There is one question that appears surprisingly often during a first session.
'Doctor... what am I supposed to talk about?'
People usually smile after asking for it.
Some apologise for 'wasting time.'
Others insist they don't even know where to begin.
The interesting thing is that counselling rarely starts with the perfect words.
More often, it begins with someone deciding they no longer want to carry every thought by themselves.
One misconception about counselling for mental health has survived for far longer than it deserves.
Many people imagine counselling as a place where someone else tells them exactly what to do.
In reality, it is almost the opposite.
A good counselling session is not built around advice.
It is built around understanding.
Understanding why the same worry keeps returning.
Understanding why sleep disappeared long before happiness did.
Understanding why a person who manages work, family and responsibilities so efficiently suddenly feels overwhelmed by things that once seemed ordinary.
The answers rarely appear in the first five minutes.
That is perfectly alright.
One thing psychiatric practice teaches you is that people often spend months editing their emotions before they finally speak about them.
They say,
'I'm just tired.'
when they actually mean,
'I haven't felt like myself for a long time.'
They say,
'Work has been stressful.'
when they are trying to describe months of constant anxiety.
They say,
'Everything is okay.'
while quietly hoping someone notices that it isn't.
Counselling creates space for those unfinished sentences.
One observation continues to surprise me.
People of completely different ages often carry remarkably similar fears into the room.
A college student worries,
'What if nobody understands?'
A young parent says,
'I don't want my family to think I'm weak.'
A professional quietly admits,
'I should be able to handle this myself.'
An older adult wonders,
'Is it too late to ask for help now?'
Different lives.
Different responsibilities.
Remarkably similar loneliness.
That is why counselling is never about age alone.
It is about the emotional burden someone has been carrying.
One question I often ask is,
'When was the last time you felt heard without feeling judged?'
People rarely answer immediately.
Not because the question is difficult.
Because the answer often reminds them how long it has been.
Contrary to popular belief, counselling is not reserved only for major mental health conditions. People seek support for anxiety, low mood, grief, relationship difficulties, work-related stress, panic attacks, emotional exhaustion, adjustment to life changes and many other concerns that affect everyday well-being. Sometimes counselling is the primary recommendation. At other times, it works alongside psychiatric treatment as part of a comprehensive care plan.
The purpose is never to tell someone how to live.
It is to help them understand themselves well enough to make healthier decisions with greater clarity.
Living in Pune, people often move from one responsibility to another without allowing themselves the time to pause. Careers demand attention. Families need support. Students chase ambitious goals. Somewhere in between, emotional struggles are quietly postponed with the hope that they will resolve on their own.
Sometimes they do.
Often, they simply become heavier.
During consultations, Dr. Rujuta Latkar frequently reminds patients that counselling is not about finding someone who has every answer. It is about finding a space where the right questions can finally be asked without fear, embarrassment or judgement.
Perhaps that is why the most meaningful moment in counselling is rarely the first piece of advice.
Quite often, it is the moment someone realises they no longer have to pretend they are coping when, deep down, they know they are not.
Understanding begins there.
And for many people, healing quietly follows.
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