Mason Jones (Reporter)
A BRITISH expat is hoping to dispel what she describes as the ‘taboo’ of counselling after training for a diploma in the subject.
Philippa Porral, from Sotogrande, is studying part-time while also completing a placement with Connect Counselling Services in Gibraltar.
“There seems to have been this taboo about counselling which is disappearing now, people are becoming more open minded about it, which is great as the truth is most of us could do with counselling at some stage in our lives, whether we recognise it or not,” Porral, who is also an artist, told the Olive Press.
Not sure about a “taboo” around counselling, it’s more like doubt. As in, “what makes this person so much smarter than me?” A certificate on the wall may look impressive, but doesn’t quite convince, when backed up by a part-time study “diploma”. Without a recognised university degree in Psychology at least, I’d be mighty reluctant to entrust my psyche to anyone with less than that.
As a person who has been thru “therapy & counselling” –
I find the 3 ESSENTIALS of the trade, ask:
1) how do you FEEL about that?
2) but how do you FEEL about that?
3) tell me some details about how you FEEL about that?!
ps – I divorced her anyway, and FELT good later on.
J Molitor. Spot on. After the Kegworth aircrash on the M1 all those years ago, police officers were sent for ‘compulsory’ counselling. We were asked how we “FELT”. Most of us said that they thought we had done a very good professional job under the circumstances and FELT pleased with ourselves. We all worked out we were supposed to turn into dribbling wimps to make the therapist FEEL better. We didn’t. The sessions folded soon afterwards.
Can we book Reality in please?
As a trained counsellor with much experience in working with people I have to say that you should not just go to any counsellor without checking out their methods. In the same way that GPs tend to specialise in certain areas counsellors are also trained in different methods of counselling. An experienced counsellor should explain this in the first session and also explain that things can feel worse before they get better. There are no miracle cures and a skilled counsellor should assist people to be able to work together in exploring solutions because what works for one person may not be what another person needs. Dont write us all off because of a negative experience with one person.
Personally, never had a bad experience with a counsellor. Wouldn’t trust one as far as I could throw ’em. But I can FEEL your pain at being “written off”.