The Don'ts

High Expectations

It's good to come into counselling hopeful of change but setting the bar to high, could ultimately result in you feeling worse about yourself and your situation. 

Time Limits

You can not put a time limit on healing (another high expectation). Putting an expectation on yourself to deal with things as fast as possible will only set you up for failure. Be realistic. Many of our problems have taken many years to develop and/or have been fairly traumatic, so we need to also put time in, in order to help ourselves move through those problems. That being said, I have had many clients work through some challenges faster then they thought. Be open to all possibilities. 

My Counsellor Will Fix Me

A counsellor is not there to "fix" you or tell you what to do. We work as a collaborative team deepening self-awareness and finding which coping skills, through consistent practice, work for you. 

Don't Give Up

Its important to give your counsellor and the counselling process a fair chance. Put consistent time into practicing.

Fixing Everyone Else

Counselling is about you, not to gather information on how to fix everyone around you (that's called co-dependency). You may be having problems with difficult people in your life but we can only control how we respond and if we use those situations to grow or not. 

The Do's of Counselling

Willingness & Openness

To trying new coping skills and viewing things in a new way. It can be difficult to tell a complete stranger about parts of your life you may have never shared but the more you open yourself up to being vulnerable, the deeper work we can do. 

Homework

You're all rolling your eyes as you saw the "homework" heading. I know, no one likes having to do homework but if you don't learn to practice new skills like positive self talk, communication skills, self care etc, then you likely also won't see must change in your life.