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Talking therapy and counselling

Disclaimer:

This publication is based on a Mind UK publication and the original version may be found here: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/a-z-mental-health/

Thank you to Mind UK for sharing their valuable content with us. Content included in Mental Health A-Z is made available free of charge and does not form part of any commercial activity. The adaptation has been done independently by Mind HK and is intended for general information purposes only.

About talking therapies 

What are talking therapies? 

Talking therapies are treatments which involve talking to a trained professional about your thoughts, feelings and behaviour. There are many different types of talking therapy, but they all aim to: 

  • give you a safe time and place to talk to someone who won’t judge you 
  • help you make sense of things and understand yourself better 
  • help you resolve complicated feelings, or find ways to live with them 
  • help you recognise unhelpful patterns in the way you think or act, and find ways to change them (if you want to). 

Is there a difference between ‘therapy’ and ‘counselling’? Throughout these pages we’ve chosen to use the term ‘talking therapy’. But you might also hear people talk about: 

  • counselling 
  • therapy 
  • psychotherapy 
  • psychological therapy 
  • talking treatment. 

Usually there’s very little difference between what’s meant by these terms – they all broadly refer to talking therapy (as opposed to other types of treatment, such as drug therapy). But sometimes they might indicate differences in who your therapist is, or refer to a specific type of talking therapy. 

 

“Sometimes it’s hard to talk to family and friends and you just need that one person who takes the time to listen.”

What can therapy help with? 

Therapy can help you manage and cope with: 

  • Difficult life events, such as bereavement (losing someone close to you), or losing your job. 
  • Relationship problems. 
  • Upsetting or traumatic experiences, whether it’s something recent or something that happened a long time ago. 
  • Difficult emotions, such as grief, guilt, sadness, confusion, anger and low self- esteem. 
  • Depression and anxiety. 
  • Other mental health problems. Talking therapies can help with a range of diagnoses, and specific talking treatments have been developed for some mental health problems. 
  • Long-term physical health problems. 

Some people think that therapy is an extreme option, and that unless things get really bad you should try to manage on your own. But this isn’t true. It’s ok to try therapy at any point in your life, whatever your background. 

In fact getting support from a therapist when you’re not at crisis point can be really helpful – it might feel easier to reflect on what’s going on, and could help you keep things from getting worse. 

“For me, counselling was a lifesaver. I never used to talk to anyone.”

“For years, I would keep things bottled up and then cry hysterically on my own as to not inconvenience anyone. I would hide it so I wouldn’t have to confront my thoughts and fears.”

Could therapy work for me? 

Talking therapies have been shown to work well for many people. And some types of therapy are recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as evidence-based treatments for particular mental health problems (such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for depression and anxiety, and dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) for borderline personality disorder.) 

But it’s difficult to say whether a particular therapy will work well for you or not because it depends on lots of factors, including: 

  • what you want help with 
  • your relationship with your therapist 
  • your feelings about therapy generally. 

The importance of your relationship with your therapist 

 

Research has shown the relationship you have with your therapist is really important in how successful you find any talking therapy. Regardless of the type of therapy they practice, if you don’t like or trust that person you’re less likely to feel able to open up to them, and are less likely to have a positive experience. 

 

Therapy can work well on its own, or it can be something you try alongside medication, or other supports like exercise. 

 

But therapy isn’t a quick fix, so it might take some time to see whether it’s helping you or not. And it isn’t right for everyone. 

 

If you’ve tried therapy for a while and it hasn’t helped, it’s important not to blame yourself. It can take time to figure out a way of managing your difficulties that works for you, and it may involve a combination of different factors. It is important that you discuss whatever is not working with your therapist so that they can work with you to try to address this. If you do not feel comfortable with your therapist, you should consider whether or not this is something you can overcome with them. If not, it may be advisable to seek help from a different therapist.

 

“You’re the only person who knows which treatments work for your mental health – counselling doesn’t work for everyone, neither does mindfulness or medication.” 

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What is iACT Service?

Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) is one of the services from Mind HK. Trained Wellbeing Practitioners will offer initial assessment and early intervention for people dealing with mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other emotional difficulties.

 

The service includes 6-8 sessions of low-intensity psychological support, the flexibility of the service allows individuals to receive free and timely support when needed.

If you’re aged between 18 – 65 and are facing some emotional challenges, we would like to invite you to take an online assessment for us to gain a better understanding of your current emotional struggle.

 

If you’re eligible, we’ll get you connected with a Wellbeing Practitioner within two weeks to sort out the next steps.

The service runs for about 3 months and includes 6-8 support sessions, tailored to your needs.

 

We encourage you to attend all sessions and actively practice the tips and exercises provided by your Wellbeing Practitioner.

We take your privacy seriously. Your chats with the Wellbeing Practitioner are confidential.

 

We won’t share any of your info unless you’ve provided consent or if there are risks detected.

This programme isn’t suitable for people facing emergencies, major setbacks, or those diagnosed with serious or complex mental health conditions.

 

If you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, this programme might not meet your needs, so please seek help right away. You can check out Mind HK’s “Find Help Now” page for immediate information and services.

Most of our Wellbeing Practitioners have backgrounds in psychology or counselling and are passionate about mental health. They’ve gone through about 140 hours of intensive training and completed at least 120 hours of supervised clinical practice over 9 months to ensure the quality of service.

 

They’re trained by accredited local experts in the mental health field, including clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, counsellors, and psychiatrists. Plus, we regularly check how effective our services are. All service outputs and performances are subject to consistent monitoring.

Who is suitable for participating in this programme?

This programme welcomes anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 who may be feeling lost or facing emotional difficulties. Please note that this programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions.

This programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions, but suitable for those who experience mild to severe moderate anxiety, mild to moderate depression, or other emotional challenges. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

After signing up, our Wellbeing Practitioner will contact you within two weeks to schedule a convenient time for a 45-minute conversation, either via video or phone call, according to your preference. During the conversation, the Wellbeing Practitioner will understand your current situation and help you gain a better understanding of your emotional state based on the questionnaire you filled out during application. Additionally, they will provide recommendations for appropriate community resources based on your needs, helping you take an important first step in taking care of your mental health.

Although the intervention procedure is mostly standardised, Wellbeing Practitioners will work flexibly with clients to address individual presenting problems and unique characteristics.

Our Wellbeing Practitioners are trained to support people who experience mild to moderate mental health difficulties primarily. This programme is not suitable for the situations mentioned above. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

Your conversations with the Wellbeing Practitioner are absolutely confidential. Any information about you will not be shared with anyone without your consent unless you or others are at immediate risk or the Wellbeing Practitioner has reason to believe that you may be in imminent danger.
Supervisors will monitor trainees’ development throughout the placement to ensure that they are meeting the required level of competency to pass the training course at the end of the placement.

Yes, it is necessary to book an appointment in advance by filling out the form. Additionally, you can select one of the five stores yourself. We will allocate clients to different Wellbeing Practitioners based on their chosen location.

Before having the conversation, we will ask you to fill out a basic questionnaire for preliminary screening assessment. This screening process aims to ensure that the training received by the Wellbeing Practitioners is sufficient to meet the needs of the individuals receiving the service. If it is determined after the screening assessment that the service is not suitable for you, Mind HK will provide alternative recommendations to ensure your safety and support.

For adults who are suitable for this service, all Wellbeing Practitioners have received training on how to identify and respond to safety and risk issues. If you have any concerns about the support process, the Wellbeing Practitioners have appropriate measures in place and will develop response plans based on the urgency of the situation. They can also access support from clinical practitioners from Mind HK or participating organisations.

What private training does Mind HK provide?

Mind HK provides 4 themes of mental health training, including: Supporting Self, Supporting Others, Family Wellbeing and DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).

 

Check out the brochure here for more information.

