What is the difference between Counselling and Psychotherapy.

In essence, there is no difference. Each therapist works to their own style of working. Counselling can be short term or long term. There are many factors that can decide whether the therapy is short term or long term. Often a therapist working in an organisation, ie the NHS, Insurance companies, Employment Assisted Programmes and Charities will have restraints on the number of sessions they can provide to a client. This generally means the work will be short term and generally focused on solutions to the difficulties presented. The results of short term work can be powerful, but in our experience, it often results in a client wanting further help once the short term work has been completed. Short term sessions, also mean that the sessions are more solution focused, rather than resolving trauma, the approach is often managing the trauma.

A therapist in private practice trained to the appropriate standards will often incorporate different theoretical approaches to create a strong therapeutic alliance between themselves and you, the client. They can have a counselling qualification that incorporated psychotherapy approaches and therefore practice psychotherapy. This is labelled Psychodynamic training.

In most training courses that are 450 hours or more, and with a qualification of level 4 diploma or higher, all therapists tend to cover lots of differing theoretical approaches. The most commonly used approaches are listed beneath alongside an insight and overview of each approach.


Person Centred Therapy.

Person Centred Therapy, commonly referred to as the PC Approach was created by Carl Rogers and is based on 3 core conditions, Empathy, Congruence and Unconditional Positive Regard. UPR, for short. Therapists understand that without these core conditions being present, creating a positive relationship with a client could be very difficult. We. At APA believe, without these CORE conditions being present within the relationship, the relationship would not be as affective in the client achieving their desired goals. This is an essential approach from one human being to another. Carl Rogers believed in the approach to helping clients work towards an ‘inner locus of evaluation’, in effect, learning to assess, judge, process and respond to our own knowledge, rather than take on other individuals’ negativity. This also creates the capacity to recognise the difference between constructive criticism rather than abusive or coercive criticism. Most individuals work from a place of an ‘Outer locus of evaluation,’ taking on another’s negativity, criticisms and negative judgments, often leading to a lack of confidence in ones’ own judgement, choices and decision making. Learning to work from an inner locus of evaluation changes our reactions to responses and leads to more affective communication with ourselves and others. To accept an individual, be empathetic with that individual and to respect the client unconditionally results in the impact of a relationship developing from a place of understanding, appreciation and without judgement. This is the basis for all positive relationships.


Psychotherapy.

Psychotherapy is an approach created by Sigmund Freud, who understood that the environment the child grew in, the experiences the child went through, would create emotional reactions that would be recreated through adulthood, without the adult being aware of the origin of patterns of thinking

and feeling. For example, the baby that is born with an umbilical cord wrapped around their neck, would be in immediate survival mode, extreme panic and anxiety due to being strangled, totally helpless and unable to resolve the situation themselves and with adults controlling the situation. The child that experiences this, could well result in an adult having anxiety attacks in a trapped situation. IE On trains, planes, in lifts, or situations where they may experience the sense of being trapped and unable to escape. A therapist working with a client will often use this approach in relation to trauma in childhood. Helping a client understand and process trauma, through education, expressing, sharing and processing, helping the individual come to terms with historical trauma. Please be aware, therapy is not about forgetting, it is about changing the impact of trauma and learning through the therapeutic alliance to come to terms with histories that have created negative dynamics in your life. The topic of psychotherapy is extensive, but for the sake of understanding and without wishing to make this summary an essay, we at APA have attempted to provide a simple clear understanding of the psychotherapeutic approach in relation to trauma. Counsellors can practice psychotherapy in the same way a psychotherapist can. As the labels are interchangeable based on the individuals’ style of working, what theoretical approaches they have been trained in and that which they are drawn to for the benefit of the individual client.


Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. (CBT).

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy was created by Dr Aaron T Beck. CBT as it is more commonly known is a structured technique increasing your self awareness.

CBT teaches us the patterns of thoughts often leading to negative behaviours and by understanding those thoughts in relation to your reactions can encourage the ability to manage and change reactions to responses. This is a structured technique and often involves homework in relation to learning to become more aware of your patterns of thinking.

CBT is a fantastic tool for gaining quick understanding and is widely used in differing short term work as it can enhance your awareness quickly. Many experienced therapists see the benefit of incorporating CBT, alongside the above approaches, PC and Psychodynamic and create an Integrative approach utilising all 3 for the benefit of clients. It is important to acknowledge, CBT is a structural technique and the one time a therapist can tell you what you have to do, in relation to understanding the technique itself. It has been widely reported, albeit the benefits of CBT that it will help manage trauma, but having the added use of PC and Psychotherapy, you are much more likely to process trauma and change holistically.


