What is counselling/psychological advice?

Counselling is a type of therapy which allows someone to talk through their emotional issues and difficulties with a trained professional. Counselling can help with many different issues, including mental health disorders, medical conditions, frustrating and difficult emotions, and life events (e.g divorce, bereavement).

Why should someone seek counselling?

There are many reasons an individual may be referred to or ask for a counsellor. Thoughts, emotions, and feelings can be difficult to deal with alone, and processing ideas and thoughts may be easier with someone who can provide support and listen without judgement. Counselling can also help with behavioural issues, such as anger, which can be difficult for the individual to control and confront.

You may also seek counselling for any of the following reasons:

• Mental health concerns:

  this includes such conditions as depression, anxiety, stress, PTSD, bipolar disorder, among others.

• Relationship issues: 

  counselling can help couples to improve communication, resolve conflicts, rebuild trust, and strengthen the relationship. It can also help people struggling with family relationships.

• Grief and loss: 

  dealing with the loss of a loved one or a relationship breakup can be difficult to resolve, and sessions with a counsellor can help with that. 

• Life transitions: 

  major life changes such as starting a new job, moving to a new city or country, getting married, having a child, and retiring, among others can often benefit from talking things through with a counsellor. 

• Personal development: 

  people may seek counselling help to gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their personal goals. 

• Addiction and substance misuse: 

  counselling can be a crucial part of addiction recovery, and can help equip people with the tools needed to overcome addiction and overcoming cravings.

• Improving self-esteem and confidence: 

  counselling can be beneficial to people struggling with self-worth, self-image, confidence issues, by providing a supportive environment to work on building a positive self-concept.

• Parenting advice: 

  parenting can be very rewarding, but also very challenging at times. Counselling can help parents by providing them with tools on effective parenting strategies. 

• Work stress: 

  counselling can help people to navigate work-related stress and challenges within their careers. 

What does counselling involve?

Counselling can be offered in just a single session, a course of sessions which may happen over a few weeks, months, or an extended period of time, or much longer courses which will be set for several years, or ongoing. The amount of sessions required depends on the individual and the issue they are facing.

Counselling can be offered in various ways, always involving a trained individual who is able to listen to the patient and support them. However, counselling does not seek to give advice or give the patient instructions on what they should do. Counselling can take place in person, or it can come in other forms, such as group therapy. In some cases, counselling can be offered over the phone or online, for example through live chat or email.

How can counselling help?

Counselling can help in different ways, depending on the individual and what they are experiencing. While counselling does not outline what should be done next, and generally advice is not given, it can help the individual come to terms which the way they see their issues, their life, and even the relationships they have with others.

Counselling can help people to understand the way they think, which over time helps them to understand the way they view and tackle their problems. It can also help them to understand other people’s points of view. Overall counselling can help people to come to terms with what they are going through, and help them to feel more positive about their issues by talking through them.  

If you are considering making an appointment with a counsellor, you can find specialists on the Top Doctors page.