How Do I Know If Counselling Is For Me?

Why should I go for counselling? Just to share my problems with someone? It seems like a waste of time. How will I even benefit from it? Most people do not understand what counselling is. They say, "people fear what they do not know".

Considering that counselling is based on psychology, we will first define what it is. A simple definition of psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and behavior. This also involves feelings, thoughts and emotions. What is counselling? It is the process of a mental health professional guiding a client towards resolving their problems whether it is personal, social, or psychological.

How would I benefit from counselling?

You will have the option to get familiar with yourself and obtain new abilities. Sometimes, counselling involves learning more about a particular condition (e.g., anxiety, depression, eating disorders) which affects the client's everyday life. The main objective here is to better understand and explore treatment options. Here are a few instances of what people can gain from personal or psychological counselling:

• developed communication and interpersonal skills

• discovery of self-awareness

• greater self-acceptance and self-esteem

• the ability to change self-defeating behaviors or habits

• improved expression and management of emotions, including anger

• relief from depression, anxiety and/or other mental health conditions

• boosted confidence and decision-making skills

• the ability to manage stress effectively

• developed problem-solving and conflict resolution abilities

Reading scripture and getting help from church leaders is helpful but most of us are afraid to share certain aspects of our lives because of judgment. Also, God created us as social beings and therefore it is important to have someone trustworthy to talk to. In counselling, a professional counsellor must first build a rapport with the client, then the counsellor and client must examine if they are the right fit for each other. Confidentiality about everything discussed in the sessions is mandatory. Exceptions are only if the client gives consent to share the information with people close to the client (e.g. family members), plans to harm themselves, plans to harm others, or damage property.

And finally, professional counsellors do not judge their clients. Besides, the way I see it is who are we to judge others being no one is perfect and that is God's work anyway. For example in scripture, (John 8:7 reads When they kept questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her:" Just like what Jesus said, if those men were without sin then they can place judgment on Mary Magdalene. A professional counsellor must display what we call in psychology Unconditional Positive Regard (UPR). UPR is a concept developed by the humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers, which is the basic acceptance and support of a person regardless of what the person says or does, especially in the context of client-centered therapy.

In conclusion, counselling is for anyone looking to improve any aspect of their lives. You do not necessarily have to have a minor or major personal or psychological problem. I hope this explanation has been useful to you and has helped you better understand what psychology and counselling is.

Feel free to contact us via email or our chat service for professional mental health services. Also check out our YouTube channel for motivation, inspiration, and insight:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvfOtHPcucgKQWjXsXg9JnA

References:

Hudson Valley Community College, "Potential Benefits of Counseling". https://www.hvcc.edu/cct/counseling/benefits.html

06/08/2020

Rogers, Carl R. Client-centered Therapy: Its Current Practice, Implications and Theory. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1951.