Individual Counselling

Individual counselling is a personal opportunity to receive support and experience growth during challenging times in life. One-to-one counselling can help one deal with many personal topics in life such as anger, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, marriage and relationship challenges, parenting problems, school difficulties, career changes, etc.

Individual psychological counselling (sometimes called psychotherapy or talk therapy) is a process through which clients work one-on-one with a trained Psychologist in a safe, caring, and confidential environment. Counselling allows individuals to explore their feelings, beliefs, and behaviours, to work through challenging or influential memories, identify aspects of their lives that they would like to change, better understand themselves and others, set personal goals, and work toward desired change.

Individual counselling is counselling focused on the individual’s immediate or near-future concerns and may encompass career counselling and planning, grief after a loved one dies or dealing with problems at a job before they become overwhelming. Individual counselling is a one-to-one discussion between the Psychologist and the client, who form an alliance, relationship or bond that enables trust and personal growth.

How Are Therapy Goals, Frequency, and Duration Determined?

In general, the goal of psychological therapy is to talk through mental health concerns and to help clients to heal, grow, and move toward more productive, psychologically healthy lives. Good therapy is client-driven, and specific goals for therapy will be determined by you and your therapist.

Individual psychological therapy sessions typically last between 45 and 50 minutes. The frequency and duration of therapy will depend largely on your needs, treatment goals, and progress. Many concerns are readily resolved with short-term therapy, and other chronic or more complex concerns require long-term commitment before improvement is realised.

Research has shown that psychological therapy results in fewer relapses of common conditions such as moderate depression and anxiety, and that the positive effects of good therapy extend well beyond treatment. In fact, many clients report improved conditions long after therapy has ended. In general, psychological therapy is often more effective than psychotropic drugs or medical treatments alone. In addition, many therapeutic modalities are evidence-based, meaning they have been subject to research studies and clinical observations, and they have been analysed for effectiveness.