Counselling & THERAPY

Differences between Counselling and Therapy

The terms Counselling and Therapy/Psychotherapy are often heard to be used interchangeably, however, there are some important differences between them.

Counselling	Therapy
Counselling Focuses On specific issues and is designed to help a person manage or work through a particular situation or problem, such as addiction, stress management, grieving a recent loss, or improving communication skills.	Therapy Focuses On issues that have made a significant impact on a person’s patterns of thinking and behavior, and negatively affects how they interact with themselves, others, and the world around them.
The Goals of Counselling Are often to problem solve around the current issue that is happening. It involves increasing knowledge, learning to apply new skills, and practicing strategies to support current coping and future prevention. Counselling is also often used as starting point to prepare individuals to consider or engage in Therapy.	The Goals of Therapy Are to regulate these patterns and improve overall psychosocial functioning. It involves developing a deeper level of awareness, intervening with mal-adaptive patterns of thought and behaviour, facilitating emotional processing of unresolved experiences or traumas, and acquiring more adaptive approaches to living life and achieving personal goals.
Counselling is Typically Shorter-Term as it focuses on immediate support needs. Coping with the impact of negative experiences is an important part of understanding and navigating it, and Counselling can be an essential part of healing and recovery.	Therapy can Short, Intermediate, or Long Term in nature depending on the depth and breadth of the issue to be addressed. Sometimes Therapy can be applied short term, particularly with an EMDR approach
Issues Counselling can Help With Relational stress, Separation Grief and Loss Situational Depression/Anxiety Mental Health/Addiction Relapse Caregiver Strain/Burnout Work or School Related Stress Communication & Problem Solving Value Conflicts Understanding a Mental Health Diagnosis Self Exploration and Personal Growth Routine mental health Check Ups Referral or Bridging to Other Resources	Issues Therapy Can Help With Serious Motor Vehicle Accidents Complex Grief and Loss Natural Disasters Vicarious Traumas War & Political Conflicts Workplace Traumas Childhood Abuse Abuse in Adulthood Domestic Violence Generational Violence Management of Psychiatric Diagnoses
Benefits of Counselling Establish foundational coping skills Increase understanding of mental health needs Increase understanding of psychosocial needs Develop personal insight and ability to reflect Develop communication and boundaries Understand the relationship with self and others Establish routine in personal mental health care Preparation for Therapy	Benefits of Therapy Enhanced personal insight and self awareness. Enhanced understanding of mental health and personal recovery,maintenance and prevention needs. Enhanced awareness and understanding of the psychosocial self. Enhanced knowledge and skills for situational coping. Enhanced communication and boundary setting ability. Enhanced relationships with self and others Enhanced sense of personal control

Please note that we do not offer crisis, on-call, or after-hours services