When to Walk Away from Your Counsellor

When anyone makes the decision to speak to a professional counsellor, probably the very last thing they would wish to face is the idea of having to walk away and seek another expert. Nonetheless, this is a reality faced by so many people who have in most cases failed to carry out the required verifications and check prior to going ahead.

The fact of the matter is that just because the counselling industry is completely unique doesn’t mean that it is not pretty similar to a number of other industries when it comes to the quality differences between different providers. Put simply, to assume every professional counsellor working in the UK is of the same standard and calibre is to roll the dice in such a way that does not stack the odds in your favour.

According to the addiction counsellors in Canterbury, to approach the counselling industry with a sense of cynicism or apprehension really is not necessary. In fact, the large majority of working counsellors today are enormously experienced, qualified and educated – hence they’re able to provide excellent services to their clients. Nonetheless, there will always be the odd “bad apple” here and there which could lead to aspersions being cast on the whole field.

The good news is that the counsellors on the rather unfortunate side of the professionalism spectrum are extremely easy to avoid – be sure to walk away if you spot any of the following warning signs:

1 – Frequent Unreliability

First up, it’s basically impossible to put your complete trust, faith and respect in a counsellor that doesn’t seem to be able to pay you the same level of courtesy. Therefore, if at any point you get the impression your counsellor is not reliable – showing up late, leaving early, frequent cancellations or missing appointments – it is perhaps fair to say that it is a course you will not get much out of. Perfect reliability is a basic prerequisite for anybody that works in the field of counselling – accept nothing less.

2 – Easily Distracted

Similarly, it is not just enough for your counsellor to show up and be present during each session – they should always be giving their entire, total and undivided attention to you from start to finish. Therefore, should you start to get the impression that your counsellor is easily distracted or that maybe you’re clearly not their number one priority, it’s quite likely this is in fact the case. You’re paying for their full attention and time, therefore if you’re not getting them, you will be better off elsewhere.

3 – You Simply Don’t Really ‘Click’

One of the most important aspects to remember when starting a course of professional counselling is that all the experience, qualifications and recommendations in the world only count to a certain level. If you and your counsellor just don’t quite “click”, you’ll find it extremely difficult to get anything really beneficial out of the sessions. That doesn’t mean you need to start looking for a new best friend, but if you simply do not feel that kind of genuine trust, respect and comfort needed to fully discuss all the things you wish to discuss, you’re in fact wasting your time.

4 – You Feel Intimidated

It is basically the same situation when it comes to intimidation as while it’s natural to get a little uncomfortable during the first consultation, it’s the hallmark of a capable and reputable counsellor to be able to make their clients feel comfortable and at ease and remove all unnecessary intimidation and fear from the equation.

5 – You’re Pressured to Make a Decision

Perhaps the most irresponsible thing any counsellor could do is to try to rush any client into reaching a decision without letting them give it proper consideration. The very nature of professional counselling is such that people seeking such services always need to do so when they are 100% confident that the decision they have made is both their own and correct. To try to rush clients into reaching a decision is a clear sign of whose interests matter most to the counsellor.

6 – Conflicting Specialism

Last up, make sure to pay some attention to the specialist focus areas and specialism of any given counsellor before signing up. The reason is that while the counsellor you’re considering may be an advanced professional in one field, they may not be the best person to assist you with your problems if they lie in a completely different area.