FAQ

Counselling is not like a magic pill. The counsellor does not provide any readymade solutions. The main aim of counselling is to create a conducive environment for the client. This in turn encourages the client to look within himself, and then, with the support of the counsellor, he himself is usually able to find some effective remedies for his problems.

Counselling is completely confidential. Whatever information the client shares always remains within the four walls of the counselling room. However, there are certain emergency situations in which the counsellor is legally and ethically bound to break the confidentiality. Thus, for example, when the client seems to prone to self-harm or harm to others, the counsellor has to report to the relevant authorities. Similarly if there is an indication of some sort of sexual harassment or child abuse, the counsellor has to report to some competent authorities.

Empathy is the foundation of any counselling process. Being non-judgemental is one of the major tenets of psychology. The counsellor usually understands that whatever information is being shared, can be only used for the betterment of the client and not for any other ulterior motive.

The frequency of the sessions usually depends on the nature of the problems and the pace at which the client can work. Counselling is not a daily affair. During the initial phase of counselling, the session is usually once in a week. However, over a period of time, as the client shows improvement, the interval between two sessions is slowly increased.

Counsellors usually have their own areas of expertise. The expertise may come with a certain amount of experience, or it may also come with some specialized qualification. A counsellor usually has a database of other practitioners. Counsellors are usually taught during the training to refer a client to some other competent professional in case he does not feel capable enough of handling the issues being presented by the client. In case the client feels that his counsellor is not competent of handling his problem, he can definitely ask for a referral.

Yes, you can definitely do so. However, the client’s willingness is a prerequisite. Counselling cannot be forced upon anyone. Of course the counsellor may try to brief the person about the benefits of counselling. However, the counselling process cannot happen without the client’s consent or will.