Personal development is the key to in depth counselling
Ongoing Personal Development is the key to offering an in-depth therapeutic experience to our clients
I offer workshops that are an invitation into personal development that lead into enriched professional practice. Ongoing Personal Development is the most powerful route to developing the real and meaningful use of the conditions of empathy, unconditional positive regard, psychological contact and congruence.
The Process workshops that I facilitate look at different aspects of our lives, how these impacts upon how we are and how we work with our clients. There will be a topic and I will invite you to look closely at yourself, your history, your family, your relationships, your values, and your experience of yourself in relation to the topic.
Each person in the group may choose to take the opportunity to offer their experience of themselves and in so doing broaden our understanding of similarities and differences. This experience always leads us to greater understanding of our client and ourselves and widens our ability to offer empathy.
The workshops are experienced as challenging, whilst we explore ourselves in relation to the topic. We consider both conscious and unconscious beliefs, our values and judgments of others and ourselves. The invitation is to notice learnt and “held onto” judgment, which in turn helps us to more consciously offer authentic positive regard.
The workshops are therapeutic. I think of congruence as the gold within the core conditions. Gold is hard to find, it is treasure in children’s stories. Gold is used as a symbol of commitment and love. Congruence is elusive and not easy to understand. As children, we are socialised to push it away and, in its place, we develop skilled masks. We are so skilled at burying this treasure that when we start to dig, we bump into pyrite and think we have the real thing.
To be congruent is to experience the unfolding understanding of self as a wave on the shore line, a developing sunset. To look for congruence is to ask yourself what do I think and feel and why? This question is asked gently with curiosity. It is not judgmental of yourself or your history. Ask the question every day, and search deeply into yourself to look for this moments answer, then to allow the next answer to move into your conscious.
The workshops I offer are an invitation into a moment of congruence.
To walk into the counselling room aware of yourself, enables you to be present for your client. It opens your heart and your voice for the session whilst using your professionalism to discern what you offer of yourself to your client.
I hope you feel excited by the opportunity to take up these workshops.