Community Counselling

A low cost counselling service in the heart of East London

Young hang up on phone chats to become ‘generation mute’. (Sunday time 5/11/17 Pg 17 – James Gillespie

The ‘young’ are not using the phone as a voice instrument but only ‘text’. The article goes on to give examples of how the generation since we have all gone ‘E’ are ditching talking on the phone in favour of texing. It asks what might be the implications of growing up with this as the modus operandi for adult life; what are the implications for us all if we are not in face to face contact as a preferred – first way of communicating? It can become alien when the requirement to communicate face to face presents itself for example at interviews or when we need to communicate material we find challenging or where perhaps an attachment or relationship has gone array in some way.

Perhaps the epitome of text to text this is the now proverbial restaurant meal where people are communicating to others not in the room by text rather than with those at the table. Might this too have implications for peoples identity and how we can and cannot negotiate in the world? What if we lose our prized phone possession. Can counselling assist here? Could it bring up other loses long buried but not resolved but reactivated albeit not consciously causing maybe phone rage or trauma – the issue may not be ‘the phone’. Talking issues through can create space for to allow for other actions to be considered.

Any loss of that which we value could reactivate earlier losses which were left unresolved. The notion of talking of therapy is to allow us to work through issues gains losses and sometimes making some sense of daily living. Having someone independent of the circumstance trained to listen and reflect allows us to share the chewing over of an issue – so it can be ‘metabolised’ and digested rather being stuck in the throat. We then have more flexibility rather than be stuck with the issue. In the Chinese proverb those trees which bend with the wind are more flexible and are more resilient to challenge and inevitable change; a work colleague, a bullying issue, loss of family member.

Present events sometimes lead to earlier unresolved events which at the time for safety were swept under the carpet. Present issues can be a window to explore not only the issue at hand but earlier issues reactivated by the present issue. On route other issues may come to light supporting more awareness about qualities of our lives. The counsellor by being honest can reflect what is happening to them in the room and this could reflect how others are experiencing us but have not said. Counselling can be an opportunity to get a good reflection of ourselves and so an opportunity to make changes. In therapy we can get both a good view of ourselves and an opportunity to address big or small issues. Addressing the issues can help with quality of living in relation to the past present and for the future. A starting point may be a loss or consequences of an activity sedentary life and obesity texing and face to face human challenges.