What is Counselling?

Counselling is a way of talking with a skilled trained person to help resolve some kind of problem you may be experiencing. 

There are as many different methods of counselling as there are days in the year.  If you have tried counselling and didn't like it, it is worth trying again.

What sort of problems could I talk about?

Counselling can help with all sorts of problems from fear or anxiety, to grief, to uncertainty about making a big decision, depression or general feelings of unhappiness or discontent.  At Goodhardt Counselling we specialise in relationship issues and will counsel individuals who are worried about any aspect of a relationship, or couples whether married, de facto, engaged or just friends.

How would counselling help?

That depends on the type of problem you have.  Very often a Counsellor will help you clarify what is going on in your life and the choices that you have in how to respond.  Counselling is not about telling you what to do, but rather listening carefully, and asking the right questions to help you reach your own decisions.

For couples, our counselling model is based on the work of Dr John Gottman.  He discovered that most "couples counselling" doesn't work, and devised a new method that focuses on the good things that happy couples do, rather than the mistakes that troubled couples make.  By helping a troubled couple examine and change the way they interact together, their relationship can be transformed and bring them the happiness they have always been seeking.

For more about Dr Gottman, check out our Links page.

How long does it take?

At Goodhardt Counselling, we don't believe it is right to ask people to enter into an open-ended commitment.  What we usually suggest at your first session, is that if you think that working with us could help your situation, that you agree to come to six or eight further sessions and then review where you are up to.  You might decide at that point that to end the sessions, or you might think that a few more or another group of six would be helpful.  At all times, the decision to continue remains with you. 

What should I do now?

If you would like to book an initial appointment with one of our counsellors, please click here to send an email, or telephone (03) 9507 2249.