TL;DR: Its purely about what fits your preference, situation and circumstances right now!
1-to-1 therapy and coaching
I help a wide cross-section of clients in 1-to-1 sessions, for a large variety of issues using evidence-based approaches to treatment – these challenges can include:
managing pain and illness;
stress and resilience building;
anxiety and nerves;
low mood;
sleep issues;
feelings of lethargy and poor motivation;
confidence and assertiveness; and
performance at work, hobbies and sports.
As well as those more existential issues like our sense of purpose, meaning and happiness such as those we focus on in our Men: Mood and Mind group course (amongst many others).
Some people really want or need the focused, tailored and individual attention, accountability and feedback that 1-to-1 therapy or coaching provides. They get more ‘say’ in when, where and how often the sessions occur. This traditional approach to therapy was really the initial focus of my own training in therapy and coaching and something I am still extremely passionate about. As a therapist, I love working on a client’s individual needs and helping them on their unique journey to where they want to be.
The 'gap' and need for alternative methods, and improving access to mental health resources
On the other hand, many people have limited access to therapy either due to time constraints or personal resources. This was the main driver for starting Men: Mood and Mind. And from my side, being completely honest, as a therapist you want to help as many people as you possibly can, but I also understand that 1-to-1 is just simply not available to some people. This dilemma about how to improve everyone’s access to therapeutic resources has concerned me since the earliest stages of my training.
And the good news is that alternative approaches, such as online therapy and group therapy and coaching are gaining good support in the evidence base. There are, just for example, a number of recent meta-analyses of alternative approaches in recent years, such as these:
After all, at the heart of what we do, is skills building. Skills that will help you overcome the challenges you are facing. Through either approach (i.e. 1-to-1 or group sessions) I can help introduce you to new coping and problem solving skills, and then the real work is done by you as you then take these skills, practice them, and apply them in your own, specific, challenging situations.
Men: Mood and Mind and other group resources Men: Mood and Mind was the first online group coaching event we have launched, although it certainly won’t be our last. I know about the dilemmas of middle-aged men first-hand because I am one (!), and I know a lot of other people struggling with the same challenges. It made sense then for this to be our first accessible resource. It scratched an itch, so to speak.
But it was also a way to start pulling down the barriers I saw in many people’s lack of access to therapy. Which is a central premise of what we want to do.
We’ve already got a couple of further resources in the pipeline. But if there’s something you think is needed urgently, then please let us know in the comments or message us! It will help us prioritise our future projects.
Summary So, in summary, if you feel that you need a little help, but are not sure which way to turn, then go with what you feel is most convenient, and what is available to you in your current situation.
I believe your adherence (ie actually applying the skills you need) will be better if we remove the barriers to you participating in the first place! If you prefer the flexibility and tailored approach through traditional 1-to-1 therapy, then great, you can start there. If your time are resources are limited, then maybe online and/or group training may be best for you right now.
These approaches are not mutually exclusive, you can always change your mind at a later time, and both approaches provide the support and accountability you need to change what you need to change.
As always, feel free to message, or contact me for further information on any of our services.
Chris
