London Counselling & Psychotherapy training

29/06/2022

15/09/2021

Depression is an unfortunately increasingly common presentation which therapists encounter in their clients, but when could depression be mistaken for something else? In many modalities of counselling and psychotherapy, we look to the past for answers as to why people are suffering in the here and now, but could there be other reasons for people to present with seemingly depressive symptoms?

Today we're taking a brief look at Depression vs Burnout. Although symptoms differ from person to person, many agree that some of the main symptoms of burnout are Exhaustion, Inefficacy and Cynicism. These can closely resemble the depressive symptoms of Low Energy, Tiredness, Thinking Problems, Feeling Hopeless and Worthless and a general depressed mood. It is also important to remember that experiencing a prolonged state of burnout can easily lead to actual depression and so it may be hard to pinpoint that moment when it shifts from one to the other.

There are significant differences between the presentations though. For example, if you sent a depressed person on a first class, all expenses paid luxury holiday to a tropical paradise, they may feel their mood lifted slightly, but they would likely still have feelings of depression which would likely soon reemerge upon their return home. However someone suffering from burnout would likely show a much greater degree of improvement whilst away which could be sustained upon their return home.

We explore this theme in more depth on our CPD Workshop "Empathic Fatigue and Burnout in the Therapeutic Profession". If you would like to join us on our next Zoom workshop on 9th October, please follow the link in our bio for more information and to book your place!

25/08/2021

This may sound strange coming from a therapist, but sometimes focusing too much on the past, even in a counselling or psychotherapeutic environment can prove more harmful than good.

While it is definitely important to explore, understand and resolve the past, there is also a real danger that you can spend so long and allocate so much time and energy looking back that you forget to looking forward and see the beauty, possibilities and potential of your future.

Some people believe they have to keep digging around in the past to find the answer to happiness in the present, and whilst on some occasions this may be true, always remember that the past once had you bound, chained and kept you stuck. And if you spend too long looking back, you allow may allow the past to have that same power over you again.

So perhaps it's time to stop looking back so much, to begin to let go of the past and to recognise the amazing person you are today, experience the joy which the present has to give and start making plans and finding ways to fill your future with something meaningful, inspiring and joyful.

18/08/2021

05/08/2021

Boundaries are an area that even experienced therapists can get wrong from time to time so it's understandable that boundary issues are one of the most common mistakes for counsellors and psychotherapist's who are new to private practice.

Often when working for an organisation, we have their rules to follow and so it can feel easier to enforce boundaries when you're just following some one else's instructions. But when it comes to private practice, boundaries can feel difficult to enforce. A classic example is cancellation fees. You may have a 24 hour cancellation fee and then the client rings with 4 or 5 hours notice to say they have a terrible migraine or a nasty stomach ache, etc. Do you still enforce the boundary and insist on the cancellation fee?

I had a great example of the benefit of enforcing client boundaries recently. A client was feeling ill but forced himself to come to the session anyway as he knew he would still need to pay for it. This caused him to feel angry about the boundary and throughout the session he was able to connect with the anger, express it and in doing so we were able to work with it in the session. He had previously had a great deal of difficulty in expressing anger to anyone and so enforcing the boundary actually had a positive therapeutic impact upon him.

There are some boundaries which are non-negotiable such as with confidentiality, however for other boundaries, it comes down to what's acceptable to you and what's not. Whatever boundaries you decide are right for you, you should ensure that you communicate them effectively to your clients and then stick firmly to them.

02/08/2021

Scams are something that plague us all in the modern online world. But when you're trying to build a private practice, they can impact us to an even greater degree. If you scroll through the photos in this reel, you'll see just a few of those that I've encountered over the years.

The first is one which is quite common at the moment and can be very anxiety provoking the first time it lands in your inbox. But rest assured it is just a scam and so as long as you don't click on the link, there's nothing to worry about!

The second was from a very clever scam that not many people know about. A "client" from another country tells you they are coming to your area, want to book in for a specific amount of therapy sessions and are willing to pay you for all the sessions in advance. However if you share your details, they will actually pay you much more than requested. They will tell you it was an accident and ask for a refund which you do, confident that the funds are in your account. However transfers from foreign accounts can be cancelled up to 2 weeks later. So you transfer the "refund" and they then cancel their original transfer, losing you a significant sum of money.

The third scam convinces you that you have won an award, but then asks you to pay for the privilege of receiving the prizes which are worthless anyway. Finally the fourth asks you to pay a lot of money to advertise on Google, which you can do much cheaper through Google Ads.

In general, if an email does not include your name, your practice name and more specifics, e.g. where you practice or the name of who recommended them or where they found you, always question whether it is genuine or not. If it seems to good to be real, it usually is!

You can find out more about Scams that affect therapists on our Setting up and Growing Your Private Practice workshops.

30/07/2021

We're all human and so are all prone to making mistakes, whether we like to admit that or not. But what mistakes do people commonly make in private practice and how seriously can they damage your chances of making it a success?

Although a lot depends on the nature of your practice, there are a few common mistakes that many people make, especially when starting out in private practice. Over the next few posts we'll be taking a brief look at some of these including:

• Boundaries
• Scams
• Ineffective advertising
• Not utilising Websites and Social Media effectively
• Prompt responses to new enquiries

We'd love to hear more about any mistakes you made when starting up in private practice so feel free to join the discussion in the comments below. The more we highlight our own mistakes, the easier we make it for the next generation to avoid falling into the same traps!

