What Is Counseling?
Counseling is a form of talking therapy where individuals can safely express their emotions and discuss personal challenges in a private, supportive setting.
A trained counselor offers empathetic listening and works to understand your perspective. Their role is to support you in navigating difficult emotions or unhelpful thought patterns.
Although the term counseling is sometimes used broadly to describe all talking therapies, it also refers specifically to one particular therapeutic approach. Other common forms of psychological therapy include psychotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and relationship therapy — which may involve couples, families, or workplace colleagues.
Read more about other psychological therapies.
What Can Counseling Help With?
Talking therapies like counseling are used to support people dealing with a range of mental and emotional health concerns, such as:
• depression
• anxiety
• borderline personality disorder (BPD)
• obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
• post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• chronic or long-term physical conditions
• eating disorders, including anorexia and bulimia
• substance misuse
How Counseling Can Support You
Counseling is intended to help people work through challenges that cause emotional or psychological distress.
It offers a consistent and confidential space where you can openly explore your thoughts and emotions. The counselor will listen without judgment, helping you reflect and gain clarity. Rather than giving direct advice, they guide you in developing your own understanding and coping strategies.
Counseling may assist you in:
• managing grief or the end of a relationship
• dealing with job loss or stress at work
• exploring personal identity questions, including sexuality
• addressing blocks that hinder your goals
• working through feelings of sadness or hopelessness
• gaining a deeper understanding of yourself and your challenges
• building self-confidence
• seeing things from other people’s perspectives
Opening up about difficult topics can be emotionally intense at first. You may feel more unsettled in the beginning, but with consistent support, most people begin to notice positive changes over time.
Therapy usually requires multiple sessions, and consistent attendance plays a key role in its effectiveness.
What Happens During Counseling?
During sessions, you’ll be encouraged to explore your feelings openly. Through discussion, your counselor can help you better understand how your thoughts and emotions are connected — and how they affect your behavior.
You may also begin to identify patterns, unresolved issues, or influences from others that impact your wellbeing. A counselor can help you evaluate how you respond to certain situations and consider healthier ways of coping.
Sharing your concerns with someone who truly listens can bring a sense of relief, and may help you move toward resolution or acceptance.
Building Trust in the Counseling Relationship
An effective counselor will offer you a space that feels safe, supportive, and free of judgment. While they may guide you to think about different options or reflect more deeply, they should never impose their opinions or tell you what to do.
For counseling to be truly helpful, a trusting relationship between you and your counselor is essential. If you ever feel uncomfortable or that the therapeutic relationship isn’t working, it's important to speak up. A good counselor will be open to feedback.
If things don’t improve after that conversation — or if the counselor is dismissive of your concerns — you are entirely within your rights to seek a new therapist who’s a better fit for you.
If you’re receiving counseling through the NHS and the therapist is linked to your GP, you can ask your doctor to refer you to someone else. Alternatively, private therapy is available, and many counselors offer sliding-scale fees to make sessions more affordable over time.
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