I have been asked to ‘blog’ about counselling. I am always hesitant to write on such issues due to client confidentiality.

Well I suppose that could be a subject for discussion for starters? When I see a counselling client for the first time they are usually anxious and concerned that they are meeting a new ‘therapist’ for the first time. “Will he tell someone about what we are talking about” may be a thought crossing their mind?

The British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists, of which I am a member, are very clear on client confidentiality with strong ethical guidelines, (visit www.bacp.co.uk for more information on this). Basically counsellors are trained to keep counselling client information extremely confidential.

We have a legal obligation to let the relevant authorities know if we believe our client is involved in terrorism or drug trafficking (the money laundering aspect). Otherwise, the information passed on remains confidential, even when we discuss counselling client issues with our supervisor the client is always anonymous. Even down to bumping into a client in Tescos around Bramhall or Stockport, I will normally agree beforehand that I will not ‘let on’ unless they do so first.

I also contract beforehand around clients’ safety and those around them, particularly children, and confidentiality may be broken if someone is in danger.

The other aspect of counselling that I feel that I can talk about in a general sense is that of ‘labels’. Labels can be useful in a profound way and give a sense of normality or “this is why I am like this!” and on a practical level they can be used to provide support and assistance including financial help. Although, I find counselling a number of clients who come from all over the North West as a ‘de-labelling’ process.

Often a client will walk in with a metaphorical sandwich board around their necks and introduce themselves as “I have PTSD”, “I am depressed”, “I suffer from OCD”, or even “I am mad”.

In such circumstances it can take a period of counselling and de-labelling to get to the person underneath who is reacting in a very human way to life and outside events. It can be the source of great warmth, satisfaction and hope to see the human without the label, the authentic person they were always meant to be appear in front of me. One thing that connects all my counselling clients, I believe, is they start with a since in inauthentic-ness. Not feeling ‘themselves’, something ‘not quite right’.

I enjoy the process of counselling that allows them or encourages them to become them.