Emotional support resources

Frequently asked questions about counselling.

Why choose counselling?

Usually people choose to have counselling because they are experiencing difficulties and distress in their lives. Sometimes people can be isolated. Even where an individual has supportive family and friends, they can find it difficult, if not impossible, to explain why they may be feeling anxious and or depressed. Or it may be easier to talk about personal, family, or relationship issues with someone who isn’t connected to friends and family.

Other life issues and events which can be very difficult to deal with include bereavement, divorce, redundancy, health issues and bullying.

However you do not have to be in crisis or on the verge of one before choosing to have counselling. You may be experiencing underlying feelings of dissatisfaction with life in general, or be seeking balance in your life and spirituality. All of these reasons and more will bring individuals to counselling.

What is counselling?

Counselling is time set aside by you and the counsellor to talk about your concerns and discuss your situation. It is up to you to choose what to talk about. This might include talking about life events, (past and present), feelings, emotions, relationships, different ways of thinking and patterns of behaviour. The counsellor will do their best to understand and help you to explore your issues so that you find the right course of action for you. You may find that you resolve your difficulties or find different ways of coping.

How does counselling help when people lose their sight?

Losing your sight can affect every area of your life: your self-esteem, relationships, leisure, work, mobility and independence can suffer. Sight loss is often compared to bereavement because it involves loss and change in so many areas of your life. It can trigger very distressing emotions, including frustration, anxiety, shock fear, confusion, anger, sadness, loss of confidence, isolation and dependency. If these feelings are not understood or managed, people can become depressed and may be despairing.

People supporting someone with sight loss can also go through a similar process and they too may benefit from the support from outside the family.

Someone has recommended that I have counselling - how do I know if counselling is right for me?

It is important to make your own decision to go for counselling when you feel the time is right for you. Going to see a counsellor for the first time can often feel daunting. You may feel hesitant about sharing personal information with a stranger and it also takes courage to discuss and consider some of the issues in your life. Counsellors fully understand this; they are trained to listen and understand things from your perspective without judgement.

Counselling takes a commitment of time and effort from both the counsellor and the client, it requires an openness and willingness to think about and discuss sensitive issues.

Counselling can help you get a clear understanding about yourself, your problems and your feelings. Whilst counselling may not change your circumstances, you can discover different ways of thinking, feeling and behaving.

How long does counselling take?

Talking about things may take time, and usually it will take more than one session. The number of sessions offered may be limited and the counsellor may provide a maximum of six to 12 sessions, so it is best to ask about this in advance. Some counsellors offer unlimited sessions to suit the client’s needs at the time.

A counselling session is time set aside on an agreed date at an agreed place, which provides a ‘safe’ space, for you to talk about whatever you want. This will be private, undisturbed, and cannot be overheard or interrupted. The counsellor will reach an agreement with you about confidentiality.

Counselling sessions are weekly and each session lasts for an hour.

Is counselling suitable for everyone?

There are specialist counsellors who may be more appropriate for different issues. For example Action for Blind People provide individual counselling and we do not see couples together. If couple therapy is required then it may preferable to refer to Relate.

There are specialist agencies to help people whose main issues are alcohol or drug related.

At Action we generally don't counsel people with a psychotic diagnosis, and would not accept psychiatric patients unless the psychiatrist has given permission that we may do so.

Is there a charge for Action's counselling service?

No charge – we provide free counselling for people with a visual impairment and their carers in the Bristol and Liverpool areas.