The original term 'counselling' was used to describe Carl Rogers’ (psychiatrist and psychologist) founder of ‘Person Centred Counselling’ way of working with a client where the work is ‘client-led’ and the counsellor is non-directive. Given the right environment and conditions, which include Empathy, Congruence and Unconditional Positive Regard on behalf of the counsellor, Rogers deemed the client had the capacity for optimal growth and self awareness and the ability to work through their problems and find their own solutions.  He believed we all have an ‘Actualising Tendency’ which given the right environment and conditions will enable a person to find the right direction for them to go in.

Some schools of thought claim counsellors don’t have to train for as long as psychotherapists, but again this is a grey area.  Whatever truth there may be in it doesn’t mean one is better than the other. Ultimately, what matters to a client in distress is that the professional person can work with them, listening to their problems so they can find a better way forward. This may be short-term or long-term, there is no right or wrong and can be decided by the client and counsellor.

Counsellors don’t have to be a specialist in one particular area (although they can be), rather it could be said ‘ sufficient knowledge, skills, personal development, professional experience and being human’ should enable any counsellor to work with any problem area experienced by another human being.
 

Myths, Facts and Mindful Wisdom
 

• Only very educated people benefit from psychotherapy and counselling - Myth
   

• Counsellors and psychotherapists have their own lives all worked out - Myth
   

• There is nothing wrong with needing counselling and psychotherapy - Fact
   

• There is nothing wrong with not needing counselling and psychotherapy - Fact