Other Counselling Issues

"Fran" had always prided herself on how well she coped with life. In fact, she saw other people struggling, and thought that they were rather weak or simply didn't try hard enough. Her philosophy in life was to ignore the unpleasant things and never to look too closely at what was happening inside her. So no one was more surprised than Fran herself when she ran out of steam following the birth of her only child when she was forty-three.

Because the dream of having children had seemed impossible, Fran had poured all her energies into building the business which she had founded with her husband. They had been very successful, and enjoyed lots of travel and fine living. While they were both excited at the prospect of being parents, they agreed that Fran would keep on all her responsibilities at work once the baby was born. All these plans came unstuck when their son was born with severe physical and mental disabilities.

Life became an endless of specialist appointments and all Fran's energy was devoted to caring for their child. Her husband had to work much longer hours to keep up, so he and Fran rarely saw each other. Finances also became very tight. One morning, Fran woke up unable to move and was rushed to hospital, but the doctors could find no physical explanation for her symptoms.

Your story may not be as dramatic as Fran's (or it may be). Realistically, we all reach a point where our usual coping strategies let us down. This is the time when counselling can be of great benefit. Your challenge may be triggered by:

• Trauma (either impacting you directly, or someone you care about).
• Conflict (this could involve other people or may be about a war within yourself).
• Change. Even when it is planned for, the unexpected can happen and throw us off track. When there are multiple changes, or change is drawn out for a long time, we may lose our ability to cope.
• Parenting. It is very difficult to see our children struggling with issues such as bullying or other school related issues. Our sense of helplessness may tax our resources and leave us struggling.

Life's problems don't usually give us notice that they are on the way. If you find yourself grappling with your circumstances, then that is an ideal time to work with a counsellor. This does not mean a lifelong commitment to therapy. Sometimes just a few sessions with a skilled professional is all it may take to help us find our feet.

At Point Of Change Counselling we see each person as a unique individual and we will work with you, at your pace, to help you rediscover your strength and resilience.

For help and support in a wide variety of issues, contact Alli at Point Of Change Counselling and make an appointment.