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Does relationship counselling work? How about individual therapy for anxiety and depression. Associated Counsellors & Psychologists Sydney, a leading service provider, answers your questions about counselling therapy.

One of the most common questions asked by people is: ’Does counselling really work?’ You could be considering getting some help for a relationship, with an anxiety problem or stress, or perhaps low mood or depression. Whatever the cause of concern, the good news is that clinical counselling has proven to clearly help people with common mental health complaints such as anxiety and depression. Moreover, counselling for marriage or couple issues is also a helpful treatment for helping couples improve the quality of their relationship.

Counselling: How does it work?
There are a number of different treatments which counsellors can employ to help you. The chosen mode will depend on a counsellors training and their assessment of your issue. Treatment for anxiety and depression can include cognitive behavioural therapy. This therapy works considering behaviours and thoughts that currently increase your level of anxiety or depression, and help you to overcome this patterned response. For example, those who suffer anxiety may tell themselves things like: ’I can’t make it’, or ”I will be terribly embarrassed if people see how nervous I am”. Such beliefs are identified together with your therapist, and changed, more accurate self-representations are now used to challenge these beliefs. With continued practice and some skills training like relaxation, very positive results are experienced by most people.

Can relationship counselling really help my partnership?
It’s important to see that relationships are fluid -they go through phases, from the initial honeymoon stage to a maturing of the relationships. For nearly everyone, as the relationship matures, so do lifestyle demands and responsibility, whether it’s in the form of increased work pressure or children coming into the family, etc. As these common pressures increase, the partners in a relationship may no longer be able to accommodate the other’s emotional needs, and conflict may develop - perhaps into frequent and recurring arguments. Relationship counselling enables each partner to learn to soothe their own distress, and at the same time learn to identify and name any unspoken needs that are not being satisfied. Partners can learn to begin to negotiate what they can do for each other and which demands may need to go unmet. A new, more realistic life plan is identified.

What issues can psychologists help with?
Therapists and psychologists are familiar with helping with a broad range of issues including anxiety or stress, depression or sadness, marriage and couple issues, grief and bereavement, addictions, anger management, eating disorders and many other complaints of modern living.

How can I choose a counsellor or psychologist?
Contact a registered counsellor or psychologist for a start to a better life. These licenced mental health professionals can help you to overcome your emotional challenges. Whatever country you are in you can find assistance from the professional body that registers psychologists or counsellors in your state. In Australia, Associated Counsellors & Psychologists Sydney can connect you with a registered therapist near you.

Associated Counsellors & Psychologists Sydney - psychologist services including, cognitive behavior therapy, general counselling, psychology and marriage counselling Sydney. Call (02)8205 0566 or visit 418/185 Elizabeth Street, Sydney 2000.