Counsellor? How do you spell it?
Yes that’s true. People do ask the spelling of it… counselor/counsellor /councillor/councelor and what not.
So a counsellor is spelt as COUNSELOR/COUNSELLOR.
While doing my M.Sc in Psychological Counselling and at times till today, I have a lot of friends and relatives coming up and saying “you give advice for problems right? Or is it some personality development class? Or do you read minds?” Also at times I have been asked, “Oh so you just have to sit and listen to people’s problems and you get paid for it?” “How can you solve problems in a session? Don’t you get mad listening to all the problems of the world? Who do you go and talk to about your issues? Ok I am going through something can you counsel me now?” and so on.
To all these questions I answer them that “as counsellors, we don’t give advises. We are rather trained to not give advises. Agony aunts, yes they do.
Next, Personality development is a part of counselling and not counselling. In the process of counselling, clients do grow in their persona.
Yes, we do sit and listen to the problems of clients and we are paid for it but there’s more to it. Once the client vents out, we need to help them deal with their issues effectively and lead a better life. We have our own psychological techniques and strategies that we use to help clients. We do it professionally following all the ethics and learning and hence we are paid for it.
Counselling doesn’t happen just for a session. It’s a process of change and client needs to undergo a few sessions to have a long lasting change.
No, we don’t get mad listening at our clients because we are trained professionals, and understand the sensitivity of each case.
Yes, we too need help and we too go to counsellors too for our personal lives.
No, I can’t counsel family or friends but yes I can surely refer them to a counsellor. Counselling friends and relatives is not a great idea, and we believe in it strictly”.
Personally, I have been also taken counselling sessions and it helped me a lot to take control of my issues, by seeing it from a different perspective altogether. I felt peaceful and sorted at the end of each session. Today I am out of that issue completely
Its OK to visit a Counsellor or a Psychologist. I see it this way: if I can go to a doctor for physical health issues or just a regular health check-up why not to a Counsellor for an Emotional and mental health check-up. I value my brain as much I value my other parts of the body. What’s the point of suffocating yourself, feel lonely and battle it out all by yourself when there is help ready. We just need to seek it. We are all battling with a lot of issues in life, so if we can take help for a few and win those faster why not?
If anyone who we know needs help, help them seek professional help. Make sure you choose your therapist or counsellor carefully.
Guys I hope most of your questions are answered. If there’s still anything left unanswered, please reach out to me and clear your doubts. Remember only when you are doing well, can you help others in need.
Help yourself, Help others.
Come LetsTalk and LetSmile.
- Prachi Rathi
Psychologist, Counsellor, Graphologist and Life Skills Trainer
