“Every year in Britain people spend £4.5 billion on alternative therapies to tune up their bodies – from gym to acupuncture, meditation to colonic irrigation. So why is it an unspoken taboo about going to see a counsellor to tune up your mind? People seem to think that seeing a counsellor is a sign of weakness instead of being one of the most valuable things you can do to improve your long-term health and happiness. All the top sports people use sports psychologists to ensure peak performance, Imagine if the things in life that stress you didn’t catch you unaware but instead you saw them coming early and swatted them away like Ricky Ponting to a bouncer. I see a counsellor to make me stronger. I wasn’t dropped on my head as a child, nor do I have any serious mental health issues. I go to learn more about myself and it’s made the world of difference to my life. It’s the best time and money I’ve ever spent. Talking to a professional with no personal ties to you is liberating. Don’t feel scared, don’t say it’s too expensive, don’t feel it’s for the weak: counselling is for everyone.”
Andre, former client writing in TNT magazine November 2008
“My daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumour and had years of illness, chemo, fits, hospital, doctors, tablets and watching her struggle was so very difficult. I found myself at Amanda’s as I’d got to a stage where I could cope with everything I had to do for my daughter, but it was the emotional side of it I found so terribly difficult. The first time I met Amanda I knew she was a lovely person, I could tell by how she talked to me and how she listened. As time went on I looked forward to seeing Amanda and talking about my daughter to her. To me it was extremely important that I could talk to someone who I knew understood the way I felt. I was so frightened and lonely but speaking to someone who cares and understands it made me feel less alone, as if someone was in my corner. I knew whatever I said and however many tears I cried she would be there for me and to me that is so very important.
As time went on my beautiful daughter fell asleep, and there was so many more tears and more talking and listening, but always with a kind word. I’m not very good at explaining things, but my head always seemed like a washing machine whirling and whirling around and nothing made much sense, but Amanda always made sense of it and when I thought at times I was completely going mad, Amanda would say “No, it’s normal to feel that way”.
It is very important to feel that you can trust your counsellor, the words are wise and I would listen very carefully and then take hours to think and work things out and it would make me feel calmer, because inside I was terrified. Although in my case nothing can change - the washing machine still spins - but I know I’m not going mad, and I feel I’ve been helped so much by this experience.”
Jean, former client.
Amanda Falkson. Psychotherapycity.
Humanistic Psychotherapist & Counsellor in Central London.
© Amanda Falkson 2005
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