What happens when you see a therapist or a psychological counsellor? Do you know? Well, you might not. There is a significant amount of uncertainty in our society about things that might happen in therapy or counselling sessions. People don’t have enough knowledge on the types of issues and problems suitable to be discussed in psychological counseling or therapy. They are also unaware of the benefits of such therapies and counseling.

The knowledge of psychological counseling and therapy is quite essential for people to have, especially in this age of online dating. A lot of people try out to have a great love life online nowadays. This scenario of dating on online platforms leads many people to mental health issues with various harassment and violence occurring online. 

So, we aim to provide our readers with a piece of insightful knowledge on what psychology is and how counselling and therapy work. This article is also about the differences between counselling and therapy, along with the things you can expect to happen in those sessions. 

Counselling vs therapy 

Although psychological counselling and therapy seem to be the same in many aspects and are often used interchangeably, there are significant differences that might be unknown. They differ significantly in terms of required education and skills, job responsibilities, and application fields. 

• Psychological counselling. Psychological counselling usually focuses on a specific issue for a limited amount of time. It involves working with a counselor such as a mental health counselor and similar others to address a specific issue for a certain period of time.  For example, you see a marriage counselor if you’re having problems with your marriage to improve things between you and your partner. Counselling is the thing you seek when you’re stressed out and need help managing stress.
• Psychotherapy. Psychotherapy aims to help you understand your feelings, thoughts and behaviours. It is also known as talk therapy which helps you to perceive a deeper view of yourself and address the underlying causes of your various problems. It guides you to develop ways to help you solve your problems by yourself in the long run.  Psychotherapy can help you with low self-esteem, depression, addiction, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and various other mental health conditions.

What exactly to expect

There may be different approaches to psychological counselling and psychotherapy as per the situation. There may be only a few sessions in one while the other may last for months or even years, depending on the person’s needs. The sessions of these counselling and therapy usually follow a structured process to yield maximum benefits. 

These sessions may be conducted one-on-one, in pairs, or even in groups. Various techniques such as talking, story-telling, performing drama or even listening to music can be used in the sessions. You can also expect the following in both psychological counselling and psychotherapy. 

• Types. Types of psychological counselling include rehabilitation counselling, mental health counselling, substance abuse counselling, marriage and family counselling, career counselling, school counselling and various others, whereas types of psychotherapy include cognitive behavioural therapy, interpersonal therapy, psychodynamic therapy, family therapy, group therapy, online therapy, and others.
• Risks. Psychological counselling and psychotherapy offer many benefits, but there are some risks you need to know and be cautious of before starting any of them. These include unexpected effects, unhelpful sessions, inexperienced counselors and therapists, as well as time and money expenses. 

If you would like to choose any of these practices, first of all you have to understand why you need them and that has to be only your desire to do it. Reasons for going through this experience can be absolutely different: achieving your personal goals, looking for a partner, no matter if you are using online dating apps or sites (Vegan only dating platforms, Asian dating platforms, etc.) or finding your love offline, counselling and therapy will help you anyway.

Ellen Diamond did her degree in psychology at the University of Edinburgh. She has an ongoing interest in mental health and well-being.