By : Mrs. Izwana binti Ismail _^K.B.;P.A.

"I’m thinking of seeing a counselor, for some counseling…"

"Okay, that’s good at least you’re getting help from the right person…"

"Hmm, the right person... but I’m still worried…"

"Worried about what?"

"Back in school, I always heard that counselors can’t keep secrets... everyone might know what I share…"

"I’m worried. Sometimes I feel doubtful, can a counselor really keep my secret?"

It’s normal to feel worried when trying something new for the first time. The same goes for meeting a counselor for the first time. That feeling of worry is a natural reaction. One of the reasons we feel worried is because we don’t know the counselor, right? We might also feel embarrassed or scared. We may think about how the counselor will perceive us and the problems we’re going to share. Isn't that true?

First of all, to reduce those feelings of worry, embarrassment, and fear, as a potential client, we need to know more about our counselor.

So, what do we need to know?

Okay… to help ease that fear, I’ll share with you that counselors are trustworthy people. That means…

Before seeking counseling services, we need to make sure that the counselor is a registered counselor. Why does it need to be a registered counselor?

Well, here’s why: A registered counselor will have the knowledge, skills, and experience to conduct counseling sessions. After all, they’ve already done almost 1000 hours of sessions with clients. They’ll definitely be skilled. And you don’t need to worry because if they are registered, it means they have a license from the Malaysian Board of Counselors (LKM).

The most important thing is that registered counselors have the skills to make us feel comfortable and safe to share.

Another thing is that a registered counselor is also bound by a code of ethics. If they are not a registered and trained counselor, there’s a chance they might not be aware of this code. This code of ethics provides guidelines that counselors must follow. So, our counselor will ensure that the counseling session runs well, in a comfortable manner, without judgment, and will respect and keep our SECRETS. What’s even more important is that if we feel the counselor violates this code, we can report it directly to LKM.

But how do we know if our counselor is registered?

Well, we can check the counselor’s status on the Malaysian Board of Counselors website.

So, make sure your counselor is a registered counselor before seeking counseling services.

Counselors are also taught counseling skills that will help them understand the client better.

Date of Input: 28/02/2025 | Updated: 28/02/2025 | ayna