Myth:

"Counselling is only for people with serious mental illnesses"

Reality:

Clients attend counselling for all kinds of reasons, and most cases are for everyday struggles. This can be anything, including work stress, relationship issues, life transitions and low confidence - not just a crisis or a diagnosis.

Myth:

"You'll be judged for what you share"

Reality:

A counsellor's main goal is to try and understand your emotions and experiences. They are not looking to judge you and instead will be focusing on empathising with what you're going through, and providing the unconditional support you need. 

Myth:

"A counsellor just listens and nods"

Reality:

Counselling is active. It involves structured reflection, questioning, challenging of perspectives and sometimes specific techniques. Counselling is a collaborative process and requires active participation, from both the client and the counsellor, in order to create change.

Myth:

"You should just be able to 'get over it'' yourself"

Reality:

Sometimes you can become 'stuck' in the same patterns of thinking and behaviour and it takes an outside perspective, and professional tools, to see growth. In the same way you would visit a physio for a physical pain, seeking support isn't a weakness, it's a practical step toward feeling better.

Myth:

"The counsellor will tell you what to do"

Reality:

Counsellors will rarely give you directions or advice, instead a good counsellor will work with you to uncover your own answers, encouraging you to build self-trust and confidence. 

Myth:

"Counselling is the same no matter who you see"

Reality:

Approaches vary widely within the counselling world. There are lots of modalities, including person-centred, psychodynamic, transactional analysis and cognitive behavioural therapy. So, if one style doesn't work for you, feel free to shop around and see what style fits you best.

Myth:

"Online counselling isn't as effective as in-person"

Reality:

In the fast-paced modern world, the internet allows therapy to remain accessible to people with busy lives or who struggle to attend in-person sessions. Across most modalities, the relationship between counsellor and client is considered to be the most important factor for success and studies increasingly show outcomes are comparable across most issues.