There are many misconceptions about what counselling is and isn’t.
Counselling is:
A skilled activity, helping you to help yourself
Talking to a professional with a qualification
An intervention of proven effectiveness
A comfortable private environment where you can talk
An excellent early intervention when things start to go wrong
A way to ask for some help for yourself
Counselling is not:
Tea and sympathy
Someone telling you what to do
A do gooder just listening
Just for conditions that a GP would give a diagnosis for
Just a hope that it works
Lying on a couch, telling someone in a white coat your problems
Just for difficulties that are severe and have troubled you for years
Just about being sent to see someone because you have got a problem
(Mind.ed.org.uk)