Can counselling help if you think you just need someone to talk to?

[wellnesspathway]

If you have experience professionally or have sought similar help, can just talking in counselling help? I know counselling it not going to fix everything, so what should I hope for? I don't want to go on medication for depression, I don't disagree with it, but I've done it before and it didn't really help me.

I'm not really sure what outcome I will get from counseling, not sure what I hope to achieve. Luckily my workplace has a health scheme so I've an appointment soon. To be clear, I'm not in immediate risk to myself or others. I have never sought counselling help before, as I always felt that there are others far worse off than me. But I feel sad and isolated most of the time. When setting up the appointment, I was asked if there is anyone I can talk to, the answer was no, I think that hit me. I work FT. I've a very small family circle, miles away. I'd never discuss this with them, nor my DP.

My DP is a stroke survivor and my life and our shared spare time is limited to what they can do & how we can use that time. DP can't easily join in socially as speech is affected, their health won't improve, it has been years since the strokes, physically tired all the time, but at least mobile. Friends have drifted over the years and it's always been me making the effort for us to be included, making arrangements and seeing if they are free. But is is less and less nowadays, I think this is also making me feel very sad and hurt, possibly slightly angry. Sorry this is long, I don't want to say anymore about DP, but I thought some background would help.

So can simply just talking help you feel better, long term? Any books / reading suggestions would be appreciated too. I need to function and I'm not coping very well.

Hi, I’m really sorry to hear things are so hard for you. To answer your question, yes! Talking to someone can definitely help. Sometimes you need someone else to help you find the solid ground that you can build on. You’ve been through a lot of loss and trauma it sounds like - I think it will really help you to get help to recalibrate, and start to recover. You should know that it can be a hard process to go through sometimes if you’re going through lots of stuff, so look after yourself well. Sending all best wishes for your healing

@Stillnormal thank you, that's hopeful

It certainly helped for me. Actually, I have heard of people moving to a different counsellor, if that one suit them, no hard feelings, just move on.

I would choose someone well qualified.
Good luck.

Yes, definitely.

Have a look at person centred counselling. There are lots of different types - personally I think this is where person centred excels - when what you need is someone not involved in your life who will sit and listen without judging or advising and gently nudge you to talking and thinking about different aspects of your life to come up with your own thoughts.

Yes, definitely! Just having a space to talk can be such a relief, releasing feelings, and it can really help to clarify things, too. I agree re person-centred counselling being a good idea, as it's all about giving you that space to talk and be yourself, or find yourself even. Integrative counsellors, too, are often trained in person-centred counselling.

Yes, I think so. I always feel like I should have something 'big' to talk about in therapy but sometimes it's just about having a chat or working through something or getting a different perspective on something that's going on. Lots of people just lose therapy, especially long term therapy that you're paying for!, for that exact purpose.