BACP, as an Association, has not distinguished between counselling and psychotherapy. Counselling and psychotherapy are umbrella terms that cover a range of talking therapies. They are delivered by trained practitioners who work with people over the short or long term to help them bring about effective change or enhance their wellbeing.
Counselling and psychotherapy are services sought by clients to help them resolve emotional, psychological and relationship issues within a context of confidentiality and clear ethical boundaries using evidence-based interventions to foster long-term recovery, increased resilience and wellbeing.
BACP sees no evidence of any difference between the functions of counselling and psychotherapy.
The word psychotherapy derives from the Greek word psyche; that means spirit, and therapeia, meaning healing. Psychotherapy indeed can be described as the “therapy of the soul”.
Psychotherapy includes a range of talking therapies delivered by trained and registered professionals, addressed to treat emotional, mental or behavioural difficulties. Psychological and psychiatric problems are treated by applying specific psychological techniques and protocols.
Psychotherapy is delivered thanks to a professional and unique relationship between the therapist and the client; the therapeutic relationship is indeed characterised by trust, non-judgment and it is protected by confidentiality.
Research shows Family Therapy is useful for children, young people, adults and older adults experiencing a wide range of difficulties and circumstances including:
Couple relationship difficulties
Child and adolescent mental health issues
Adult mental health issues
Child, adolescent and adult behaviour difficulties
Parenting issues
Illness and disability in the family
Separation, divorce and step-family life
Anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders
Fostering, adoption, kinship care and the needs of ‘looked after’ children
Domestic violence and abuse
Self-harm
Drug and alcohol misuse
The effects of trauma
Difficulties related to ageing and other life cycle changes.
First sessions give us a chance to meet one another and decide if we can work together. In these sessions, I am interested in learning about you, what has brought you to therapy, what you'd like to gain, your goals from therapy, hopes and worries. You are also free to ask me questions about the way I work. By the end of this session, we should be able to decide, together, the best way forward.
A psychiatrist is a doctor with a University degree in Medicine and a specialisation in Psychiatry. Psychiatrists treat psychiatric issues by administering different kind of medications depending on the mental disorder, whereas psychotherapy is a talking therapy. Most of the times psychotherapists have a psychological, but not medical, background.
Sometimes a client may undergo both a psychiatric and a psychotherapeutic treatment at the same time as well.
No. They may see children and adults individually and/or in family member groups. They may work with couples, or with other groups and communities, and with people across the lifespan, from children to older adults.
When a family is involved with several different agencies, family therapists may work with the network of professionals as well as with family members to ensure their input is coordinated and helpful.
Some family therapists use their understandings of relationships to work with organisations. Many use their skills in family sensitive working to train and/or supervise other professionals.
Some Family Therapists specialise in working with individuals and communities under-represented in mainstream services, including LGBT clients and those from ethnic minority communities.