ACT Psychology: Compassionate, Creative Caring
[ Return to Kenneth Duncan's Main Page ]
Definitions of Terms
What is a Counsellor?
Counsellors help people to explore feelings about their lives so that they can reflect about what is happening to them and consider alternative ways of doing things. Working in a confidential setting, counsellors listen attentively to their clients and offer them the time, empathy and respect they need to express their own feelings, and perhaps understand themselves from a different perspective, thereby reducing their confusion and enabling them to make changes in their life if they decide to do so.
Counsellors do not give advice, but help clients to make their own choices within the framework of an agreed counselling contract. There are a range of models of counselling, each with its own theoretical basis. Differences in approach often relate to the individual practitioner's interests and training, the setting in which the counselling consultation takes place, or the predominant client group. Across most areas of counselling, typical work activities include:
* establishing a relationship of trust and respect with clients;
* agreeing a counselling contract to lay down what will be covered in sessions (including confidentiality issues);
* encouraging clients to talk about issues they feel they cannot normally share with others;
* actively listening to client concerns and empathising with their position;
* accepting without bias the issues raised by clients;
* helping clients towards a deeper understanding of their concerns;
* challenging any inconsistencies in what clients say or do;
* helping clients to make decisions and choices regarding possible ways forward;
* referring clients to other sources of help, as appropriate;
* attending supervision and training courses;
* undertaking personal therapy (mandatory for accreditation);
* liaising, as necessary, with other agencies and individuals to help effect change based on the issues raised by clients;
* keeping records.
What is a Psychologist? (from the Psychologists' Association of Alberta)
A psychologist studies how we think, feel and behave from a scientific viewpoint and applies this knowledge to help people understand, explain and change their behaviour. Psychologists adhere to a strict code of professional ethics and are registered with, and regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists. They know how to help people deal with their feelings and attitudes and develop healthier and more effective patterns of behaviour.
What is a Psychiatrist? (from the American Psychiatric Association)
A psychiatrist is a medical physician who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illnesses, including substance abuse and addiction. Psychiatrists are uniquely qualified to assess both the mental and physical aspects of psychological disturbance. Their medical education has given them a full working knowledge of the many causes for a patient’s feelings and symptoms. Armed with this understanding, psychiatrists can make a complete, accurate diagnosis and then recommend or provide treatment.
People seek psychiatric help for many reasons. Life's usual round of trials may become overwhelming. Relationships may become troubled, or the pangs of anxiety - easily dismissed before as simple "nerves" - may grow sharper and last longer. The fresh-faced young newcomer down the hall at work may seem to threaten a secure job, and headaches may start to come literally one after the other. The emotions that arise in reaction to everyday stresses and strains may blow badly out of proportion, or may be strangely absent. Eating may become a refuge, and sleep may begin to seem either irresistible or elusive. Alcohol or drug use may get out of control.
The problems can be sudden, such as a panic attack or as frightening hallucinations, thoughts or suicide, or "voices" that whisper intrusive and incomprehensible things. Or they may be more long-term-such as a pall of gloom that never seems to lift, causing everyday life to feel distorted, out of control, not worth living.
Counseling vs Psychotherapy:
Counseling is considered an exchange of opinions and ideas to effectively problem solve an individual’s daily living issues associated with his or her emotional, cognitive, or behavioral problems.
Psychotherapy is a form of treatment for emotional problems in which a therapist establishes a relationship with an individual for the purpose of modifying self-defeating patterns of behavior and promoting positive personality growth and development. Psychotherapy is generally undertaken to gain self-knowledge. Most people come to therapy because defenses which have served them in the past are no longer working or useful.