Before You Commit to Counselling or Psycho-Therapy …

Ask about their qualifications and experience

To ensure the counsellor you’re seeing is able to support you and your specific needs, don’t be afraid to ask what qualifications and experience they have. This is especially helpful if you’re looking for support with something really specific or if you want to ensure they have had previous experience with clients like you.

Talk to them before starting therapy to ensure you feel comfortable

Trust is essential to the therapy process, so it can be helpful to take some time to learn more about the counsellor’s approach, values and beliefs before starting sessions. Often counsellors will offer initial consultations where you can speak with them before making a commitment to start therapy.

What can I do if I have a bad experience with a therapist?

Having a bad experience with a therapist can make it difficult to trust a professional again. While it is difficult, often it can help if you’re able to try therapy with a new therapist. Using the steps above can help you ensure the person you’re seeing has the right qualifications and has experience in supporting clients like you.

Tell them about your previous experience so they can be aware and guide you through the process at your own pace. Finding the right therapist can be transformative.

The following article was submitted by Mr William Mackson

Phiri.

A professional working in Education at Chibavi Secondary School, Mzuzu. He is a passionate mental health worker and motivational speaker, and organizational development manager.

Contact him 24/7 through the number below:

My name is William Mackson Phiri. I come from Chombwe village, Traditional Authority

Mabulabo in Mzimba district. I am an Educator a Counsellor and Organizational Development Manager. I am currently the Deputy Head Teacher responsible for Administration at Chibavi Secondary school in the City of Mzuzu. I hold a Master’s Degree in Business Management from Pentecostal Life University.

My inspiration in life comes through service for humanity, and a passion for making this world a better place than I found it. I believe in the star fish story: I may not touch all the lives all the time, but the difference I make to one goes a longer way than I can imagine.

I believe that there is no health without mental health. My work relating to mental health involves guidance and counseling or mental health services to all Malawians in need. I also provide face to face sessions to those within Mzuzu and thanks to technology, I manage to reach out to those beyond Mzuzu by click of a button on the phone.

0881 072 623

So far, over 4500 clients have been assisted through my services during the four-year period it has been running. I receive overwhelming feedback and I celebrate in the progress and quality of life my clients enjoy afterwards.

On Self-Esteem

Self-esteem is how one feels about themselves as a person. When we have a healthy self-esteem, we tend to feel positive about ourselves and about life in general. You can boost self-esteem by recognizing situations that affect you negatively, by becoming aware of negative thoughts and beliefs, challenging negative thinking, altering negative thoughts and beliefs, spotting troubling conditions or situations, detaching from one’s negative thoughts, accepting one’s more positive thought processes. Working on a high self-esteem will mean a higher quality of life for you.

I have learnt that life never gets easier, we only get tougher in order to navigate it. We need to be innovative every day in order to remain relevant. No matter what, learn to face your fears and rise to the occasion. A case in point is my postgraduate journey, where I had to show tenacity, grit, dedication, through tears and commitment. There were times I almost gave up, but my mental health and psychological resilience helped me to sail through.

My advice to readers is three-pronged: Takecareofyourmental healthasitdeterminesthe qualityofyourphysicaland over-allhealth.

Committingsuicideisnevera solutiontoaddressinglife challenges.Confidein someoneyoutrust.Seek professionalhelpandthrive. Aproblemsharedishalf solved.

Alwaysaimatdeveloping highself-esteem.Itgreatly improvesqualityoflife holistically.Highself-esteem iskeytohighproductivity.

Mr William Mackson Phiri