What is counselling?

Abstract

We are all counsellors. Anyone who works in one of the health professions and comes into regular contact with people who are distressed in any way, whether psychologically, physically, spiritually or practically, offers counselling help. Counselling is something familiar to everyone: there need be no mystique about it. Nor should it be something that is reserved for a particular group of professionals who call themselves counsellors. As we shall see, it is useful to talk about acting as a counsellor and using counselling skills. Thus the discussion is already focused on familiar territory. Like all such territory, we can always get to know it better. The aim of this book is to explore some facets of counselling and to encourage health professionals to identify ways in which their counselling skills may be improved. All skills are learned. This is true irrespective of any particular psychological point of view we hold. Whether we would call ourselves behaviourally, psychodynamically or humanistically oriented, there is little doubt that we learn and develop skills as we grow, train and live. It is difficult to argue otherwise and to say that we are born with counselling skills.