Counselling in Cheltenham & the surrounding areas

Often it takes time to get to the point where we are ready to ask for help. We try and convince ourselves that we can manage on our own, that if we can just get through, one day at a time, we’ll be ok. We go through the motions, work, family, friends, commitments. Underneath the polished exterior, the life that we show to the world on social media, things are not ok. We often hear the line: “It’s ok to not be ok…” but we try so hard to hide the “not ok” parts, the reality of the struggle. We get so used to a bright and smiley response when people ask how we are. We all have days where we struggle, when the effort that it takes just to survive, feels like a lot. Mental health, like physical health, needs looking after. While we have made some progress in our readiness to reach out for help, society still expects us to hide our feelings. “How are you today?” we might ask. But we don’t expect anyone to tell us how they really are. We continue to keep our anxiety, our depression, our low mood hidden and that is exhausting to maintain! It feels scary to take that step and ask for help. Finding someone who you can be real with, whether that’s a friend, or a professional, can be really helpful. Seeing a counsellor is different to talking to someone that you know. They won’t be shocked at what you share. You can be totally honest without worrying about hurting anyone’s feelings. As you build up a professional relationship with your counsellor, you begin to feel safe enough to talk about how things really are. Exploring how things are for you now generally leads quite naturally to thinking about the experiences and relationships that perhaps have impacted us the most. There is usually a reason for the way we feel and behave, and if we can unlock that then we will grow in understanding and freedom.