What is counselling?

The word 'counselling' can be a foreign term for many of us from Asian backgrounds. Being unfamiliar with counselling can make anyone hesitant to seek help.

So what is counselling and how does it work? Counselling is a private and confidential process where you talk with an experienced and qualified professional. This person will work with you to find coping strategies that are helpful and lasting. All of our counsellors have tertiary qualifications and professional memberships.

If you’ve never been to counselling before, it’s not unusual to feel anxious before the first meeting. You are welcome to bring a support person along with you to your counselling sessions. For many people, the most helpful thing about counselling is to have someone they can trust to talk to about things that concern them.

The first appointment is usually between 1 to 1.5 hours. At this appointment you and your counsellor will talk to find out how you can best work together. At this appointment you will also be asked to fill out some questionnaires, which give the counsellor an idea of how things are going with you. All information from the questionnaires are kept confidential.

Sessions usually happen weekly or fortnightly for 50 minutes, depending on what is best for you.

People often ask how long they will need to come to counselling but this varies from person to person. With regard to how many counselling session you could have, your counsellor will guide you with this decision.

We have created a video to explain 'counselling' in different Asian languages: Chinese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese

Chinese version:

 

Korean version:

 

Thai version:

 

Vietnamese version: