The relationship between counsellor and client is known to be a vital ingredient for successful therapy. In my experience, a significant contribution to this is the counselling room itself.
There are two schools of thought. One is that the room should be minimalist, with little or no stimulus: classically a beige environment with two chairs, a table, tissues and a clock.
I don’t find that welcoming, reassuring or stimulating, so I favour a warm, engaging, comfortable room, as homely as possible.
Here’s a small insight into my approach.
When a client arrives and takes a seat, they’ll likely notice the picture on their right. They may even gaze at it and ponder while I go and boil the kettle.
They’ll then most likely let their gaze wander around the room, and won’t truly notice the background.
Then, during the session and over time, they’ll likely focus more on the background, and notice that some of the more subtle and thought-provoking artefacts have a sense of meaning and relevance.
The picture is always there, but the background wakes up the senses.
That’s talking therapy: demystifying and clearing the background, so you can focus on the picture.
Atop the bookstand are several very appropriate articles: flowers with happy faces, for a bright and optimistic future; a heart in a jar, signifying sensitivity as well as protection; and behind the lamp, a selenite tower crystal.
There is my model of the limbic system — the emotional and episodic memory centre of the brain, which contains our primal fear response (freeze, fight, flight) and manages memory. Memories, and the narrative we add to them, are important in therapy.
And of course a set of my Russian dolls. The client will come to learn, passively or actively, that the open doll is their future self, the one showing is their “now”, and the ones inside — well, who knows. But the doll model provokes thought.
Counselling clears the background clutter, carefully, sensitively and with impact.
The environment richly contributes to the success of the therapeutic process. As does the friendly cuppa.
And as they leave, they might notice the two other pictures, by a famous Japanese art therapist — or they may already have noticed them as they arrived.
As a therapist I cover a vast array of life experiences. I help people overcome fear, anger, stress, anxiety, grief, sadness and feelings of uncertainty, suicidal thoughts, self-harm, confusion, not-good-enough, fear of failure and imposter syndrome.
My focus is healing those harder-to-reach places from the recent or distant past, so that you can lead a fuller life — in whatever shape that means.