Arc Counselling and Psychotherapy

What is The Difference Between Counselling & Psychotherapy?:~

There is no simple answer to this and experts disagree. In general, Counselling addresses more immediate concerns in a shorter-term contract, whilst Psychotherapy is a more open-ended contract.

Both Psychotherapy and Counselling exist in many forms and have many orientations.

Put very simply and therefore less than accurately, both Psychotherapy and Counselling aim at raising awareness of the individual's way of being-in-the-world,

Counselling usually addresses more specific issue affecting your being-in-the world - thus allowing a greater repertoire of choices and responses to the issue that has brought you into counselling.

In the case of Counselling - we explore and focus on the specific issue that you agree to explore. Thus Counselling usually takes place for a pre-set period of time and is usually focused upon a particular dilemma.

Psychotherapy more normally, is open ended to allow time and space for a fuller examination of your life, thoughts and feelings so far. Thus Psychotherapy often is aimed at exploring deeper issues over a longer period of time, and through a more open-ended contract.

Both Psychotherapy & Counselling usually take place weekly and for a fixed period of fifty minutes.

Both Psychotherapy and Counselling are about creating a regular, safe, and confidential space to explore issues.

More About Psychotherapy:~

'Psychotherapy must remain the obstinate attempt of two people to recover the wholeness of being human through the relationship between them'
(R.D. Laing, The Politics of Experience 1967)


We all have an innate capacity for and impulse towards emotional health. Psychotherapy is about identifying and removing the blocks to achieving your potential.

Life can feel painful, challenging and overwhelming at times and psychotherapy provides an opportunity to speak confidentially and openly to someone who is trained to listen in a particular way and who can give you support and help you gain clarity and insight into your situation and feelings.

The process of psychotherapy helps you make links between your past and present experiences. It offers a means to better understand and address your current difficulties. As a child, parenting and contact with other significant adults formed your core beliefs about you as a perseon. Beliefs which are often unconsciously carried into adulthood.

The aim of psychotherapy is to help you gain insight into your life and awareness of your historical patterns, and ways of relating to yourself and others. In understanding where you have come from as a child, we can find ways to support you as an adult in finding resourceful solutions and addressing new ways of being and thinking.

The process of psychotherapy enables you to understand your personal history and move on from negative patterns which are leading to emotional (dis)stress.

The psychotherapist will work with you to explore with curiosity, and without judgement, the here and nowof the therapeutic relationship, as it manifests between you and the therapist, as a means of understanding the there and then of your past, and how it impacts on your present ways of relating and being in the world. Thus enabling you to find more secure and resourceful ways and means of being in the world, relating to yourself and relating to others.

Using An Integrative Approach

An Integrative approach to Counselling or Psychotherapy usually brings together a number of theoretical orientations. The title Integrative refers both to the therapist’s state of training and understanding.

From the therapists point of view, an Integrative approach draws upon training and experience in more than one theoretical orientation.

At Arc, our approach to Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy includes an integration of Gestalt, Object Relations, Self Psychology, Transactional Analysis, Psychosynthesis and Jungian theories and approaches in our work with clients.

Duration Of The Work

Some people have specific issues on which they want to work, and a short-term contract is appropriate. Others have more general areas of concern which can more appropriately be worked with on a longer time scale.

The length of contract can be discussed at the start of working together. It can be added to and reviewed during the work.

Sessions are normally 50 minutes long, and usually, unless otherwise contracted, take place once a week.