to think that 'counselling' in any of its myriad guises is by and large a bloody waste of time?

[moondog]

At best a self-indulgence, at worst positively damaging.

I'm no talking about peopel who are mentally ill.Have already made that very clear. (And the mentally ill, omre than most need to steer clear of dodgy counselling types.)

yes, tired. When people are depressed they just can't make themselves do these things. That's the point

Reference to that MP?

"I tell you what though, there are a great many issues that could be cleared up by a bit of exercise, good food, hard work, altruisitc acts and laying off the booze."

This is true, and that's why a lot of mental health organisations promote/provide exercise opportunities and good food

Yeah and all GP's are quacks too . Don't be so stupid, counselling has helped thousands of people.

wasn't there some research somewhere that suggested counselling after a traumatic event can actually be bad for you? In the sort of circumstances where schools or employers or whoever always says 'we have made counselling available' after an horrific event of some description?

(OK, I know I can't immediately link to a peer-reviewed paper in a reputable journal, but maybe it will ring a bell with someone who was paying more attention than me...)

Moondog: Because having someone to talk to is important during moments of crisis - that's why there are pastoral teams at hospitals, rather than leaving you with horrific news and a 'cheerio' from a consultant with no social skills

Yes Edam (although have no reference to hand,I did look at this.)

"I'm no talking about peopel who are mentally ill.Have already made that very clear. (And the mentally ill, omre than most need to steer clear of dodgy counselling types.) "

Completely and utterly agree. So you aren't against CPNs.

What about councelling when faced with making a decision about an abortion, or going for a genetic test or careers councelling or relate.

I think a big problem with this thread is defining what councelling is.

edam - it depends on the type of counselling. Psychodynamic counselling, which encourages people to re-live the trauma, is notorious for this - because it makes people re-live the trauma and so they become re-traumatised. Oh, and Freud was a nut.

There's a brilliant David Lodge novel with one of those computer programmes in it - I think Morris Zapp uses it? Shows its shortcomings, shall we say...

I've no issue at all with a good chat with someone impartial, noone whatsoever.It's when it is all beefed up as some sort of pseudo-science that it gets irritating.

Counsellors are the new priests. Discuss.

Thta was one study of thousands done that got a lot of airtime - and there is an argument that certain types of de-briefing are worse than others. There are lots of journals with studies on these matters.

I was kidding! I feel dirty now and I haven't even done anything wrong. Must phone my counsellor in the morning.
Moondog do you think that you perhaps just need a hug?
Here's one for you

MP - Atgree that counselling is not that widely available and prob never will be.

What I object to is the attitude that counselling is required in order to deal with all and any emotional problems. This is becoming more and more pervasive and I think is deskilling people of the many skills that many people possess in dealing with loss, trauma and emotional difficulties.

"Counsellors are the new priests. Discuss. "

I think you are being a bit unfair to a lot of clergy. Priests are not quite so far up their own arses.

Freud was indeed a nut. To the point where even fictional depictions of the bugger wind me up - had to read that bloody awful book about SF in New York (The Interpretation of Murder) for my book group once and ended up throwing it across the room.

Nasty little misogynist who dressed up his hatred of women in fancy theories, IMO.

But decent therapy, on the contrary, is about RE-skilling people.

TBH I know very very few people that have had therapy, so I think that 'excess counselling' would be a great problem to have.

Thank you HM.
I am very very happy at the moment though. Just finished my MSc.
Yes, yes Llama. Putting it so well.

I also want to knee people who talk about 'skills' in the jacksy.

I'm actually fully-trained with a diploma (distinction, I'll have you know ), but don't practice. There were A LOT of complete loons on the course who it would have been unethical to unleash, in my view. I took myself out of that particular gene pool, for good reasons

But does anyone take Freud seriously anymore?

Hasn't he been totally and utterly discredited everywhere?

/hijack Edam - I wasn't keen on that book either. Found it a yawnathon showing off how much research the author had done.

Llama, actually counselling has helped me to deal with trauma and emotional difficulties where I didn't possess the skills to deal with it myself. Not everyone enters adult life equipped deal with life stress or emotional upheaval, or has the network of friends/ family that one would normally turn to in times of need.