that focuses on overriding unhealthy thought patterns.

The type of talking therapy that is right for you depends on your mental health diagnosis, individual needs, and what you hope to achieve from your treatment.

The main types of psychotherapy are as follows:

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a type of talking therapy that aims to challenge and make changes to your thoughts and behavioural patterns.

It can help with a range of mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and phobias.

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT)

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) combines mindfulness techniques, such as meditation and breathing exercises, with managing your thoughts and how they make you feel. This approach is used to treat anxiety and help stop depression from coming back.

Guided self-help

Guided self-help involves working through a cognitive behavioural therapy-based book or online course under the guidance and support of a qualified therapist. During guided self-help, you learn skills and techniques that you can use for the rest of your life.

This type of therapy can be beneficial for some types of depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and panic disorder.

Solution-focused therapy (SFT)

Solution-focused therapy (SFT) involves finding the solutions to mental health problems, rather than exploring the causes.

It works by setting goals and working out how to achieve them and focuses on your strengths and the positive aspects of your life rather than dwelling on the past.

Interpersonal therapy (IPT)

Interpersonal therapy focuses on improving your relationships with your partner, family or friends.

It looks at conflict within your personal relationships, significant life events that have impacted you or your relationships, any difficulties you have starting or sustaining relationships and grief and loss.

By learning strategies for dealing with problems within your relationships, your mental health symptoms often improve. Interpersonal therapy can help with mild to moderate depression and other mental health conditions such as anxiety, bulimia, and some mood disorders.

Family therapy

Family therapy, or systemic therapy, deals with families as a whole or considers the impact of your family relationships on your mental well-being. It provides support and guidance in resolving conflicts between family members or within families.

Behavioural activation

Behavioural activation works by using positive behaviours and activities to influence your mood and emotional state. It may be used as part of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or as a stand-alone treatment.

During behavioural activation, you’re encouraged to participate in behaviours that you enjoy to improve your mood and well-being. Behavioural activation is primarily used to treat depression but may also be beneficial in treating addiction problems.

Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR)

Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) helps you process and recover from past traumatic experiences affecting your mental health by combining talking therapy with side-to-side eye movements.

EMDR aims to reprogramme your brain’s responses to intrusive thoughts, memories, nightmares or flashbacks of a traumatic event so that they have less impact.

While it’s primarily used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but can also help with anxiety, depression, addiction, relationship problems and some personality disorders.

Psychodynamic psychotherapy

Psychodynamic psychotherapy is a type of in-depth therapy that looks at how your childhood, past experiences and your unconscious thoughts – the thoughts you're unaware of – impact your behaviour, relationships and emotions in the present. Psychodynamic therapy can help treat depression, social anxiety disorder, eating disorders and relationship difficulties.

Psychosexual therapy (sex therapy) 

Psychosexual therapy is used to treat psychological problems that impact your sex life. It includes helping with sexual problems with a physical, emotional, psychological or situational cause.

This type of therapy aims to improve sexual intimacy and relationships and can help with issues such as erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, pain during sex, low libido and vaginismus.

What type of therapy is best will differ for every individual. It’s highly personal and it can take a while to figure it out.

You could start by doing some research online into the problems you are facing and which methods have been shown to help with them.

You could also speak with your GP or with a mental health professional for advice on which type of therapy to choose. Many of our consultants have experience in more than one type of therapy, so if you book in for an initial consultation, they will be able to talk you through your options and what they think could best help you. 

At your first counselling session, your consultant will introduce themselves and explain how they work and what to expect from your counselling sessions. They may ask you some questions about your general health, medical and family history and any medications you take regularly.

They’ll then ask you about the issues you are experiencing, your reasons for wanting to have counselling and what you hope to achieve from your treatment. Your first session is also an opportunity to ask your consultant any questions you may have about counselling.

At Circle Health Group, we want you to be as well-informed and comfortable as possible at all times during your journey with us, so please discuss any questions or concerns with your consultant during your appointment.

To get the most out of your counselling sessions, it’s important to prepare in advance. Some things you can do to prepare for your counselling treatment include:

Choose the right therapist 

Choosing the right therapist is vital for successful counselling treatment. You’ll need to discuss personal or difficult issues openly and honestly during your counselling sessions and it’s important that you feel safe and secure with your therapist and can build rapport and trust during your sessions.

It may take a few sessions to decide whether your therapist is a good fit for you, and it’s fine to change to a different therapist if you feel your relationship is not conducive to getting the most from your counselling treatment.

Keep a journal 

Writing down your thoughts and emotions in a journal ahead of your counselling treatment can allow you to have a better understanding of your mental health and learn more about what you want to gain from your treatment.

Writing in a journal can also be helpful while you are undergoing counselling and can help you gain clarity and perspective on the issues you discussed and boost the effectiveness of your counselling treatment.

Set goals 

Your therapist will work with you to set goals, but to best prepare yourself for your counselling sessions, it may be beneficial to think about the goals you’d like to achieve in advance.

It can be helpful to note down things you’d like to gain from your sessions, such as to have healthier relationships, to feel more confident or to deal more effectively with conflict.

Wear comfortable clothes

As your sessions can be between 45 minutes to an hour, it’s important that you feel comfortable during your counselling sessions. Since these sessions are informal, don’t worry about wearing your Sunday best – just focus on being you.

Be on time

Try to get to your counselling appointment around five minutes early to ensure you are on time for your session and get the most out of your appointment.

Make time for reflection after your counselling session

Counselling can bring up some uncomfortable emotions and you may revisit difficult experiences from your past during your counselling sessions. After your session, set aside some time to process your feelings and reflect on the issues that were raised, rather than jumping back into potentially stressful activities, such as work.

What happens during counselling varies according to the type of counselling you’re having and your individual needs. Your consultant will work with you to create a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs and circumstances.

Counselling may involve working through specific exercises to achieve certain goals or talking more generally about your life, any issues you are struggling with, and your feelings and emotions. During your counselling session, you may talk about:

• Your childhood
• Your thoughts, feelings and emotions 
• Your past and present behaviour
• Previous and current life events
• Situations you find difficult
• Your relationships

During your counselling session, your consultant will listen to you in a non-judgmental manner. They may ask questions, provide feedback, encourage you to reflect on what you have talked about and explore different ways of approaching certain issues.

It’s important to be as open and honest as possible during your counselling sessions, as this will allow your consultant to have a greater understanding of your issues, helping your counselling session be as effective as possible.

Counselling offers many mental health benefits, but there’s a risk you may feel worse initially after talking about potentially triggering topics. In rare cases, these feelings may lead to thoughts of self-harm and suicide.

If you happen to experience these thoughts at any point during or outside of your counselling sessions, be sure to tell your counsellor. They’ll help you manage these thoughts and offer additional support options if necessary.

At Circle Health Group, we have the experience and expertise to ensure the best possible care and outcome for our patients. As a patient with Circle Health Group, you can expect the highest standards of care including:

• Flexible appointment times 
• The freedom to choose which hospital and consultant suit your needs
• Personalised, consultant-led treatment plans tailored to your individual needs

If you would like to see a consultant or learn more about counselling, book your appointment online or call a member of our team today.

Counselling - NHS

What is counselling? - BACP

What therapy can help with - BACP

Types of talking therapy - NHS