Counselling / Psychotherapy

There is an ongoing debate about whether counselling and psychotherapy are different practices. There are some therapists who believe they are intrinsically different and some who do not. At Azanimo Ltd we believe that counselling and psychotherapy are very similar and are both designed to decrease distress and improve quality of life for those who engage in them. We do believe, however, that there may be differences in focus and intensity between them, therefore, the definitions below are our ideas on how they differ and what we mean when we use these terms on this web site.

Counselling is often seen as a shorter term therapy, which may be more solution focused (though may not be) and less intense than psychotherapy. It is more likely to focus on one or two problems that are causing the client distress in the here and now rather than delve into the past too deeply.

Psychotherapy differs in that it may extend over a longer period of time. It may work with multiple issues or works at a deeper level on longer term issues.

Regardless of whether you opt for counselling or psychotherapy both can be instrumental in improving your quality of life. It may be helping you make a choice, healing an old wound, changing your behaviour, understanding something confusing or simply to grow and develop, whatever your need therapy is there to offer support and direction.

People often wonder, how long therapy will take and how much time they will need to commit to the process? These questions are difficult to quantify as we are all individuals and people have differing needs. Generally speaking therapy sessions last approximately 50 minutes. It is recommended that clients attend sessions once a week or fortnight in the beginning. Although once the work is well underway and clients are working toward an end this can be extended. In terms of duration this is more complicated some clients have one or two sessions, some six, some twenty and a few have more still, however, we will always discuss duration with you at your initial session.

Presenting issues

These are just some of the issues we work with:

Abuse, emotional, physical, sexual
ADHD
Anger Management issues, aggression, home, work, social
Anxiety
ASD
Assertiveness
Attachment,
Bereavement, loss and grief, loss by suicide
Bi-sexual issues
Childhood issues.
Cultural issues
Depression
Dissociation and dissociative identity disorder.
Eating disorders, anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, body dysmorphic disorder
Gay issues
General Anxiety Disorder
Guilt
Identity, low self-worth, low self-esteem, meaninglessness
Menopause, midlife crisis
Negative or intrusive thoughts
Neurodiversity
OCD, perfectionism
Panic disorder
Personal development
Phobias, fears
Post Traumatic Stress, trauma, historical issues.
Psychosexual issues.
Relationships- affairs, betrayals, cross cultural relationships, family issues, jealousy, pre-nuptial, separation and divorce, sexual difficulties, step family issues
Sadness and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Sexuality, coming out, confusion, family identity, internalised homophobia, prejudice
Sexual problems,
Sleep problems, insomnia
Stress and anxiety
Unresolved issues
Work related stress, bullying, disciplinary's, loss of job, new role/job redundancy, dismissal