Life coaching or counselling ? , trying to get my ducks in a row .

[frumpety]

Has anyone tried counselling or life coaching for just trying to get their life better organised ? Had counselling in the past for depression and anxiety and found it useful . Don't really have anyone in RL to talk to ( or would want to bore with my mundane issues ) and wondered about paying someone just to listen while I work it all out .

I think some forms of counselling, being non-directive, can prolong the process of making decisions to do things and can keep you stuck in looking at the past. If you feel that your mental health is OK now but you just need a hand with motivation and organisation, I would be tempted to try life coaching. I did a bit of training in it but haven't used it myself. I have, however, had plenty of counselling and whilst it can help you understand why you are the way you are, I found it didn't really help me get my life moving forward - it kept me stuck in the past. There are so many different types of counselling though and things like CBT are very different to psychoanalytic counselling so it depends what you're thinking of!

Thanks Janni , I think life coaching is probably more suitable , my mental health is okayish , I still get bursts of anxiety , but know my triggers and can talk myself down now iyswim . I think I am just overwhelmed with everything and need to get some perspective and get some priorities , so I can concentrate on a few things at a time and whittle them down gradually . It is all practical stuff as opposed to emotional things .

Life coaching focuses on steps and goals to 'get you where you want to be'. Can be useful in the short term. Be aware also, life coaching is still largely unregulated as a profession and people can do a short course and start practising, without experience etc

Look up using an approved qualifying body for your nearest qualified therapist and look at their credentials. There really is no such thing as a quick fix and Counselling does take longer and encourages you to address your past, but it really will help you to understand more about yourself that will in turn, help you move forwards.

Spangle thank you , quite a few counsellors in my area appear to be dual trained in life coaching and seem to have appropriate credentials , so that's good .

The last year has been full of quite serious issues within my family and the headspace this has consumed meant that I have lost the plot organisationally . I am generally a list writer and had things pretty much under control , but had to let things slide and everything except these issues was dealt with on a hour to hour , day to day basis , reverted to an all fed , no-one dead basis .

I just really need help with getting things back on an even keel , but because of the above I am finding it difficult to prioritise