Can counselling help you heal?

Counselling can be an effective treatment for a host of mental and emotional problems. Simply talking about your thoughts and feelings with a supportive therapist can often make you feel better. It can be very healing, in and of itself, to voice your worries or talk about something that’s weighing on your mind. And it feels good to be listened to—to know that someone else cares about you and wants to help.

While it can be very helpful to talk about your problems to close friends and family members, sometimes you need help that the people around you aren’t able to provide. When you need extra support, an outside perspective, or some expert guidance, talking to a counselor can help. While the support of friends and family is important, counselling is different. Counsellors are professionally-trained listeners who can help you get to the root of your problems, overcome emotional challenges, and make positive changes in your life.

You don’t have to be diagnosed with a mental health problem to benefit from counselling. Many people in counselling seek help for everyday concerns: relationship problems, job stress, or self-doubt, for example. Others turn to therapy during difficult times, such as a divorce. But in order to reap its benefits, it’s important to choose the right counselor —someone you trust who makes you feel cared for and has the experience to help you make changes for the better in your life. A good counselor helps you become stronger and more self-aware.