Counselling Skills

The implications upon the mental and emotional functioning from deep chronic disease states are widespread. This is strongly reflected in imbalances in the essential energetic requirements of the cell, and this links in with deeper emotional and spiritual distresses.

Practitioners, therefore, if taking a truly holistic standpoint, need to take into account mental and emotional as well as physical factors, and to be aware that any healing work undertaken on the physical level, will affect the higher functioning.

When beginning to shift long accumulated stagnant toxins from the body, longstanding, congested emotions may also surface, such as anger or deep fears, and this could manifest in daily life, sometimes inappropriately.

It is thus important for the practitioner to be aware of these possibilities and that they are part of the toxin elimination, and therefore of the healing process, and give as much support and understanding to the patient as they journey through as is possible.

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Topics Covered Include:

• REFLECTIVE LISTENING SKILLS
  The ability to 'set oneself aside' during consultations and give the space and attention as fully as possible to the patient. Listen openly, non-judgementally, non-critically to their story, listening also between the words, to their language, tone of voice, and importantly to their body language, for what that tells us. The more we can truly hear, appreciate and even "feel" what our patient is saying, the more holistic will be our naturopathic interpretation, and the more appropriate our healing programme.
• AWARENESS
  Awareness of the importance of going at the patient's own pace. It may seem all too easy to want to rush in and 'make everything better', but it is always important to assess as finely as possible the patient's whole body and mind state and prescribe accordingly - even if we know the healing process is bound to be slower than otherwise wished for.
  
  DEALING WITH SYMPTOMS
  Anger, tears, agitation, distress, anxiety, may all come out in a consultation and again are part of the healing, part of the trust building between the practitioner and the patient. Importance of 'holding' the space - not to jump in, or feel threatened or feel it is something we may have done, but see emotional discharge as important as the physical, each being a manifestation of the other.