The counselling you will receive at Park bench is different in several important respects from many other services.
First and foremost is our commitment to judgement free listening. No matter who you are or what you have done, our only purpose is to help you, not to judge. Most human beings, at some point in their lives, stumble and fall. Sometimes it is a full-face plant. 😊 It is precisely when we have hit rock bottom that we are most in need of a caring and compassionate presence to help us get back on our feet. In our hour of greatest need. People who look down at us or condemn us for our failures only make a bad situation worse
That will never happen at Park Bench.
Second, we are committed to confidentiality of the highest degree. What happens at Park Bench stays at Park Bench. This is particularly important when someone else you know, a family member or friend, is also receiving support from our service. Information will never be transmitted from one person to another without explicit instructions and permission. In this way, you may speak freely to your counsellor, knowing that your words are protected by an ironclad guarantee of security.
Third, while still maintaining a professional attitude, the atmosphere at Park Bench is generally relaxed, casual and friendly. The point is to put you at ease; the same way you would feel if you were having a heart to heart conversation with a close friend on a park bench 😊. When any of us opens our hearts to another person, we are vulnerable. At Park Bench, we treat your heart with TLC.
Finally, not everyone who seeks counselling is 100% healthy. Please rest assured that Park Bench has many years of experience assisting clients with complex pre-existing conditions and health challenges. While no medical care or advice is provided by our service, we are experienced and well aware of the complex interaction between physical illness and psychological well-being. Doctors are occasionally accused of treating the illness and forgetting the patient. A holistic approach is always preferred. At Park Bench, our focus is helping those who are ill to manage the complex emotional reactions that are often associated with illness, chronic pain or disability. We view this as essential in helping our fellow human beings to cope with adversity. Problems that are ignored can fester and make things worse. Reducing stress can sometimes have a positive effect on physical illness as well as mental health.