Healthier Scotland. Scottish Government

People perceive counselling in all sorts of different ways. Some think it’s just a bit of a waste of time, it’s a bit of a gimmick. Others perhaps expect firm advice.

Counselling is not about getting advice but it’s about an opportunity to explore what you really want and I think that quite often you know the answer within yourself it just needs a little bit of help to explore it and draw it out.

There are different methodologists and I think it is important you find what is appropriate for you. I suppose my work starts with a sexual focus, because that’s how people usually come to see me, to see my colleagues and we focus on the sexual aspect but then we begin to explore very much more wider; the relationship, the affects, the influences, the attitudes on that person.

People sometimes feel that if they need to talk about things, they’ve failed in some way. Sometimes, just being able to share your fears, your hopes with an impartial person can free you up to feel better about yourself.