Counselling or solution-focused hypnotherapy?

An unbiased view. Which one is best for you? Many of my clients have been on a journey to get to me because they just don’t know which therapy is right for them. Google is a minefield and when you are in a stressed, anxious or depressed state it can be very challenging.

This is an unbiased honest article addressing both types of therapy, to help you decide. It is important to invest time into choosing a therapist, so you choose the right one for your needs. I practise solution-focused hypnotherapy. It may not be the best therapy for you - counselling may be the better option. They both have pros and cons depending on your personality and mental health needs. Let’s start with counselling.

Counselling

Counselling is a talking therapy. It is a process where you can talk to a trained professional about your issues and problems in a safe and non-judgmental environment. The therapist will help you discuss your feelings, thoughts and actions so you can gain a better understanding of yourself. They are trained to listen and to ask you the right questions to help you do this. They will not give you any direct advice.

I have referred many clients to a counsellor that I rate and trust, as I have felt they have needed to talk about the past and understand themselves a bit more in order for them to move onto a more solution-focused approach.

Depending on your needs, counselling is a very beneficial investment. You may see a positive difference in yourself from weeks to years of seeing a trained professional, depending on your issues and the type of counselling you select. There are all different types of counsellors, so this is more of a generalist view.

Solution-focused based hypnotherapy

This is still a talking therapy, however, it focuses more on the solution rather than the problem. The therapist will ask you open-ended questions to help you come up with solutions and visualise how you want to be. They will withstand from giving you any direct advice as they see you as the expert of you, rather than them. Some may find this too daunting at first and prefer a less direct therapy such as counselling, where it is more emotional than practical.

During the sessions, the therapist guides you into a relaxed state, which feels like meditation, a very natural state you go in and out of all day. This encourages the solutions to move to your subconscious, so you start to feel better without having to consciously think about it. Solution-focused hypnotherapy works relatively quickly, between six and 12 sessions.

As you can see, both therapies have their benefits depending on your mental health needs and your personality. Some people feel comfortable with talking about their problems and emotions, and want to find out more about themselves and why they react in certain circumstances, whilst others prefer to focus on the solutions.

Choosing what's right for you: My advice

If you are still stuck after reading this article, I suggest you book a consultation with a therapist from each type of therapy (BACP for Counselling and AFSFH and this website).

Many therapists have been trained in both counselling and solution-focused therapy or other therapies such as CBT and NLP. It is important to have a consultation before deciding because both connection and trust are of paramount importance and should be a deciding factor.

I hope this has helped.