The Robert Street Clinic is a cooperative of mental health professionals dedicated to providing affordable, quality counselling services in Auckland City. We have experienced and talented psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists and counsellors who can help you with deep-rooted issues, complex disorders as well as specific issues which require short-term treatment.

If you have never been to counselling before, those specialties will sound all the same to you! Yet, they are very different, and choosing the right practitioner for your situation is crucial. If you would like to find out more about the difference between them, why don’t you hop to Who Should I See? [link to webpage]

Psychotherapists are professionals trained to help people deal with past experiences which are still holding them back and stopping them from enjoying life. Using talking therapy, they guide clients towards a greater understanding of themselves, their patterns and feelings and how their past has been influencing their choices.

Most therapies are long-term treatments where psychotherapists work to build trust with their clients, and support them through crisis as well as ongoing issues they may have. Trust is indeed essential to the process, as clients need to be in a place where they are comfortable sharing their most intimate feelings – which they may not have shared with anybody before.

Through discussions, the therapist will identify what the underlying issues are and will usually set therapy goals in agreement with their clients. It may involve keeping a diary, expressing yourself through art, or simply talking. If relevant to your situation, your therapist may help you to develop new skills and think about situations differently. For example, if you find it difficult to express your anger, learning to be more assertive could help you to communicate your grievances in a healthy way.

Individual therapy is the most frequent form of therapy but family therapy is also common and can help defuse tension between parents and children when one or both parties have become defensive. Couples counselling can lead two people to see things from their partner’s point of view and heal the relationship. Psychotherapists may also direct groups of people sharing the same issue in what is called group therapy.

What therapists DON’T do

It is, however, important to have the right expectations about what therapist can and can’t do: Therapists won’t give you advice or make decisions for you – if they do, it is greatly unethical. They won’t let you struggle in the dark either, but will rather guide you to discover the answers for yourself. As frustrating as it may be to hear “What do you think you should do?” when you are confused and wish someone would just decide for you, this journey is essential to the therapeutic process.

Quality Counselling Services in East Auckland at the Robert Street Clinic

Whether you are looking for individual therapy, family therapy or relationship counselling in Auckland City, we have experienced psychotherapists who can help you.  Please email us or call us on 09 973 5950 to book an initial assessment.