What is Counseling ?

Counseling is often called 'Talking Therapy' because the benefit gained comes from the talking that takes place between you and your counselor. Sharing your concerns can often help you clarify the problem yourself. This may sound simple but very often, when we are having difficulties and our thoughts whirl around in ever decreasing circles, then explaining it all to someone who does not know any of the people involved can be extremely helpful. You may find yourself expanding your thinking again bringing a greater insight and awareness of your problem.

As a counselor, I am trained to listen and will try to understand what you are feeling. I will reflect this back to you so that we both come to understand the issues more clearly. You will not be given advice or opinions but will be offered an opportunity to look at your situation from several angles so that you can decide for yourself what you would like to try and do about it. You will be helped to recognise and draw on your own strengths and resources. You may even discover new qualities you didn't know you had. Not only is counseling a place to explore difficult issues, it also a space in which to grow and develop.

However, counseling is not just about thinking. It is very much about expressing feelings. How you express your feelings is personal and we all have individual ways of doing this. Being able to share how you feel about yourself and others with your counselor and having your feelings heard and respected can be extremely helpful in facilitating change.

As you begin to understand and acknowledge your feelings you may be able to start changing patterns of behaviour which keep recurring and causing difficulties. In order to understand your feelings you may need to look at the past and see where such feelings originated and how they developed. I will be able to explore this with you. Gradually, you may become aware of how your past is influencing the present and how this affects your feelings about yourself and your relationships.

Counseling Services

The service offered by Jo Fitzgerald Counseling is built on the belief that everyone is unique, with their own personal view of the world, their own responses to different life events and their own reasons for considering counseling. In other words, the service is built around you as an individual. I am reluctant to list the 'issues' I deal with because that feels like putting the 'problem' ahead of the person. I believe the focus should be on who you are, what you need and how the difficulty you are experiencing is impacting on your life.

Exploring the pages listed below, will give you a 'feel' for the service I can offer after which you may decide to contact me to discuss your individual needs.

Relationship counseling
Bereavement & loss counseling
Work related stress counseling