While we may not like to admit it, we all experience difficult times. We all experience emotional pain. The fact is that emotional pain is not very different from physical pain and we occasionally need to seek professional help for our aches and pains.

There are many reasons people seek professional psychological consultation or therapy. Some seek relief from emotional suffering; some seek help to understand and change patterns that have held them back in life. Some seek help with managing life changes and challenges, and some seek to reach their own higher potential.

Here are frequent reasons clients give for seeking therapy:

• Feeling sad, bored, lacking interest and vitality in life
• Worrying all the time, panic attacks
• Can't sleep, nightmares, chronically tired
• Chronic health problems; body signs of stress
• Relationships falling apart or unable to make a relationship work
• Family problems
• Feeling overwhelmed; Can't say 'No'
• Shyness or loneliness
• Work stress; career confusion
• Past or recent trauma and abuse
• Life changes, moves, losses
• Low self confidence
• Desire for personal growth

Therapy is predominantly a talking and thinking approach to behaviour and emotions. Today, therapy is usually about the therapist and the client working together to try and understand what and why the client is feeling and behaving as he/she does. Therapy is about trying to understand why you are who you are. It is this understanding which enables clients to change their feelings, beliefs, attitudes and behaviour – the whole point of the process.

Therapy usually involves a conversation or a dialogue between both parties. While clients will predominantly do the most talking, therapists also ask questions, make comments, and offer opinions or thoughts based on what you tell them.

The number of sessions required varies greatly, depending on the type, severity and duration of your difficulties.