Creating Support: How Do I Reach Out for Counselling?
Taking the first step towards counselling can feel daunting and sometimes the pre-doing a new thing anxiety leads to more questions than answers at first.
How do I reach out for counselling?
What do I ask a counsellor?
Where can I find a counsellor?
What happens in a first counselling session?
How do I know if counselling is right for me?
The truth is that reaching out for support can feel vulnerable. It can feel overwhelming when you're already struggling andm any people worry that they're not "bad enough" for counselling or that their problems aren't serious enough to deserve support.
I want you to know that counselling isn't only for surviving difficult experiences.
Sometimes it's about recovering.
Sometimes you might want to understand yourself better.
Sometimes it's simply about having a space where somebody listens.
Why I created support
The reason I called my practice Create Support comes from my own experience of trying to access mental health services.
In my twenties, I experienced severe agoraphobia and often found it difficult to leave the house. At times, the support available simply wasn't accessible to me. Despite wanting help, I was sometimes viewed as not engaging because I couldn't access services in the way they expected.
That experience helped me understand the problem isn't always that people don't want support. Often, the support available doesn't fit their needs.
Over the years, I've heard similar stories from many clients. People are actively seeking therapy, counselling, or mental health support, yet struggle to find services that feel accessible, understanding, or flexible enough to meet them where they are.
That's why online counselling can be so powerful. Being able to access therapy from your own home can remove barriers and create a sense of safety, comfort, and familiarity.
And of course, using the arts and my clients creativity is often the driving force to making positive change in their lives.
What Does It Mean to Create Support?
Create Support isn't about fitting you into a particular model of therapy.
It's about exploring what support looks like for you in a person centred way.
Together we can ask:
What do you need right now?
What helps you feel comfortable?
What makes it easier to talk?
What support is missing from your life?
What would help you feel more connected to yourself?
Counselling is not about being told what you should do or who you are.
It's about creating space for you to understand your thoughts, feelings, experiences, and needs.
For some people that means talking.
For others it might involve creativity, art therapy approaches, writing, drawing, music, reflection, movement, mindfulness, or finding new ways to connect with emotions, creativity and your experiences.
Counselling Isn't Just for When Things Fall Apart
One of the biggest misconceptions about therapy is that you should only seek help when you're at breaking point. The reality is that we often are once we finally get that suppport.
But counselling can be helpful long before a crisis develops.
People come to counselling for many reasons:
Anxiety
Stress
Burnout
Life changes or difficult transitions
Family & Relationship issues
Grief and loss
Understanding Neurodivergence
Feeling overwhelmed
Feeling stuck
Self-esteem or confidence - getting the old you back
Counselling can be a space to process what happened this week, this month, or throughout your life.
A space to pause.
A space to breathe.
A space that belongs to you.
How Do I Find the Right Counsellor?
Finding the right counsellor is a bit like finding the right pair of shoes. What feels comfortable for one person may not feel right for another, and it can depend on what you need it for.
Are you having a stroll and a pair of trainers will do, or do you need some boots for the long hike?
When looking for a therapist, it can help to consider:
Whether you'd prefer online counselling or face-to-face sessions.
Whether you're interested in talking therapy, a specific focus like Somatic (body), CBT, or a creative approach.
Whether you want short-term or longer-term support.
Whether you would feel more comfortable with someone who understands neurodivergence, anxiety, agoraphobia, or other experiences that are important to you.
The relationship between counsellor and client is often one of the most important parts of the process.
It's okay to ask questions before you start.
It's okay to be unsure.
And it's okay if it takes to find someone who feels like the right fit.
The First Step Is Simply Reaching Out
If you've found yourself searching:
"How do I reach out for counselling?"
"How do I ask for therapy?"
"Where can I find support?"
Then you've already taken an important first step.
Seeking support doesn't mean you're failing.
It means you're paying attention to your needs.
You don't have to wait until you're in crisis.
You don't have to have all the answers.
Sometimes the first step is simply finding a space where someone can sit with you and ask:
"What is it that you need right now?"
And together, we can begin exploring that question.
If you’re looking to Create Support for yourself, reach out and we’ll arrange a 20 minute enquiry call to see what you need.
