My friend (partner, mum, colleague) suggested counselling — will it work for me?

The short and honest answer is: I don’t know if counselling will work for you. Statistically, it is more likely to help than not, but those figures are based on people in general, not on you as an individual. To go back a step to the fact that this is your friend’s suggestion: if you already have some understanding of counselling and have been considering it, their comment may simply be the nudge towards looking for a counsellor. If counselling is something you have not previously thought about, it is worth reflecting on what you know about it and how you feel about the process. Counselling is not something that is done to you, like going to the dentist or having a haircut. It is an active process. Research into the effectiveness of counselling shows that the most important factor in whether it helps is not the specific approach used, or even the quality of the relationship with the counsellor (which is also important), but you — the client. Your motivation, willingness, and engagement play a central role. A crucial factor in determining whether counselling will be helpful, therefore, is that it is an informed and voluntary choice, rather than something you are doing because someone else thinks it is a good idea.