Short Term Counselling.
Clients find short-term counselling useful when they need to make a serious decision, choosing between two or more different options.
The counsellor does not advise the client as to which option they should choose. Their job is firstly to help the client to clarify which options may be open to them. The client always keeps the full responsibility for any decisions that are taken.
Secondly, they can help the client to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of each possible choice.
These advantages and disadvantages can then be considered in the light of the clients own needs and moral values.
The advantage of seeing a counsellor is that the counsellor does not have any personal bias as to which option you should choose, since he is not personally involved.
Because the counsellor is not personally involved, he can help clients to weigh up their options in a calm state of mind. When the client is feeling calm and supported, their own problem-solving abilities can work more effectively.
I often find that clients have already discussed their problem with family or friends, who have all given them the same advice. In these cases it is useful to discuss why the client has not taken this advice. This is generally due to factors which their friends and family have not considered, or are maybe unaware of.
All counselling is entirely confidential. Counsellors are required by their professional Codes of Conduct to discuss cases with their professional supervisors. However, great care is taken in these discussions to prevent any information being revealed which could personally identify a client- even to another counsellor.
The exceptions to this rule are situations involving serious crime. This especially includes terrorist offences and offences against children, which must by law be reported to the police.