relationships

ADHD counselling in Worcester

ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is an emotional condition that makes people feel restless, impulsive and hyperactive. Most people with ADHD struggle to concentrate for long periods of time. While the symptoms usually improve with age, some continue to struggle with aspects of the condition well into adulthood.

 

3 types of ADHD have been identified:

  • Inattentive
  • Hyperactive-Impulsive
  • Combined (Hyperactive & Inattentive)

ADHD tends to affect adults in a different way to children, with subtler symptoms showing such as lack of attention to detail, not finishing tasks, disorganised, forgetting things, indulging in risky or careless behaviours. Sometimes a depressive element or an excessively anxious disposition can lie at the heart of ADHD, therefore psychological therapies that focus on these features can be as effective as medication in managing the condition.

 

Please note we do not offer diagnoses or medical assessments

If you have recently been diagnosed and would like support please get in touch.

Get in touch to book an Initial Assessment

Or give us a call if you have any questions

Autistic spectrum disorder

Autistic Spectrum Disorder

Autism is a recognised neuro-developmental disability that affects roughly one in a hundred and shouldn’t be viewed as a mental health condition but rather a different way of being (neuro-atypical). Nowadays those with autism are categorised on a broad spectrum, with labels such as Asperger’s Syndrome being used to categorise those with milder forms. While autism can be a subtle disability, autistic traits tend to show themselves more markedly in social situations, especially when interacting with others.

Since autism is a lifelong neuro-developmental disability it cannot be ‘treated’ and should not be seen as something that needs changing. Autistic people often say being autistic is a key part of who they are, and therefore the focus in any kind of intervention should be on helping the individual adapt themselves more effectively to challenging situations.

Common life challenges might be:

  • Communication or interacting with others. Autistic individuals tend to take things rather too literally and struggle to understand the subtleties of non-verbal communication, tone of voice and sarcasm. However, language itself isn’t the problem but knowing what is expected from someone in a conversation is.
  • Sensory sensitivity. Those on the spectrum may be under or over-sensitive to light, colour, sound, touch or taste, which can make some parts of everyday life difficult, causing the person to feel overwhelmed.
  • Routines and repetitive behaviours. Set routines are often very comforting to autistic individuals. Dealing with an unpredictable world is extremely challenging, predictability makes it feel much safer and more manageable. However, this can make it extremely difficult to embrace change or adapt to new routines, therefore preparations for change need to be made well in advance.
  • Specific interests. These often start in childhood but can change as they grow older. Successful individuals manage to channel their interests into meaningful hobbies, paid employment or even a specialist career. Finding their niche is often fundamental for person’s sense of well-being.

Research has shown that those diagnosed on the spectrum are more likely to suffer from mental health problems than those who are not. According to the National Autistic Society anxiety is the most common complaint with around 40% are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder compared to 15% of the general population; depression also features as a common presentation to GPs for help. More specific ASD based disorders can also feature, such as PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance), which is the drive to avoid everyday demands to an extreme extent and is rooted in a need for control over an anxiety provoking situation.

At WTG we have a number of counsellors trained specifically to support people diagnosed with Autism, or those with Asperger's syndrome, to help cope with the kinds of difficulties outlined above.

 

Please note we do not offer diagnoses or medical assessments

If you have recently been diagnosed and would like support please get in touch.

Get in touch to book an Initial Assessment

Or give us a call if you have any questions

anger management in worcester

Anger Management

Anger is a normal and natural reaction to feeling threatened, violated or receiving unjust treatment. In itself it is neither good nor bad; but it can be frightening. It can go from feelings of mild irritation to seeing a red mist in front of your eyes and feeling an uncontrollable rage. Anger is an emotion that many people suppress, this can be as harmful as experiencing uncontrolled rage. Suppressed anger can have many physical and emotional symptoms such as poor digestion, high blood pressure, depression and addictions.

Angry feelings can lead to destructive and violent behaviour and so we tend to be frightened of it in others and in ourselves. The way we are brought up plays an important part in how we express our anger. We may come from a family where we were not able to show feelings of anger, or one where we may have witnessed destructive and violent outburst, which cause us to fear anger.

Ways to manage your anger

Learn ways to be more assertive. Being assertive means you are clearer in your communications and are more likely to have your needs understood and met

Examine your past patterns of behaviour and history around anger. See if you can begin to rectify any of the unhealthy ways of expressing anger you may have adopted

Acknowledge old angers from the past, especially from your childhood. Perhaps you could begin to change your attitude to what has happened to you

If anger causes you to want to lash out, then learn to walk away from situations and explain that you are too angry to talk at the moment

 

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relationship counselling in worcester

Relationship Difficulties

Many couples seek help in times of upheaval and crisis, though difficulties may well have been present for some time and often the result of long standing hurt and anger. One or other partner may even get to the point they no longer want to be in the relationship, which often leaves them feeling isolated and misunderstood by the other partner. It is quite common for one partner to want to go for help while the other just feels pressurised to come along. This reluctance is often the result of miconceptions about what’s involved, especially the assumption that the therapist will take sides or even worse, judge the person for their actions. Another fear is that it will simply degenerate into arguments, but were this to occur, it would simply recreate in the therapy session the same destructive situation that is happening at home.

The aim is not just to resolve current issues but to develop the basis for communication that can be used in the future. Not all couples are able to successfully resolve their differences and separation is the best resolution, but this does not necessarily mark a failure in the therapeutic process since the real aim is to promote mutual respect between two people, whatever the outcome. The goal is to arrive at a point where a couple can begin to understand each other, and from this basis work together toward finding a solution.

What happens during Couples Therapy?

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