When George* finally decided to make an appointment to see his school counsellor it was because he had witnessed the positive impact she鈥檇 had on his friends鈥� lives.

She was a familiar face around his school, and he knew she was someone he could trust, talk to and build a relationship with.

Her professional expertise was something the 17-year-old needed, when he felt his problems could no longer be solved just with the support of his friends.

鈥淚t got to the point where my issues went to the darkest place they鈥檝e ever been,鈥� he said.

My own strength

鈥淭hat was just a really hard time. I managed to get out of it through my own strength and friends. But then I felt myself slipping again.

鈥淚鈥檇 had so much extra stuff happen in my life, that if I went down again, I would need more than a couple of friends to get me back out again.

鈥淪o I thought before anything happens, I鈥檓 just going to take the leap first and see the counsellor. I鈥檓 glad I made that decision.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just amazing to have someone like that in the school.鈥�

George was initially nervous that other students would find out he was going to see the counsellor.

鈥淚 thought it would spread around that 鈥榟e鈥檚 going to see the counsellor鈥�.

鈥淧eople don鈥檛 want to get labelled by their friends. Word can spread very quickly about somebody.聽 It鈥檚 what stopped me going at first, I resent being labelled.

鈥淭hat kind of barrier that 鈥榟e鈥檚 going to see the counsellor鈥�, that label, needs to be broken down.

Everyone knows how kind she is

鈥淎ctually at my school everybody knows who the school counsellor is. You don鈥檛 get knocked for going. Everyone knows how kind she is. She鈥檚 really caring.鈥�

One of the reasons George decided to get in touch was that he had seen how the counsellor had helped some of his friends.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e just completely different people,鈥� he said.

鈥淭hey went from being somebody who was very self-conscious, didn鈥檛 want to talk to anyone, didn鈥檛 want to be near anyone, didn鈥檛 want to go out of the house, to opening up, talking about positivity, how it鈥檚 affected them. Their moods switched completely.鈥�

And for George, it made a difference that the counsellor was based in his school and a familiar figure.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really accessible. It鈥檚 just great having somebody in the school, rather than having to travel out of your way to see someone.

Somebody you can trust

鈥淵ou鈥檙e already used to the environment. You get a sense of familiarity around it. It鈥檚 homely. You know it鈥檚 somebody you can trust because you鈥檝e been to that place before.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e going elsewhere for counselling it would probably take longer to build that relationship up. Even if you haven鈥檛 been to a school counsellor before, it makes it much easier to start talking to them because you鈥檝e been at the school with them so long.鈥�

It was an informal chat with the counsellor about another school matter that persuaded George that he wanted to talk further to her about his own situation.

聽鈥淚t was just that first step. She wasn鈥檛 even pressuring me to open up either.

鈥淭he conversation was so fluid. It felt natural to talk to her.鈥�

That evening he sent the counsellor an email. He received a response the next day.

鈥淓veryone was always saying she was so busy, so when I got a response so quickly I was like 鈥榳ow, ok鈥�.

鈥淓ven though she is so busy, she鈥檚 looking out for everybody, all the time,鈥� he added.

World of opportunities

鈥淚f you鈥檙e going to see the counsellor you then open up another world of opportunities. Once you get into that world, you might become more confidence at sorting your issues out.

鈥淲ithout the counsellor, you get lost. You don鈥檛 know where else to go, you get stuck in a loop. You get worse and worse and worse. There鈥檚 no end goal. You feel very limited.

鈥淚鈥檓 hoping by going to see the counsellor I鈥檒l get a sense of what鈥檚 good for me, and then what鈥檚 not really good for me. I think it鈥檚 going to be interesting.鈥�

To find a 香港六合彩精准资料 counsellor or psychotherapist via聽香港六合彩精准资料鈥檚 Therapist Directory.

*Names have been changed.