Mind HK provides a wide range of standardised mental health training, which can be tailored to different circumstances. Chat with our team to explore more! 

Our trainers come from a diverse, accredited pool of clinically experienced professionals. Check out our trainers’ biographies here.

Yes, the Mental Health First Aid class of Mind HK is internationally accredited by the MHFA International. The content and certification is delivered by trainers certified from the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. You can find out our trainers accreditation here.

We are here to support your mental health education journey! Reach out to us and chat with our team.

About talking therapies

About talking therapies 

What are talking therapies? 

Talking therapies are treatments which involve talking to a trained professional about your thoughts, feelings and behaviour. There are many different types of talking therapy, but they all aim to: 

  • give you a safe time and place to talk to someone who won't judge you 
  • help you make sense of things and understand yourself better 
  • help you resolve complicated feelings, or find ways to live with them 
  • help you recognise unhelpful patterns in the way you think or act, and find ways to change them (if you want to). 

Is there a difference between 'therapy' and 'counselling'? Throughout these pages we've chosen to use the term 'talking therapy'. But you might also hear people talk about: 

  • counselling 
  • therapy 
  • psychotherapy 
  • psychological therapy 
  • talking treatment. 

Usually there's very little difference between what's meant by these terms – they all broadly refer to talking therapy (as opposed to other types of treatment, such as drug therapy). But sometimes they might indicate differences in who your therapist is, or refer to a specific type of talking therapy. 

 

“Sometimes it’s hard to talk to family and friends and you just need that one person who takes the time to listen.”

What can therapy help with? 

Therapy can help you manage and cope with: 

  • Difficult life events, such as bereavement (losing someone close to you), or losing your job. 
  • Relationship problems. 
  • Upsetting or traumatic experiences, whether it's something recent or something that happened a long time ago. 
  • Difficult emotions, such as grief, guilt, sadness, confusion, anger and low self- esteem. 
  • Depression and anxiety. 
  • Other mental health problems. Talking therapies can help with a range of diagnoses, and specific talking treatments have been developed for some mental health problems. 
  • Long-term physical health problems. 

Some people think that therapy is an extreme option, and that unless things get really bad you should try to manage on your own. But this isn't true. It's ok to try therapy at any point in your life, whatever your background. 

In fact getting support from a therapist when you're not at crisis point can be really helpful – it might feel easier to reflect on what's going on, and could help you keep things from getting worse. 

“For me, counselling was a lifesaver. I never used to talk to anyone.”

“For years, I would keep things bottled up and then cry hysterically on my own as to not inconvenience anyone. I would hide it so I wouldn’t have to confront my thoughts and fears.”

Could therapy work for me? 

Talking therapies have been shown to work well for many people. And some types of therapy are recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as evidence-based treatments for particular mental health problems (such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for depression and anxiety, and dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) for borderline personality disorder.) 

But it's difficult to say whether a particular therapy will work well for you or not because it depends on lots of factors, including: 

  • what you want help with 
  • your relationship with your therapist 
  • your feelings about therapy generally. 

The importance of your relationship with your therapist 

 

Research has shown the relationship you have with your therapist is really important in how successful you find any talking therapy. Regardless of the type of therapy they practice, if you don't like or trust that person you're less likely to feel able to open up to them, and are less likely to have a positive experience. 

 

Therapy can work well on its own, or it can be something you try alongside medication, or other supports like exercise. 

 

But therapy isn't a quick fix, so it might take some time to see whether it's helping you or not. And it isn't right for everyone. 

 

If you've tried therapy for a while and it hasn't helped, it's important not to blame yourself. It can take time to figure out a way of managing your difficulties that works for you, and it may involve a combination of different factors. It is important that you discuss whatever is not working with your therapist so that they can work with you to try to address this. If you do not feel comfortable with your therapist, you should consider whether or not this is something you can overcome with them. If not, it may be advisable to seek help from a different therapist.

 

“You’re the only person who knows which treatments work for your mental health – counselling doesn’t work for everyone, neither does mindfulness or medication.”