How Counselling Can Help

At some point almost everyone would benefit from counselling. Our clients come from all walks of life. People who seek counselling have one thing in common and that is that they want to improve their quality of their lives in some way. Your counsellor can facilitate that quality of life discussion with you.

Why Seek Counselling?
It is not necessary to have a 'problem' to find counselling useful. Sometimes we need support for what we are doing well in our lives. The reasons people come to counselling are as varied as people themselves. Often, clients have encountered distressing or stressful experiences or situations which they would like to talk about in a safe setting. These might include present circumstances of bereavement, separation, or other major life transitions, or experiences from the past, such as in childhood. Others seek help in dealing with specific psychological or behavioural traits which they would like to alter. Some people seek counselling to help them explore a general feeling that their lives are not quite right, or to cope with feelings of depression or anxiety. Still others look to counselling as part of their effort to discover or create meaning in their lives. Many people are attracted to counselling as an opportunity to undertake personal development in a safe and supportive environment.

Are there other benefits to counselling?
Healthy relationships expand to include not only your immediate and extended family but your work place and your larger community. In addition to help with specific goals or difficulties, clients who undertake counselling may experience general improvements in quality of life, including:

• Increased sense of well being
• Knowing that it is 'normal' to struggle with life's issues and having the skills to deal with those life transitions and issues.
• Improved relationships with self and others
• Increased ability to communicate
• Increased self esteem
• More energy
• Increased productivity in work

What is Counselling?
Counselling encompasses a broad set of approaches and goals aimed at helping an individual with problem solving. Counselling offers people the opportunity to talk things over with a trained counsellor. Counselling can help you make sense of your feelings and offer you encouragement.

The counsellor does not tell you what to do, but they can offer new ideas for coping, solving long-standing problems in the family or at work; or solving sudden major problems. Whatever the reason for seeking counselling, clients coming to Family Service Saskatoon will find a safe, confidential environment and a supportive human being who will work with them non-judgmentally.

Family Service Saskatoon counsellors have differing methods of delivering their counselling services but all follow a strength based model of care.