Supportive Counselling
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What is it?
Counselling involves talking over your problems with a health professional. In supportive counselling, the counsellor simply aims to be a good listener and provide emotional support. Other types of counselling use methods specially designed to help people with depression, such as cognitive behaviour therapy or interpersonal psychotherapy (see entries for cognitive behaviour therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy).
How does it work?
Because there are many different approaches to counselling, it is impossible to give a general explanation of how counselling is supposed to work. However, all counselling should involve a relationship with someone who is caring and accepting and a good listener. Many counsellors see their relationship with the client as healing in itself. Some add specific methods to teach their client to handle problems better.
Is it effective?
Studies have found that supportive counselling, in which the counsellor simply talks over your problems and provides emotional support, is not effective. However, counselling is very effective if it also involves methods like cognitive behaviour therapy or interpersonal psychotherapy which have been specially developed to treat depression.
Are there any disadvantages?
Counselling can be expensive if it is given by a private counsellor. However, free telephone counselling is also available.
Where do you get it?
Counselling can be provided by a wide range of health professionals: counsellors, GPs, clinical psychologists, social workers, nurses and psychiatrists. Counselling is also available over the phone from organisations such as Lifeline and Youthline.
Recommendation
Simply talking about your problems to a caring person who is a good listener is not enough to help depression. If you want counselling, make sure it involves methods specially designed to help depression, such as cognitive behaviour therapy or interpersonal psychotherapy.
Key references
Churchill R, Dewey M, Gretton V, Duggan C, Chilvers C, Lee A. Should general practitioners refer patients with major depression to counsellors? A review of current published evidence. British Journal of General Practice 1999; 49: 738-743.