The Dancing Soul is home to the Athlone Affordable Counselling programme. In today’s world everyone is battling with something which can take it’s toll on our mental health and over all well-being. We all need a helping hand now and again, and at The Dancing Soul we believe that counselling should be available to everyone. The cost of the service is ranges between €25 - €10 depending on your own circumstances.
What is Counselling?
Counselling is a confidential, collaborative way to address and resolve personal and relationship issues. And this is done in a safe, confidential and non-judgmental environment.
Depressed… or just having a bad day?
“I’m so depressed!’ This is a phrase that’s thrown around, often quite lightly when people simply aren’t happy. A hurtful or disappointing experience can leave most people feeling, low, sad or down. That’s perfectly normal. Generally, after the experience is over, the feeling will pass.
Depression,
or depressive illness, is different. Unlike a bad mood, it’s an ongoing
feeling, lasting several weeks or more. The reason behind it may not always be
obvious.
Depression
is one of the most common mental health problems - 1 in 5 people experience it
at some time in their lives. It’s sometimes
linked with anxiety, where anxious feelings are followed hours or days later by
feelings of depression.
Fortunately
depression is often very successfully treated without having to resort to
drugs. In fact, if it’s viewed as part of the human experience, working through
the feelings of depression can be a real opportunity for personal growth and
lasting happiness. Seeing a counsellor can help with this important
process.
What
puts you at risk of depression?
Some
physical conditions, diseases and changes in diet or medication can put you at
more risk of depressive illness. On a personal level, certain emotional traits
can make you more vulnerable to feelings of depression. These include being a
lifelong worrier or relentless perfectionist. Being very sensitive personal
criticism or being self-critical, shy, socially anxious and having low
self-esteem can also play a part.
How
do you deal with depression?
Unfortunately,
it’s quite common for people to deal with depression with alcohol or drugs.
Usually, this can actually makes the situation worse. It’s also tempting to
avoid other people, and creating a state of isolation that also increases the
depressed feelings.
More
healthy and productive ways include the following:
• Getting
more and regular sleep
• Regular
exercise or physical activity
• Joining
a group – eg social, sport etc
• Improving
your diet
• Counselling
and/or psychotherapy
If you or someone you know is at risk or experiencing depression, counselling can make all big difference.
More
Frequently Asked Questions About Counselling:
Why
would I need a counsellor?
People
see counsellors for different reasons. It may be for support during personal
difficulty, dealing with stress, relationship issues, depression or addiction.
Often, it’s a combination of factors. Whatever the reason, a counsellor can
provide the support you need to make positive changes in your life.
What
can you expect during a counselling session?
Every client is different and therefore every session is different. The
important thing is that the session is focused around your needs. A typical
session is one hour and may involve talk, visualization and other techniques to
help you come to a place of clarity.
