How does Relationship Therapy Work?

Does relationship counselling work? How about individual therapy for anxiety and depression. Associated Counsellors & Psychologists Sydney, a leading service provider, answers your questions about counselling therapy.

It’s commonly asked by people is: ”Does counselling really work?” You may be looking for help for your relationship, with an anxiety problem or stress, or maybe low mood or depression. Whatever the reasons causing concern, the good news is that clinical counselling is proven to clearly help people with complaints such as anxiety and depression. And importantly also, counselling for marriage or couple issues is also a helpful therapy for helping couples improve their relationship.

How does counselling work?
There are many types of modalities which counsellors can use to help you. The chosen mode will largely depend on a counsellors training and their judgement of your problem. Treatment for anxiety and depression can include cognitive behavioural therapy. This treatment works to look at behaviours and thoughts that generally increase your level of anxiety or depression, and help you to overcome this habitual or patterned reaction. For instance, those who experience anxiety may tell themselves things such as: 'I won’t be able to make it’, or ’I'll be terribly embarrassed if people see how nervous I am’. Such thoughts are recognised together with your therapist, and different, more accurate self-representations are now used to challenge these beliefs. With continued practice and perhaps some skills training such as relaxation, positive results are experienced by most people.

Can relationship counselling really help my marriage?
It’s important to realise that relationships are changeable -they go through phases, from the initial honeymoon stage to a maturing of the relationships. For many couples, as a relationship matures, so do lifestyle demands and responsibility, be it in the form of increased work pressure or children coming into the family, etc. As these common pressures increase, the partners in the relationship may no longer be able to accommodate each other’s emotional needs, and conflict may develop - often into frequent and recurring arguments. Relationship counselling helps each person to learn to calm their own distress, whilst also learning to identify and bring out into the open any underlying needs that are not satisfactory. Partners are able to begin to negotiate what they can do for each other and which demands may need to go unmet. A new, more realistic life plan is recognised and can be worked with.

What issues can psychologists help with?
Therapists and psychologists are familiar with helping with a broad range of issues including anxiety or stress, depression or sadness, couple and marriage issues, grief and bereavement, addictions, anger management, eating disorders and many other complaints of modern living.

How should I choose a counsellor or psychologist?
Get in touch with a registered counsellor or psychologist for a start to a better life. These licenced mental health professionals can work with you to overcome your emotional challenges. Whatever country you are in you can seek assistance from the professional body which registers psychologists or counsellors in your state. In Australia, Associated Counsellors & Psychologists Sydney are able to offer details of a registered therapist near you.

Associated Counsellors & Psychologists Sydney - psychologist services including, cognitive behaviour therapy, general counselling, psychology and relationship counselling Sydney. Call (02)8205 0566 or visit 418/185 Elizabeth Street, Sydney 2000.