Other Approaches

Gestalt
Adler Individual Psychology
Constellation
Directive
Human Givens
Eclectic


What to expect from a first Contact.

From the moment you contact a professional therapist whether that’s in a private practice or through an organisation, you deserve to be totally respected for your desire to change. Obviously when a therapist is working within, for example the NHS, the waiting times to see someone can be extensive, whereas in private therapy, you ought to be able to book an appointment within 48 hours of contact to any organisation, if not at least, receiving a response on the same day to book an appointment. This is, of course, in context with a therapists diary, as they may well be on holiday, and not able to book you in until their return.

Professional therapists in private practise will aim to return your call/email within the same day.

During the initial phone call, a professional therapist will often talk to you about the first appointment, provide you with some education on therapy and discuss a convenient time for you to attend in line with their availability. If you are feeling comfortable with the therapist, their approach to you and want to book in, then payment and times can be discussed


All professional therapists would inform you of the following:


Confidentiality Boundaries.

Upon attending your first appointment, all professional therapists will discuss boundaries of confidentiality with you, this is an essential boundary in line with therapeutic ethical guidelines and APA would genuinely suggest, if a therapist does not discuss the boundaries of Confidentiality, I would encourage any client to acquire another therapist as this is for your safety and in line with our ethics and boundaries depending on our professional membership bodies. APA requires all therapists to ensure clients are aware of the boundary of confidentiality.

Where you can go to complain about them.

Most therapists are attached to professional memberships. APA is a professional membership which abides by ethical codes of practice in line with PSA standards, but there are others and the information can be asked for by yourself, but professional therapists will offer this information freely within the first appointment or depending on the appointment, at least the second appointment.

That they have Supervision.

All professional therapists have a supervisor. This is part of our ethical codes of conduct and a supervisor is part of your therapists support network to ensure they remain safe, ethical and working with good practice. Your therapist does not provide details of your name, DOB or address as this remains confidential in line with confidentiality boundaries.

GDPR REG.

All professional therapists will discuss GDPR Regulations with you, even if that is to inform you that your paperwork will be destroyed after a particular period of time and is kept under lock and key.

Insurance.

All professional therapists hold indemnity insurance, this wont necessarily be discussed with you, but you do have the right to ask about this

Theoretical Approaches

Many professional therapists may give you an overview of differing theoretical approaches in the initial appointment. This is not a mandatory approach, but it is helpful to be aware.

Living Will

Many professional therapists have a living will, they ask if you would like to sign, just in case, a very untoward unfortunate situation occurs with your therapist and they have assigned a close colleague or supervisor to contact all clients and make them aware.

Time and cancellation Policy

Professional therapists in private practice will endeavour to make you aware of their availability, cancellation policy, flexibility arrangements based on the context of your needs.

Financial Agreements.

In organisations such as the NHS or Insurance companies, this is either discussed in advance with the Insurance company, or organisation involved as in the NHS the payment is through our national insurance, so there is no need to discuss it. With professional private therapists, the price will either be advertised via their website, discussed with you in the initial phone call or discussed with you in the first appointment. Generally it is agreed during the initial phone call. There is no consistent figure as many charge for their experience and the area of practice. for therapist and often therapists will work to the geographical costs of their area and their experience. So cost for therapists can vary widely.

Paperwork.

Professional therapists often require some details from you and each work in their own way in relation to the paperwork they hold for you, but this will often take place in the first appointment, or based on context the second appointment.

Questions.

You are entitled to ask your therapist, if they have supervision, the name of and or who is their membership organisation and their qualification.

Never forget, the more you share with your therapist, the more they can help you.

APA live by the code of conducts in line with PSA Standards. Click here for more information. APA launched in July 2019, it takes approximately 18 months before you can apply for the PSA Standard. We are working towards this.

For all therapists interested in receiving a complete copy of Our Private Practice Pack, supplying you with a starter pack enabling you to commence private practice fully prepared and equipped from a professional point of view this can be purchased from our store below:.

We at APA wish every therapist and client the best of luck in both futures, business and personal. www.ayanay.co.uk Award Winning Therapeutic Process of 2019