Counselling & Psychotherapy
What are counselling & psychotherapy? What’s the difference?
The terms counselling and psychotherapy are often used interchangeably. Both are ‘talking’ therapies, which aim to facilitate awareness, effective change and enhanced wellbeing.
Generally speaking, counselling offers support for immediate distress, common life challenges and mental health problems.
Psychotherapy may be experienced as working to a deeper and more complex level of understanding of the Self.
EMDR is a specialized form of therapy, which is particularly effective when working with distressing or traumatic memories.
An integrative approach
Loraine’s integrative training is a thoughtful and knowledgeable blend of respected theoretical approaches. However, integration is also an idea about how we can feel ‘whole’ as a person.
Sometimes we do not feel ‘at one’ with ourselves, with others and with life in general. Our thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and physical symptoms can all be clues about ‘who I am’. Our personal history can also affect how we develop familiar patterns of thinking, feeling and relating.
An integrative approach allows you to bring these elements together in a way that makes sense to you. In so doing, you may gain insights, make new choices, and develop a sense of your Self as a whole.
Areas of experience
Loraine has experience working with a wide range of common life events, as well as with more complex issues. Examples include:
- Abuse
- Anxiety
- Bereavement
- Childhood issues
- Confidence & self-esteem
- Depression
- Emotional difficulties
- Grief & loss
- Identity issues
- Life stages
- Relationships
- Stress
- Trauma & PTSD
It may be that you have a clear idea of why you are considering counselling, or perhaps you are wishing to explore a more general feeling you have, which is causing you concern, distress or just plain curiosity. I offer a safe and appropriate space for such exploration. This may be short-term and targeted or longer term and in more depth.
“Whatever might be troubling you, counselling is an opportunity to take time for yourself; time to explore, discover, heal, change… and sometimes simply ‘be’ alongside your Self in the context of an ethical and professional relationship.”
Loraine Cairns, CairnCounselling, North Devon