It’s only natural as the New Year kicks off to reflect on 2025 and think about what 2026 holds in store, so I wanted to take this as a chance to gather my thoughts on what I would like for 2026.
In terms of my counselling career, 2025 had some milestones. I finished my Trauma-Informed Somatic Therapy Degree, which certainly made me feel more confident in my abilities as a counsellor, as I followed along with other professionals and feeling as though I could keep up. It was after that experience that I decided on starting up my own private practice. It was a summer of research and preparation before finally launching in October after I returned from my trip to Canada.
Things have been slow, which of course, all of the material I read regarding private practice warned me about, and yet I still feel disappointed. Right now, it feels like throwing things at a wall and seeing what sticks in terms of finding clients. I’m trying very hard to not compare my journey to others, or to let this be a reflection on my abilities as a counsellor - it’s more of a reflection of my advertising and business abilities, which my training did not prepare me for. It makes me thankful to have my work with the Donegal Women’s Centre, where my work with my clients there serve as the reminder of what this is all for.
At the end of the day, I love this work. I love sitting with someone and giving them the space to talk out whatever it is they need to process, or that moment where you can see on a client’s face that they’ve had an epiphany. If I could get full-time work in my current role, I would love to but the reality is the funding is not there, and it seems that the majority of counsellors at least supplement their work with private clients.
I’ve been in contact with a few of my local resource centres, as I’m hoping to rent a room for in-person sessions. Online offers a lot of flexibility, but I can see why people would prefer to have counselling in-person, so I’m hoping this will expand my reach. I also have a list of GPs to contact in the hope of getting some referrals. My biggest challenge I think is putting myself out there. I hate asking people for favours, especially when it feels as though I’m inconveniencing them. It’s something about myself that I knew was lurking in the background, but pursuing this has really highlighted it as something I need to work on.
And that brings in the social media of it all. A few colleagues have talked about how Facebook has been a great resource for them for getting clients and it just sets me on edge. I’ve never been a big social media person (not since I was a teenager at least) and it makes me uncomfortable that now starting out as a ‘new’ counsellor (at least in private practice) you almost have to double as an influencer. Or it’s determined by not only how many friends you already have on Facebook, but also how many are willing to share your page. Word of Mouth is the strongest marketing tool, always has been and always will be, and it seems as though social media is merely the vehicle for that.
Right now, as I struggle with this, it’s hard to determine how do I set myself apart from all the other new counsellors emerging with this same marketing plan? How personal do I get where I can show how I am different, without crossing that ethical boundary of a client knowing too much about me? How much do I want to push using social media when I am not comfortable with it?
So, it goes back to throwing things at the wall. I need to keep trying and after throwing ten things at the wall, at least one thing sticks? It will have been worth it. Right now, I need to focus on finding what works for me, what attracts the clients I want to reach out to me, and doing it in a way that does not compromise my beliefs and morals. I need to find my voice.
I know I am myself when I am in the counselling room. It is a part of me that is genuine and true, and I know that I am struggling to do that in front of a camera. If I can become comfortable with being myself on a public platform, maybe that will help. But I believe what I bring is a quiet, introspective energy, whereas the energy on social media is loud, exuberant, and well overly performative.
This may have been more of a vent post than my other work, but this is a part of finding my voice in this new sphere.
Disclaimer: While I am a qualified counsellor, the content provided here is for informational purposes only. It does not act as a replacement for therapeutic support. If you are thinking about therapy - reach out! My email is gemmaq.counselling@gmail.com and you can WhatsApp me at +353 89 249 2595. You can check out my website www.gemmaquinncounselling.com for more information.
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