What is Counselling?
- Evan Vukets
- Feb 4, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 30
Written by Evan Vukets, RCC, Registered Clinical Counsellor in Abbotsford, BC. I support men in Abbotsford, the Fraser Valley, and online across BC. Learn more about me
Edited September 15th, 2025
“So… what actually happens in counselling?”
That’s one of the most common questions I hear when someone reaches out for the first time. And honestly, it makes sense. There is still a lot of mystery, stigma, and taboo around what counselling is and who it is for.
Let’s break it down together...
Counselling in Plain Language
Counselling (sometimes called therapy) is simply a safe space to talk things through with someone trained to help.
You don’t need a diagnosis. You don’t need to be “at rock bottom.” And you don’t need to know the fancy names like CBT or EMDR to benefit.
What counselling can do is:
Teach you tools to manage stress and emotions
Help shift unhelpful thinking patterns
Support you in building healthier relationships
Increase your self-awareness
Encourage habits that support your mental health
At its core, counselling is about helping you feel more grounded, connected, and in control of your life.
Short-Term Counselling: Tools for Right Now
Therapy doesn’t have to be a lifelong commitment, sometimes just a handful of sessions are enough to steady yourself, get through a tough stretch, or pick up new tools that make a real difference.
Short-term counselling is practical and focused on the present.
It can help when you’re dealing with:
Work stress or burnout.
Significant life transition like a job change or a move.
Coping after an accident, illness, or sudden event.
Adjusting to new roles, like becoming a parent or shifting careers.
Working on a specific skill, like communication.
In short-term counselling, we focus on the tools and strategies you can use right away. You’ll leave with practical ways to manage stress, regulate emotions, and find your footing again.
It doesn’t usually dive deep into your past or family history, it is more about helping you handle what’s right in front of you so you can get back to living your life.
In short-term counselling if the current transition is managed or specific goal is achieved, you can be graduated from counselling and I will close your file. If it has been helpful, you can always reconnect if something else comes up!
Longer-Term Counselling: Exploring Deeper Change
Other times, the struggles run deeper. Maybe it’s something you’ve been carrying for years. Maybe you keep finding yourself in the same patterns of relationships, stress, or self-doubt.
Longer-term counselling creates space to explore and heal at a deeper level.
This can be especially helpful if you’re working through:
Trauma or painful experiences that stick in your mind.
Long unmanageable, or seasonal patterns of anxiety or depression.
Feeling disconnected from yourself, your values, or your relationships.
A sense of emptiness, like you’re going through the motions but not really living.
In this kind of counselling, we look at the bigger picture. How do you make sense of your story? How do you talk to yourself? What are your values? What patterns keep showing up? Where do you want to shift, and what strengths can you build on?
It’s not about “fixing” you. It’s about creating lasting change and helping you live in a way that feels authentic and grounded.
Counselling Formats: Online or In-Person?
Nowadays, the second biggest question people ask is if online counselling works as well as in-person.
The short answer: both can be effective, and it depends on what works best for you.
The slightly longer answer: American Psychological Association released an article back in 2020 comparing research on virtual sessions. In a study that included 98,602 participants, it showed that virtual sessions were equally as effective as in person sessions as well as increasing the access to care. Below outlines a few pros of each:
In-person counselling:
Helpful if you value being in the same physical space. If you are trapped in online meetings and already experiencing 'Zoom fatigue,' in-person is a more human experience.
Coming into the office can help reduce distractions, pressures, or obligations you may have at home.
Some clients have noted it feels grounding to “leave the house” and step into a dedicated space for reflection.
Online counselling:
Accessible from anywhere in BC or Canada, which means no travel time.
Fits better with busy work or family schedules.
Comfortable if you prefer being in your own space, many clients have shared they have felt opening up faster this way (if they have the confidential space available).
I see clients in Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley, but I also work with men across BC through secure online sessions. Some choose one format, others mix both depending on their week.
The most important part isn’t the format — it’s that you feel safe, understood, and supported.
What to Expect When You Start Counselling
First session: We talk about what brought you in, your strengths, and what feels stuck (you can read more about a first session here).
Understanding patterns: Naming the patterns often brings clarity and relief.
Making a plan: Together, we decide what matters most for you right now and how to move forward.
Whole-life approach: Along the way, we may talk about sleep, exercise, or daily routines that support mental health.
Counselling is not about being “fixed.” It’s about working together so you feel supported, equipped, and understood. If you want to learn more about the first session experience, I have a blog titled "What to expect in your first session?"
Final Thought
Starting counselling doesn’t mean something is “wrong” with you or a sign of weakness. It’s a choice to strengthen your mind, and building the version of yourself you want to become.
If you’ve been wondering if counselling might help, I invite you to reach out. Whether it’s through a free consultation (read more about free consultations here), an email, or booking a session, we can talk about what you need and how I can support you.
Serving Abbotsford, Mission, Chilliwack, Langley, and the greater Fraser Valley — as well as online across BC.
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