In India there are several misconceptions regarding counselling.
In-spite of increased demand for counselling services in the country and
an increased accessibility to reach them; Indian masses are still
apprehensive about seeking professional help for emotional or
psychological issues. This is largely because of lack of awareness
amongst majority and a sceptical attitude to explore what is “unknown”
to them [2,7]. The majority of the population, still does not know the reasons why approach counsellors and what to expect from them. Also,
more-often-than not are misguided. They confuse counsellors with
"mind-readers" or believe that their practices are restricted to mental
illness. These beliefs are contrary to the facts, and therefore, this
blog contains very basic information that one needs to know about
counselling. The aim is to facilitate awareness amongst general public
and help them make an informed choice while seeking mental health
services for assistance. This is likely to help in reaping maximum
benefits from available treatments offered by experts.
Counselling is for whom?
Counselling is for an individual,
family, group, community and organization and everyone ranging from all
age-groups and socio-economic backgrounds. It is for those ones who wish
to deal with certain aspect(s)
of their life in abetter manner than they already do. Counselling is
for those who would like to have positive changes the ways they think,
feel, behave and act in day-to-day situations to cope better with
difficult times and to experience more fulfilling results in given
situation [1].
Counselling is for what?
One can approach counselling for crisis as well as non-crisis situations.
Crisis
situations are those such as domestic violence, addictions, mental
disorders, fatal illnesses, personality disorders, childhood disorders,
trauma, suicidal ideation, eating disorders, etc.
Non-crisis
situations could range from a host of daily life struggles such as
interpersonal issues, relationship troubles (marital, family discord,
parent-child concern), temperament and attitudinal issues (anger, moods,
stress, loneliness), study and exam concerns, cognitive challenges
(memory, concentration, learning problems), work performance, work-life
balance, emotional turmoil, mild mood-disorders, anxiety and depression,
and career guidance.
Who are the professionals and service providers?
Counsellors
(Counselling Psychologists, Clinical Psychologists, and Industrial
Psychologists) provide with the counselling. Some are independent
practitioners running their own clinics, or employed in profitable,
non-profitable as well as government organizations.
Counselling Psychologists and clinical Psychologists more frequently specialize in providing psychotherapies. Several
psychologists specialize in providing one or more types of
psychotherapies. Therefore, they are often also called as
“Psychotherapists”. Beyond therapy, clinical psychologists are qualified
to conduct psychometric assessments such as IQ tests, EQ tests,
aptitude tests, clinical diagnostics&assessments (mental disorders).
One may take note that, not all clinical psychologists are expert
psychotherapists. Sometimes, they are solely focused on testing and
assessments. And, not all psychologists work with all age-groups. They
sometimes have particular focuses based on gender (e.g. for women), specific issues (e.g. domestic violence, LGBT community, marital problems, learning disability) and specific causes (e.g. underprivileged children, sexual abuse).
Commonly
applied therapies: Cognitive-Behavioural Therapies (CBT), Dialectic
Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Emotional Movement Desensitization and
Reprocessing (EMDR), Neuro-psychological Linguistic Programme (NLP),
Solution-focused therapy, Narrative therapy, Brief therapy, and family
therapy (Systems Approach) [1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8].
Additionally, for special needs there are 'remedial therapists' and
'special-educators' for problems such as learning disabilities. An
industrial psychologist is an expert for employee assistance in
corporate and organizational set-up and also conducts training (HR
department). An extension to their work dimension is 'vocational' and
'career guidance'.
Following a different spiritual school of thought with scientific means, there are 'hypno-therapists' who treat client problems with the use of hypnotherapy.
On
smaller larger platforms psychologists are involved in providing
psychological training, mental health awareness programmes,
life-coaching and personality development programmes, and community
empowerment work.
What happens in counselling? How is different from talking to family?
Empathy
and emotional support form basis to counselling. This is a support one
possibly finds from family or friends. However, adding to this support a
therapist is trained and skilled to appropriately conveying this for
more consistent relief. It does not replace the warmth and love from
close-ones, but
provides an added advantage of reliability with absolute
confidentiality and an unbiased and non-judgemental attitude to intimate
most problems.
