Integrative Counselling

Another day, another long word…

Let’s try once again to peel back the layers of psycho-jargon that mystifies most folks looking for support with their mental health & well being.

Imagine this.. I’m at a party & someone says to me “So, what do you do…?” and I say “I’m an Integrative Psychotherapist”. The result is a blank look .. or a yawn.

So I tend to leave off the ‘Integrative’ bit in general conversation because it only confuses things. Not that telling people I’m a Psychotherapist elicits a much more favourable response!

The point is, it can be confusing for anyone who is not familiar with the lingo that Psychotherapist’s and Counsellor’s use. And that means, if you’re out there looking for someone to talk to, how do you make an informed decision when the language being used is all so unfamiliar.

Let’s get on with it then… What does ‘Integrative’ mean?

It refers to the therapist’s blended approach. Typically, the therapist will have been trained in using more than one approach and theory to working with people & their mental health.

For example, for me that means I’ve been trained to deliver CBT, Psychodynamic, Person Centred and EMDR treatments.

So, when I work with people, I can draw on my knowledge & experience of all of these approaches and use the bits that I think will help. The benefit of this approach is that any one particular person doesn’t have to be suited to the one approach that a therapist might have trained in, if they have been trained in several approaches.

It offers a very pragmatic approach to treatment with a broader range of possibilities for anyone who needs or wants to talk, so the chances are that as long as the therapist and the person or people can develop a good working relationship, then there should be a beneficial treatment for you.

I like to think of it as a bit like having a greater range of tools to choose from & knowing how to sue them.. There’s more chance of having the right tool for the job.

So, as ever, my advice when choosing a therapist or type of therapy for you is always the same no matter what your issue. Pick up the phone and talk to the therapist you are considering working with. This gives you a chance to briefly explain your issue, and the therapist an opportunity to describe how they might work with you.

In so doing, you get a chance to experience what it’s actually like talking to that therapist and get a feel for whether they’re someone you feel you can talk to. You are likely to be sharing some very personal information so you need to feel comfortable talking to that person.

For this reason, I always offer a free consultation to provide that opportunity at no cost but I’m sure that any good therapist would at least be willing to talk to you briefly on the phone to provide that opportunity.

Watch out for my next article. Everyone’s heard of Freud, right? So, let me take you on a brief tour of psychodynamic therapy.

If you’d like to discuss Counselling & Psychotherapy for yourself or someone you know, contact BroadMinds Therapy and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you have and discuss options for you.

Call 0899420568

Email: help@broadmindstherapy.org

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Web: https://broadmindstherapy.org

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