Mental Health Counselling

Introduction In the minds of many, the idea of counselling is ingrained as a service that provides advice to individuals who are suffering from serious mental or emotional issues. While the practice of counselling is widely available and easily accessible, the act or thought of receiving counselling is usually shunned or frowned upon due to the negative connotations and stigma associated with counselling. Although such deep-seated beliefs and opinions regarding counseling have been planted throughout the years, what is the actual role of a counsellor? Role of a counsellor In contrary to popular belief that counsellors are merely advice providing machines, the fundamental role of a counsellor aims to provide individuals with the necessary

There are a plethora of counsellors such as rehabilitation counsellors, mental health counsellors and marriage and family and community counsellors and each focuses on different aspects. Rehabilitation counsellors assist individuals with disabilities or illnesses in the process of maximizing the use of personal and environmental resources to ease the individual’s problems and help them to adjust better. Mental health counsellors assist individuals by generating assessments, diagnosis and treatment planning that emphasizes on one’s mental health. Marriage and family and community counsellors focus on psychological issues occurring in marriages, parenting or other relationship problems (Marini & Stebnicki,

As the role of counsellor is way more complex and significant than just providing advices, there are certain characteristics an individual has to possess in order to be an effective counsellor.

Professionalism. The basic characteristic a good counsellor has to possess is professionalism. It is vital that a counsellor understands that the confidentiality of their clients is of paramount importance and is of highest priority. If a counsellor is unable to withhold the details shared by a client, it is difficult for the client to place trust in the counsellor and share intimate information or details regarding themselves or the issues they are facing with. In order to possess professionalism, an effective counsellor also has to understand their ethical boundaries and provide their clients with information or help that is necessary in resolving their situation and disclose information only when needed. Counsellors also have to maintain a professional relationship with their clients and not engage in relationships that will bring damage to their reputation or compromise their integrity (Branson & Branson,