There are many reasons as to why people decide to attend counselling sessions. Previously, counselling and therapy were only considered an option exclusively for people who have serious mental illnesses. As psychology, mental health and counselling information are made more available and people are becoming more informed and aware, an increasing amount of people are taking the opportunity to see a counsellor/psychologist. Counselling can be of help to people of all ages and from all levels of society from young infants to the elderly.

 

Informal practices of counselling existed long before knowledge of psychology was theorised and practiced. From the beginning of time people were seeking the advice, opinion and counsel of others in times of stress and need, either from one person or from many. Even in today’s day and age people are still seeking a listening ear through their friends and family in an informal matter. This is in a sense considered counselling.

 

However, counsellors do not offer advice but rather joins the client in their journey and aids clients to learn to effectively deal with present and future psychological and emotional issues on their own.

 

Individuals that attend counselling/psychology sessions may suffer from

-         relationship conflicts and problems

-         low self esteem

-         obsessive compulsive disorders

-         low attention span

-         difficulty concentration

-         sexual assault

-         home sickness

-         guidance

-         loneliness

-         addictions

-         death/personal crisis/trauma

-         stress management

-         careers counselling

-         depression

-         family problems

-         communication difficulties

-         grief

-         sexual orientation issues

-         cross-cultural counselling

-         time management problems

-         phobias

-         difficulty making decisions

-         eating disorders/issues

-         problems at work, home, school

-         personal identity issues

-         infertility

-         substance abuse

-         anxiety

 

This list is not an all comprehensive list. It does not list the only factors that individuals will come and/or are recommended to receive counselling. However, from this list it is obvious that these issues are not mentally decapitating and are actually quite commonly found in society. Contrary to previous beliefs, counselling can be of help to everyone not just the mentally disabled.