Not Friendship...but Something Close 😭

When I first heard about counselling, I imagined the relationship between a counsellor and a client to be very formal. Like a simple interaction sit, talk, give responses, and leave. No emotions, no connection, nothing personal. Just professional work being done.

But after actually learning it, I realised it’s not that simple at all.

Somewhere between the first awkward “hi” and those slightly more comfortable conversations later something starts to change. The space becomes less formal and safer. The other person starts opening up not just about what happened but about how they actually feel. And that’s when it hit me… this is not just a conversation anymore.

It’s not friendship, obviously. There’s no texting, no “let’s hang out,” no random reels being shared after the session 😭 But at the same time, it’s not nothing either. It’s this very specific kind of connection where for that moment the person feels heard, understood, and not judged. And honestly that kind of space is rare. 

This actually reminded me of Dear Zindagi. Kiara’s character slowly becomes comfortable with her therapist, played by Shah Rukh Khan. At first, their interactions feel normal and slightly awkward but as sessions go on she starts trusting him more and opening up. At one point, you can even see a kind of emotional attachment forming not in a romantic way, but in that “this person understands me” way.

I noticed that when the other person felt comfortable, they began to trust the process more. They spoke more openly, without overthinking every word. And that’s when I understood what a therapeutic relationship really is, it’s not about being close in a personal way, but about creating a space where someone can be their real self without fear, a space where they don’t feel judged, rushed, or misunderstood.

But just when you start to understand and get used to this dynamic… comes the part I was not ready for, termination. The fact that counselling actually ends.

At first I didn’t think much about it. I was like okay, session over next. But then I realised it’s not just ending a conversation. It’s ending a space that took time to build. And suddenly it feels a little… strange. Like after all that talking, understanding, and emotional sharing, you’re just supposed to say goodbye? Just like that?

Part of me would definitely be sitting there like, That’s it? Are you sure we’re done??😭



But then I learned that termination is not sudden or random. It’s actually a proper process. There’s reflection looking at what has changed, what has improved, and how the person has grown over time. It’s not about cutting off the connection, it’s about bringing it to a meaningful close.

And that changed how I saw it completely. Instead of feeling like something is being taken away it starts to feel like something has been completed. Like okay this space helped and now the person is ready to move forward on their own. Which is honestly the whole point of counselling.

It’s not to make someone dependent. It’s to help them reach a place where they don’t need it anymore.

Still… I feel like I’d be the one going, just one more session for safety?? Just in case??😭

But I guess that’s how you know it worked. You’re okay without it.🫶

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
. Today’s counselling psychology class was way more entertaining than expected, ☺ mainly because instead of reading a PDF, we watched a short film called David . And let’s just say, it was one of those moments where you’re learning and laughing at the same time. 👻 The film made one thing very clear: counsellors do not have their lives perfectly sorted out. The counsellor had zero work–life balance, and his personal life clearly spilled into his professional space. Watching a very serious counselling session turn into a mini-WWE match was honestly unexpected, and the entire class couldn’t help laughing. This didn’t mean he was bad at his job, it just showed that he’s human. But it also made me realize how important clear boundaries are between a counsellor’s personal life and the counselling space. The film showed that a counsellor doesn’t need to have life completely sorted out, but they do need to protect the counselling space. That room is supposed to be safe and focused, not ...
Read more

I Thought I’d Be a Therapist… Because I Give Good Advice 😂

Image
 When I first heard about counselling psychology, I thought it was pretty simple. In my head, it meant being that one friend everyone goes to when they’re sad, confused, or overthinking at 2 a.m. And honestly… I was that friend. I’ve always been the “advice friend.” The one who listens to long rants, gives comforting replies, and tries to fix everyone’s problems (but doesn't know how to share her feelings😭). So naturally, I thought I’d make such a good therapist. I mean, I listen, I care, and I usually say the right things… right? Well… not exactly 😂Once I actually started studying counselling psychology, I realised it’s way more than just giving advice. In fact, therapists don’t really give advice the way friends do and that was my first shock. As I started actually studying counselling psychology, I realised it’s so much more than just giving advice or being emotionally available. In fact therapists don’t even give advice the way friends do. That was my first shock. Counselling...
Read more

It Starts With Hii...Not Tell Me Your Problems🙂‍↔️

Image
 Walking into a counselling session sounds simple in theory. But in reality? It’s slightly awkward. You’re sitting across from someone you’ve just met and there’s this silent expectation like “Okay… now share your thoughts, feelings, and maybe your entire life story.” No pressure at all 😭 But here’s the thing counselling doesn’t actually start with deep questions. It starts with something much more important: building a counselling relationship. Before anything serious happens the counsellor focuses on making the client feel comfortable. This can be through a calm tone, a welcoming attitude, or just simple conversation. It may not seem like much, but this first step matters a lot. Because let’s be honest no one is going to open up to a complete stranger instantly. This is where rapport comes in. Rapport is basically the feeling of trust and comfort between the counsellor and the client. It’s what makes the space feel safe instead of awkward. And building rapport is not about sayin...
Read more