Sad, down or depressed
In Kilkenny we have therapists trained to help with depression or with just low mood that many people experience from time to time. Depression is an illness that is very common in Ireland but very treatable. It is thought that 1 in 10 people in Ireland suffer from some form of depression at some stage in their lives.
Symptoms of Depression
People suffering from major depression have five or more of the following:
Depressed mood – Felt for most of the day, nearly every day. A person may feel sad, empty or hopeless, or someone else may be noticing a person’s mood. Loss of interest or pleasure – Inability to experience pleasure. Not interested in previous hobbies, social activities, sex, etc.
Appetite or weight change – Significant weight loss or gain. Decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day.
Sleep changes – Either insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day.
Feelings of restlessness / agitation or feeling “slowed down”.
Fatigue or loss of energy every day.
Feelings of worthlessness or excessive, inappropriate guilt nearly every day.
Concentration problems – Indecisive, memory problems, or difficulty focusing.
Suicidal thoughts.
If you find that you have a number of the above symptoms, but fewer than five, and not as frequent, you may be suffering from a milder form of depression.
Is counselling right for you?
Kilkenny Counselling can help you explore underlying causes of your depression and it can help you get in touch with some of the unrecognized emotions that trigger your depression. As you explore these triggers and the behaviour patterns that result, you can begin to feel better and make some desired changes.
C.B.T (Cognitive behavioural therapy) has become the most effective form of treatment for depression.
Being defeated is ofen a temporary condition,
giving up is what makes it permanent.
Marilyn Vos Savan
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Anger Management
In Kilkenny Psychotherapists/Counsellors will often encourage clients to look at a healthy and controlled means of releasing trapped energy. The goal of anger management techniques is not to prevent the client from not expressing the anger but to find new healthy ways to deal with releasing the trapped emotions.
Like most emotions, anger is accompanied by psychological and biological changes; the person’s heart rate and blood pressure will typically increase, as will the level of adrenaline. Anger is possibly the most handled emotion in our society; the goal of anger management therefore is to reduce both the emotional feelings and physiological arousal that anger creates. Knowing how to recognize and express anger in the correct way can help individuals reach their goals, solve problems and handle emergencies.
If you feel that your anger is really out of control, and is affecting your life, counselling can help you develop a range of techniques for changing your thinking and behaviour. Without help, anger can lead to a variety of personal difficulties.
Everyone knows what anger is, and most people have felt it at some point in their life. It is a completely normal, often healthy, human emotion. However if anger become out of control it may lead to many problems, at work, in personal relationships and in the overall quality of life. Anger is natures way of empowering individuals to protect against a perceived attack or threat, it is only the mismanagement of anger that causes problems. Anger can often be an unpredictable and powerful emotion.
Mismanaged anger can lead to many negative outcomes; domestic abuse, workplace violence, road rage, addiction and divorce are only a few examples. Anger is often triggered by perceived threats and is a common reaction when someone has been insulted, hurt or unfairly treated. However when anger is controlled and managed appropriately, it may have a positive influence, helping individuals stand up for themselves and fight against injustices.
At Kilkenny Counselling we provide an individual anger management program aimed at reducing levels of anger demonstrated by the individual especially when they find themselves in provocative situations.
You gotta play the hand that’s dealt you. There may be pain in that hand,
but you play it.
James Brady
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Child / Adolescent Counselling
Different methods of counselling may be used to encourage young children to be able to express their difficulties, such as play and art. For example, reading stories and talking about feelings of a character in that story may help the child to dicuss their own feelings, or drawing / painting / drama may help children to express themselves. These methods all give the counsellor a great insight into the unconscious mind of a child.
Counselling helps children to explore their feelings, express themselves and make sense of their life experience.
Children who may benefit from counselling
Children who find it difficult to acquire social skills; children with low self esteem, anxiety or sadness; children who have experienced loss through family breakdown or bereavement; children whose behaviours are motentially not safe or appropriate, and may be threatening.
Child counselling aims to help children cope better with their emotions, understand problems, develop necessary coping skills and make positive choices. During counselling children are encouraged to explore and express their feelings through one of many mediums depending on the child’s individual preference, e.g. artwork, painting, talking, telling stories or play.
Adolescent Counselling
Counselling helps teens explore their thoughts and emotions in a safe place without being judged.
Adolescents who may benefit from counselling are those experiencing difficulty with:
• Relationships: siblings, parents, friends & peers, teachers
• Low self esteem and confidence
• Bullying
• Bereavement & Loss
• Parents splitting up
• Self harm
• Alcohol & drugs
• Abuse & violence
• … or even just feeling fed up
Adolescent counselling aims to provide support on behalf of the young person and work with parents / guardians if necessary.
The counsellor can work in a variety of ways to help you express yourself – e.g. simply through talking, or using artwork. You will work together with your counsellor to find what suits you: sometimes you may just want to talk.
Sessions last for 45 minutes, and you can attend for as long or short a time as you want.
Initially four to six sessions is recommended, and may be extended following further consultations with all those involved.
Risk it,
Even small changes – take courage.
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