No claim is made to cure any medical condition. Complementary health assistance must be with medical doctor's permission and following the client consulting a medical doctor. With medical doctor's consent is is often possible to assist the client holistically in dealing with conditions classed as medical.

Depression, Anxiety, Worry, Tension

Feeling "Under the Weather"?

Dealing with depression, anxiety, worry, tension, frustration and other emotional problems can be assisted in therapy.

 Because Depression and Anxiety are often considered medical conditions, you should discuss these with your GP. However there is usually no reason why you can not also have counselling, although your GP should be made aware of this, and should your GP object, your counsellor may feel that counselling should be suspended.

  How can Therapy assist Depression?

There are a number of ways of tackling the above issues. The best methods depend on the individual and their own personal issues and background. Therefore the first step is to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the case history, discovering "where the client is coming from" and when the issues effect him or her.

The therapist will normally be looking for patterns here - where the problem manifests itself, at work, at home, when one person in particular is around....... Then a starting picture can be developed which gives the therapist a basic bench mark to work from. The therapist can then plan a course of action with the client, including which therapies are appropriate.

As a course of therapy begins and continues, more information will come to the front, and therefore the planned process will have to be flexible and (with the client's permission) be adapted to meet the new information and identified issues.

This area is complex since so many issues and aspects of life can effect our well being- the following are just a few examples:

Factors in Depression

• Stress Levels

• Personal Relationships

• Disliking current career

• Being unemployed

• Being unwell

• Feeling overweight

• Eating Disorders

• Poor work performance

• Inability to attain sales

• Bad experiences / Trauma

• Abuse

• Addictions

• Poor lifestyle

• Feeling unfocused

• and many more....

 

Sometimes the client is only concerned with ONE effect of the problem, such as the effect on their work performance, feeling down/anxious, or a relationship. Frequently when counselling is offered the client realises that the issues have a far greater impact on their life than they realised, effecting many areas. Initially this may be a little shocking, but when the issues are addressed, the benefits outstrip what the client initially expected too! Therefore the end result is very pleasing for the client!

But the list goes on and on, precisely because the issue causing the problem will be as individual as the person sitting before the therapist. Also from time to time you will find a person, who although they have dealt with underlying issues, has still not regained their well-being. In these cases direct boosting can be used. Boosting confidence artificially in other cases is to be avoided since where underlying issues still exist the therapist can cause unforeseen complications. All sorts of side effects such as arrogance, false expectations and artificial reality can be created by not tackling underlying issues first.

 Paul S Morgan-Ayres 
(Professor of Religious Studies, Psychotherapy and Counseling U.K. Division, Interfaith Seminary)

 Bases all over the UK- HERE

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What sorts of therapies are effective then?

Counselling and or Psychotherapy should be at the root of any method since it allows the information finding the therapist requires to make the right decisions as regards methods employed. They are also effective treatment methods in their own right.

Hypnotherapy and NLP are useful in addressing issues as part of an overall plan. I do not recommend using them without a sound counselling base since there is a danger of not addressing the underlying issues where just hypnosis is used. However Hypnosis or meditation as relaxation techniques are very effective during all stages since they are methods of reducing stress and anxiety in the body. Therefore incorporating relaxation techniques of some sort at an early stage actually disrupts the pattern of the problem being tackled.

Other complementary health techniques, in particular self-help techniques are very effective as part of an overall plan. What might seem a strange choice of method (e.g. Yoga) on its own might make a real difference as part of an overall plan and change in lifestyle.

There is another consideration that can sometimes be forgotten. Sometimes in the rush to change many factors in the life of a client in order to assist them in achieving a goal, the therapist forgets the stress that change can cause. Change should be carefully paced and planned to ensure the client can cope with it. Otherwise the client may suffer anxiety, stress and discomfort from the degree of change and then revert back to the old patterns as an escape from the painful change. Again this is an argument for ensuring a multi-skilled therapist with a strong counselling base!

Will it hurt?

Yes - in a way! All effective therapy in this area which is effective contains change - which is painful. When we move away from a "safe" and "familiar" routine we feel fear, anxiety and concern. This is normal. The job of the therapist is to help minimise this fear or pain so that the client can cope, and the client feels the rewards. At the end of the day the client does have to make changes, DO things and ACT. This can be frightening, but the rewards and potential pleasure and happiness at the end of it, and indeed along the way, usually FAR outstrip any discomfort. Also by using relaxation methods and certain other self-help techniques, the pain is not removed, but the ability of the client to cope is increased, thus making the pain seem far less.

How effective is therapy for depression and anxiety related problems?

If planned properly, with a strong counselling base - VERY. As for how long it takes, it should not be rushed for the reasons stated above, neither should it be drawn out! It must be a carefully planned, yet flexible approach. Quick fixes should be avoided!!! Sometimes there may be a medical reason for the condition and in these cases success can not be guaranteed. It is therefore also essential that the client seeks advice from their GP. In these cases the therapy offered needs to be with the permission or at least knowledge of the GP. Frequently the GP will consider counselling a sensible option, although not immediately and will prefer to prescribe medication or specialist referral first, followed by counselling later.

Remember - magic pills and quick fixes do not exist!! If you have a confidence related problem - there is almost certainly an underlying reason of some kind. Quick ego boosting will not solve that issue and not resolve it. You might feel better in the short run, but the quick fix will prove short term. A systematic and planned response that leaves permanent relief is what you deserve so that you can enjoy life to the full.

Short term remedial intervention is different from a quick fix in that the objective is to get the client through a particularly critical period of time (e.g. during legal issues, divorce, bereavement, critical illness of a family member). This is a survival method enabling the client to keep their life together as well as possible until a crisis is part. This method does not tackles underlying issues in depth, rather it provides support in that period of time. As the end of that time period it is wise for people to seek a more comprehensive model of therapy.

Professor Morgan-Ayres combines a number of methods of therapy depending on the case. Counselling and Psychotherapy provide a base with other methods (listed on the main therapy page) such as hypnotherapy, NLP, lifestyle training, life coaching and faith counselling providing additional modalities and methods that can be employed. Underlying issues are addressed and quick fixes are not offered. Remedial short term interventions are offered with the option of following on with comprehensive therapy afterwards if required.

Paul is also the course author for a number of professional therapist training courses relating to this area, including ASET accredited courses for a major UK college. These include Life Coaching (ASET Level 4), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (ASET Level 5), Anger management coaching (ASET Level 4) and Stress management coaching (ASET Level 4). These are available via Stonebridge Associated Colleges, an ASET accredited centre.

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