Mental health counselling
A safe holding space, full attention, and non-judgmental acceptance are factors that surround the client in counseling, much like a protective shell.
In addition to these elements, it is also helpful for understanding and moving forward when I organize the details shared with me in a way that allows the client to view their problem from a different perspective. One of my clients expressed it this way:
"You open my eyes. You articulate and put into words what I can’t. I can only convey the details, but writing them out helps me see things from a new perspective."
This isn’t done for the client, but rather with them—by helping remove obstacles from their path, they can solve their problems by relying on their own internal resources.
In this safe space, the client can freely explore their feelings, relationships, and personal functioning. This connection between us, this "envelope," is what truly facilitates growth.
As a counselor, it is incredibly rewarding for me to hear clients report that our conversations have deepened their self-awareness, made them feel safe, and allowed them to trust themselves. They can now recognize and address their blockages from a new perspective. Another client described the helping relationship this way:
"I get guidance and a mirror to understand myself with compassion. At the same time, I receive practical help to move forward."
What is the effect of this persistent inner work on our everyday lives?
As our self-reflection develops, our self-awareness deepens, and our relationships improve—both with ourselves and with the important people in our lives. As a result, life becomes more fulfilling.
I believe, and know from my clients’ feedback, and from my own experience, that such a supportive relationship leads to an improved quality of life.
Focusing
Focusing was discovered in the late 1950s by Professor Eugene Gendlin at the University of Chicago, while researching why psychotherapy helped some people but not others. Gendlin and his colleagues studied recordings of hundreds of therapy sessions and made an important discovery: successful therapy clients were able to do more than just worry about the future or react to the past. They could pause and notice what was happening in the present moment, particularly in their bodies, in response to their problems—sometimes in ways that were difficult to express with words.
Gendlin called this the "felt sense" and developed the method of Focusing so that anyone could learn this profound technique, which helps achieve breakthroughs in areas where one feels stuck or hindered.
Focusing allows you to overcome what holds you back. It enables you to tap into your natural ability to heal and move toward new possibilities.
How do clients experience Focusing? What happens when you do Focusing?
"As a result of Focusing, I became more in touch with myself and my body. Many memories and experiences surfaced, which, in this way, could heal or bring deeper understanding. It showed me where to go and what I truly wanted. Body sensations, images, and words brought to life what was inside me. They set me in motion, mobilizing me for progress and change."
"On a cognitive level, Focusing helped me bring my intellectual realizations to a deeper place—to my heart—so I could truly feel them. It allowed me to become more fully myself."
My clients' feedbacks
My biggest realizations are the most memorable. But there were more than just those. The moments when I suddenly understand something—when I have an "Aha!" experience about myself and my problems—are always very significant to me. One of these was connected to a drawing task (I still have that drawing to this day), and another, involving working with stones, remains especially vivid for me.
I always look forward to our conversations.
What helps me the most is that you truly listen.
My most memorable experience was when I gained a deeper understanding of myself.
For me, the essence of counselling is that you genuinely listen to me.
When I was able to reach the realization on my own about the situation I was in, it was a turning point. I also managed to overcome my panic attacks, and my anxiety lessened.
I believe the essence of the conversations is to guide myself in a direction that is best for me. Nothing is stigmatized, and neither am I, which gives me the space to grow and develop.
