Why do people come to counselling?

We’ve all felt down at some point. Sometimes it’s because something happened; divorce, serious health problem, loss of a job, a loved one passed away, etc. Sometimes we’re not sure why we feel the way we do, but still we do.

We try to overcome this feeling. We give it time to see if it gets better, but it doesn’t.

We feel stuck.

Many people come to counselling at this point. They’ve given it time and tried to overcome it on their own, but nothing seems to work.

When we have a problem, any problem, asking for help is a natural and healthy step to take. It’s a part of being human. We’re not alone, and when times get hard, tackling it by yourself is rarely the answer. If you feel sick, you go to a doctor for answers. If you have a toothache, you visit a dentist for relief. If the ‘check engine’ light flashes in your car, you go to a mechanic to fix the problem.

When we are stuck in our thoughts, our feelings, or our relationships, we need to be just as ready and willing to reach out for help.

The reasons that someone would come to counselling are as numerous and unique as there are individual people. But it can it can be narrowed down to one common thing: people seek counselling when they want something in their life to change.

They come when they’re feeling something they don’t want to feel anymore. That could be depression, anxiety, stress, unexplained anger, grief, low self-esteem – any number of feelings. Counsellors can give you the tools to understand, accept, and help you manage and change your feelings.

People also come to counselling because they want to make a change in a relationship. Parents come to build better relationships with their children. Partners come to heal their marriages. People come to learn how to interact better with others at work. Relationships of all kinds are complex, and they can face challenges where a solution isn’t always obvious.

A counsellor has the ability to look at a relationship from an objective, unbiased perspective. They can guide you to build positive and healthy relationships while strengthening your self-esteem and setting healthy boundaries.

Throughout life, we all go through transitions, some big and some small. Sometimes a change can happen quickly, and it feels so big, it might seem overwhelming and unmanageable. Sometimes we wake up one day and don’t know how we ended up where we are. It happened slowly with small little changes. There will be good changes too. Maybe you’ll move to a new city, or start a new exciting job, or become a parent.

Big or small, sudden or slow, good or bad, life changes can change our course, our plans, and ourselves and leave us feeling unsettled, scared, lost, etc.

Counselling helps guide you through these changes. Discussing what you are going through gives you the opportunity to honour your experiences – what they mean and how they make you feel. It helps you move to the next stage of your life with confidence, self-love and a sense of peace.

It’s normal to need help sometimes and it’s healthy to get that help. Everyone experiences challenges in their life. Everyone has set-backs and feels stuck sometimes. Talking through what you are thinking and feeling, with someone trained to help you understand your thoughts and feelings and give you tools to make positive changes, empowers you in challenging times.

If you feel stuck and are ready to take steps to change your life for the better, we can help. And you don’t have to wait to start making these changes. We’re ready when you are.

Learn more about how we can help you.