The Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association states that "counselling is the skilled and principled use of relationship to facilitate self-knowledge, emotional acceptance and growth and the optimal development of personal resources. The overall aim of counsellors is to provide an opportunity for people to work towards living more satisfyingly and resourcefully. Counselling relationships will vary according to need but may be concerned with developmental issues, addressing and resolving specific problems, making decisions, coping with crisis, developing personal insights and knowledge, working through feelings of inner conflict or improving relationships with others".

Counselling is a confidential process designed to help you address your concerns, come to a greater understanding of yourself, and learn effective personal and interpersonal coping strategies. It involves a supportive, respectful and understanding relationship between you and a trained counsellor who has the desire and willingness to help you accomplish your individual goals. Counselling involves sharing sensitive, personal, and private information, a process that may, at times, be distressing. In the course of counselling, there may be periods of increased anxiety or confusion.

 

The outcome of counselling is often positive; however, the level of satisfaction for any individual is not predictable. Some of the potential benefits of counselling include; a change in problematic behaviour; the removal or reduction of symptoms; an improvement in self-esteem and overall mood; a positive change in interpersonal relationships.

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