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Psychotherapy or Counselling -
What's the difference?

There is considerable overlap between Psychotherapy and Counselling, and opinions vary as to the differences. In my practice the distinction comes in the work clients choose to do. Some want to focus on a specific problem for just a few weeks. Others want to "go deep" in the journey of self exploration, understanding and change. The length, depth and intensity of the work we do together is worked out between us.

In both Psychotherapy and Counselling you would have the opportunity to:

 • Talk about your problems with someone who is trained and who will not judge or advise you.
 • Explore your difficulties in a safe, confidential and supportive environment
 • Increase your understanding of yourself and how you relate to other people.
 • Gain insights into how your past affects your life now.
 • Recognise and build on your inner strengths and resources.
 • Consider the changes you could make in order to improve your life, and decide whether or not to make those changes.
 • Make positive and lasting changes with the support of an ongoing therapeutic relationship.

Additionally, over time, in Psychotherapy you might make more fundamental changes to the way you relate to yourself and to other people. You might gain deeper insights into how the psychological problems you have in the present have their roots in your early years. And within the safe environment of the therapeutic relationship you might work through these problems.

In both psychotherapy and counselling the therapeutic relationship (i.e. the relationship between client and therapist) is very important. Research suggests that it is this relationship, more than any particular model of psychotherapy or counselling, which enables people to grow and change. In Relational Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy the therapist works within this relationship, to enable early psychological wounds to be healed.

More about Transactional Analysis
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