Why counselling?

Why did I go into counselling?

I’ve been asked that a few times over the years and, when it boils down to it, the answer is always the same: I wanted to help people.

Previous to that I’d volunteered here and there, but  within my day job I’d mainly focused on working for organisations that I felt were working for the common good.

Then there was the covid pandemic. Like what happened with a lot of people, covid was a bit of an opportunity to think about what I was doing and what really mattered to me. Did I really want another twenty years of doing what I’d been doing or did I want to make a change, and do something that was more actively helping people?

It took another nudge from a friend who was qualifying as a counsellor himself to get me thinking that maybe I could take a step in that direction and finally start using my psychology degree. I dipped a toe in, as it were, and completed the certificate in counselling skills.

Doing that I realised it not only was something I seemed to be pretty good at, but it felt really rewarding as well. As I progressed, I starting a placement working with real clients and knew this was something I wanted to keep doing.

I’ve been lucky. It’s been a privilege to be someone who can be there for people who need support and see the difference it can make. I’ve helped parents change their relationship with their kids. I’ve helped people turn their whole lives around. And I’ve been able to use my experience to help other members of the LGBTQ+ community.

It’s still early days in my counselling career but it’s one of the rewarding things I’ve ever done and I’m very grateful to have had the opportunity to work with every one of my clients.

If you would like to talk to me about issues with your mental health, you can complete the online submission form or contact me directly at: mckellarCBT@gmail.com