therapy may be less effective.

Some people may continue to be impacted by stigma associated with having mental health problems within their community, or shame associated with adverse life experiences, which act as barriers to sharing within therapy, making the therapy less effective.

Ethical and professional boundaries

A counsellor/psychotherapist cannot interfere or directly intervene in a person’s life to help them, except in special circumstances when they have to report a safeguarding concern. They are also prohibited from becoming a friend or companion, and will be alert to situations where a client may become overly dependent on the therapist, thus limiting the client’s ability to resolve issues moving forward on their own.

Although the relationship that develops between a client and their therapist can feel very close and personal, it is necessarily different from other relationships. A therapist needs to hold ‘boundaries’ which are intended to keep the therapeutic relationship a safe one for the client. Also, a therapist is not usually available for support outside of counselling sessions. It is important for people to realise that these boundaries do not indicate a lack of care or regard for the clients, and the opposite is normally true.

Can be ineffective

For a small proportion of people counselling and psychotherapy may not be experienced as effective or helpful, and for some counselling has been experienced as harmful.

Although it is just the case that therapy does not work for some people at certain times, it is important to raise any specific concerns directly with a therapist if a person has experienced harm as a result of something that has been done. If the issue remains unresolved, then they are advised to raise a complaint with the therapist’s professional membership body. All professional membership bodies have complaints processes that uphold the standards of counselling and psychotherapy.