Most importantly, counsellors are guided by
professional and ethical principles that are mandatory to be followed.
This makes personal sharing to be placed in trustworthy hands.
Also, how many-a-times, one finds themselves in a position where
'nobody is able to understand you? Or How often even the most closest
experienced family member or a friend is unable to support your times of
emotional turmoil? And, also isn't it common experience that others
happen to find the most important matter of your life as a trivial
issue, something that will heal with time or 'just leave it'?
Factually
not everyone can bear the weight of our stories. Therefore, a
counsellor is a trained professional who is an expert in providing the
necessary psychological assistance for a range of worries major or
minor, intensive or casual and rare or routine. The concept is if it
matters to you it does matter and if it has made you feel bad you have
the right to feel so. However, rational or irrational the problem maybe,
optimistically, there will be a way towards working through it. On the
part of the individual, willingness to change is the key.
With the use of psycho-therapeutic tools, counselling involves a
methodological approach to guide client reflections and to lead an
increased self-awareness for skill-development, behaviour modifications,
development of better coping strategies and an enhanced ability for
independent decision-making.
A client and counsellor together
work through the process. It becomes a customized or tailor-made process
for every individual, depending on their available resources and
environments. The entire journey for positive change requires
co-operation of the client, i.e.,
to follow up with the action plans in order to get the desired
outcomes. A counsellor is a catalyst to the process until the time of
counselling termination.
In a basic counselling process, one can
expect guiding questions, introduction to therapeutic-orientations,
relaxation and calming techniques, role-plays, home-work exercises,
feedback exchanges, reading materials, training and regular follow-ups.
Sessions are planned depending on the nature of the problem. 6 to 12
sessions for short-term therapies and 15 to 20 sessions or more for
long-term therapies. Length of counselling period depends on individual
problems and the chosen course of therapy. It could take couple of
months to a year for more visible positive outcomes. It is a
step-by-step gradual process and requires patience.
What a counsellor is NOT going to do?
Give you ready-made solutions, advice, make decisions for you or give validations/approvals or do your tasks for you.
What can one expect as an outcome?
Depending
on the goals, the aim is to attain a notable progressive change in
terms of feeling, thoughts and actions and could be in an overall
personality or an aspect of it.
Educational Qualifications&certifications of mental health professionals
Masters
in Psychology (Clinical psychology/Counselling Psychology/Industrial
Psychology) is mandatory for individuals to qualify as practicing
Psychologist or counsellor. They are not allowed to prescribe
medicines.
A Psychiatrist is qualified with at least an MBBS
degree, and prescribes medicines. Not all psychiatrists practice
Psychotherapy or qualified to do so.
Role of Psychiatrist?
Combination treatment works effectively incase of mental-illnesses, i.e.,
symptoms of mental disorders can be effectively brought in control
after which the client is able to respond to counselling therapies.
Therapies generally foster self-management techniques and smooth
functioning of routine life [5]. Few of the psychiatrists practice
psychotherapies along with medical prescriptions. They also employ
psychologists for application of therapies for their patients.
Note: Incase of mental disorders, prior to visiting a mental-health
expert, carefully take notice of behaviours&symptoms and make a
conscious note. These will benefit the treatment in order to progress in
right direction. In absence of properly noted symptoms, the diagnosis
could be erroneous and can lead to greater damage. Do not hesitate to
ask your mental-health expert about the accurate name of the disorder
diagnosed. Do not hesitate to take second opinions whenever
required. Ask for revision in medicines incase of overwhelming
side-effects. Consult the professionals before the discontinuation of
medicines.
Important
References:
3. Kumar,
A. (2011). Mental Health Services in rural India: Challenges and
prospects. Vol. 3, No. 12, 757-761. Department of Rural Management,
Xavier Institute of Social Service, Dr. Camil Bulke Path, Ranche,
India.
6. Nolen-Hoeksema,
S. (2005). Abnormal Psychology. 3Rd
Edition. Publisher: Tata McGraw-Hill Companies, New York
7. Syed,
S.N., Baluch, B, Duffy, L. & Verma, V. (2012). ‘British and
Indian Attitudes towards Counselling: A quantitative comparative
study’. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, volume 25, pg. 63-72,
Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, UK.