If you're just starting out in private practice and would like to join our one day workshop in September on Setting up a Successful Private Practice, just follow the link in our bio or DM me for more details!

27/07/2021

So you've been studying for years and have finally taken the plunge and set up in private practice. You've got your website, you're on a few of the listing directories and have clients which are going well. You're familiar with your paperwork and have your accounts in order. So what now?

This is often the time when therapists in private practice can struggle. You've taken a big step but can now feel lost as to the next steps. Do you continue working with a wide variety of presentations or do you try to find your niche and specialise in a certain area? Do you do further training while client numbers are lower? Do you make a push for more clients and if so how do you achieve that? How do you effectively advertise your practice, using Search Engines and Social Media to reach more potential clients? Do you look forward to becoming a supervisor or trainer? Do you have your eyes set on another goal?

And then there's the theme of money. When expanding and building your private practice, how do you manage the feelings that may come up around money - am I charging too much? Am I underselling my skills and experience? Will clients be put off by my prices?

Starting a private practice is daunting enough, but knowing where to take it once you're in it is another matter. We'll be exploring this more over coming posts but we'd love to hear your comments about your experience in developing and building your practice!

If you're interested in finding out more about building on an existing private practice, we are running a one day CPD course on Saturday 23rd October. You can find out more details and book your place by following the link in our bio.

22/07/2021

I've had many clients walk through my door who've told me how much they hate sympathy, however as therapists we know the importance of giving empathy to those who are struggling. But what is the difference between sympathy and empathy? Simply put, sympathy is sharing the feelings of another whereas empathy is understanding but not necessarily sharing the feelings of another.

At first glance you may wonder what is wrong with sympathy, after all wouldn't sharing the feelings of someone in distress help you to connect with them? A great image I saw many years ago early in my training (which unfortunately I couldn't find for this post), demonstrates the dangers of sympathy. Imagine you come across a friend sitting by the road crying. Sympathy would be the equivalent of sitting next to them and crying too. Whereas empathy would be helping them to stand up and holding / hugging them whilst they cry.

Sympathy runs the risk of you being pulled too deeply into your own process so the situation becomes more about you than the other who is experiencing the problem. Sympathy can also cause the other to feel patronised, pitied, shamed and not good enough, often with a Parent / Child dynamic being triggered.

So whether working with clients or just emotionally supporting a friend or loved one, always be aware of the benefits of empathy and the dangers of sympathy.

20/07/2021

The Emotion Wheel - Continuing our theme of looking at emotions this week, I thought I'd share with you a useful tool for anyone who may struggle with feeling emotions.

Often when people are struggling in life, emotions are either completely quashed, buried and hidden or become completely overwhelming. The Emotion Wheel helps people to reconnect with what is going on for them internally, allowing them to communicate their experiences more accurately and in doing so be able to ask for what they need or want from others.

It's simple to use. Just start at the centre with the basic emotion, such as "Angry". Then in the middle segment, it can be broken down into eight different types of anger. From there on the outer segment then breaks it down still further. So rather than just saying you "feel angry", you may be able to communicate that you feel violated or betrayed, resentful or hostile. Give it a go yourself and see how it helps you with communicating your emotions!

Don’t forget to check out our range of CPD courses and workshops by following the link in our bio or by visiting www.Londontherapyservices.co.uk/training.

19/07/2021

Can anger really be healthy? This is a question that I've heard many times from clients and again was raised after the awful racist taunts against members of the English football team after their loss to Italy in the Euro 2020 final.

Anger is a normal human emotion just the same as sadness, joy, excitement or any of the other feelings we experience. It is not wrong to experience anger, but it is important that we have understanding about what it means for us and how we express that anger.

When understanding our anger, there's a simple question to ask yourself. Is this anger appropriate to the here and now, or are you experiencing it due to events from your past? If the real cause of your anger sits in the past, you need to find ways (such as therapy) to work through that. If it sits in the present, then ask yourself what is the healthiest way (for you as well as others) to express that anger.

I'm often drawn to Martin Luthor King's view that anger, if channeled properly, can be an incredible force for positive and powerful change. So next time you feel anger, remember to ask yourself, is it appropriate to the here and now and if so, how can it be used to encourage healthy, positive change in yourself, others and the world around us.

We explore themes of anger a lot more in depth in our various workshops and training courses so DM me for more details or follow the link in our bio!

13/07/2021

I hope you've enjoyed our brief exploration of technology and it's impact on mental health. If you'd like to dig a little deeper on this theme, I'm happy to announce that I am running a 6 hour CPD workshop in January on the theme of "Modern Technology: A Friend or Foe to our Mental Health?" If you feel this is something which would interest you, please follow the link in our bio to see our Eventbrite page where you can find out more information and confirm your place on this or any of our other workshops that we're running. You can also find out more information at http://www.londontherapyservices.co.uk/training or just DM me with any questions!

I'm taking a break this week but will be back at the weekend looking at more thought provoking subjects. Keep well and safe and I look forward to sharing more with you soon!