In the UK, the terms ‘psychotherapy’ and ‘counselling’ are not protected terms, and there is no statutory regulation. This means that people with very little training or experience can call themselves a counsellor or a psychotherapist. Some practitioners see no difference between the two, and admittedly it does get confusing when we also have psychotherapeutic counsellors!
I understand counselling to be short term, often focused on a here and now problem, while psychotherapy is a deeper, more long-term process. The most widely used model in the counselling profession is Person Centred Counselling, where the counsellor provides the core conditions of empathy, unconditional positive regard and congruence. Practitioners who practice in this model work on the belief that the client will find their own resolution to their problems through their experience of this relationship.
There are many different models of psychotherapy. Most have their distinct philosophies, models of the mind, and theoretical frameworks around the cause of human suffering, therapeutic relationship, and ‘cure’. The common thread that runs through many models is the assumption that many present day problems have their roots in early experience. This assumption means that therapeutic work often involves an exploration of the clients’ experience of childhood. Therefore, deep psychotherapy can often be disturbing, and is more likely to be longer term.
Body psychotherapy began as a distinct branch of psychotherapy, and for many years was out of the mainstream. Recently, there has been an increasing acceptance that the body is a vital resource in the process of healing trauma, and the integration of the body in psychotherapy is now widespread.
I would describe my way of working now as integrative, relational, embodied psychotherapy. ‘Integrative’ means that I draw on different models of psychotherapy to inform my work, ‘relational’ means that I use the relationship between us as part of the work, and ‘embodied’ means that I use both my own and my clients’ body as sources of information and healing. Most importantly, I attune to the needs of each individual client.
Emma Swales is an experienced, fully qualified counsellor and psychotherapist, working with both individuals and couples in the Yorkshire area, including Otley, Guiseley, Yeadon, Esholt, Burley-in Wharfedale, Askwith, Baildon, Shipley, Bradford, Keighley, Addingham, Skipon, Embsay, Steeton, Silsden and the southern Dales
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