What is Counselling?

The traumatic experience of sexual abuse, sexual harrassment and rape with their long term effects is borne by many in our community in silence. Through counselling, GRCC offers social support to survivors and helps them to examine their feelings around the abuse they have experienced how they are coping with their present lives.

Coming for counselling can mean coming for only one session, it can mean meeting with a counsellor a couple of times, or it can mean coming to the centre once a week for a longer period of time. It is up to you to decide what kind of a service you want.

Counselling is sharing with someone. It is about being listened to by your counsellor and about being heard and accepted. It is about you saying just as much as you feel is okay for you to say about your story. We regard confidentiality very highly. On your first visit you will be given a leaflet explaining your rights as a service user including some rare limitations of confidentiality.

Your counsellor is not there to judge you or tell you what she thinks you should do. You are the expert on your life and what is right for you. Your counsellor is there to listen, believe and support you and to respect the choices you make. Your counsellor will be able to offer you information about some medical and legal issues as well as about reporting what happened to you to the gardai. She will be able to help you to explore the choices you have, however, whatever decisions you make is completely up to you.

Coming for counselling means creating a time for yourself. During this time, you can get to know yourself better. Buried emotions can surface, can be felt in a safe setting, and can be expressed.

Counselling also helps you to address some core beliefs might stop you from living your life to your full potential, for example 'I am bad.' or 'I don't deserve a good life.' Issues like these will be discussed when you bring them to the counselling, or when they emerge in the relationship with your counsellor.

In short, counselling is a two way process in which you and the counsellor work together. By helping you to access your own strengths, resources and potential, it aims to enable you to find solutions and develop your capacity to make decisions and choices so that you feel more in control of your life.

Training of Counsellors

All our counsellors have undergone specialised training in sexual violence and abuse counselling under the umbrella of the Rape Crisis Network of Ireland. All our staff counsellors have undergone professional counselling or psychotherapy trainings. The Centre as an organisation, and individual counsellors, are committed to continuous professional development (CPD).