counseling

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   Professional help and advice given to people with personal, emotional, or mental health problems.

   Grammar: Uncountable; use it without a/an, e.g. 'She needs counseling.' To count sessions, say 'a counseling session' or 'two sessions of counseling.'

   Patterns

   • give someone counseling
   • receive counseling
   • go for counseling
   • counseling for something

   After the accident, he received counseling to help him cope with the trauma.

   The school offers free counseling to students who feel anxious or depressed.

   She decided to try marriage counseling before giving up on the relationship.

2. 2noununcountable

   The work or activity of a counselor.

   Grammar: Also uncountable; often used before another noun, e.g. 'a counseling service' or 'counseling skills.'

   Patterns

   • counseling service
   • counseling skills
   • a career in counseling

   He has worked in counseling for over twenty years.

   The university runs a counseling service for students.

   She is studying counseling at graduate school.

Common combinations

marriage counseling

They went to marriage counseling to improve their communication.

grief counseling

The hospital offers grief counseling for families who have lost a loved one.

career counseling

Career counseling helped her decide which job offer to accept.

counseling session

He has a counseling session every Tuesday afternoon.

seek counseling

If the problem continues, you should seek professional counseling.

Synonyms and how they differ

therapy

Often used for longer-term psychological treatment; counseling can be shorter and more focused on advice and support.

guidance

More general and not necessarily professional or psychological; counseling usually implies a trained counselor.

Word family

counselor noun

A trained person who gives counseling.

counsel verb

To give advice or professional help to someone.

counsel noun

Advice, especially formal or professional advice.

Commonly confused: counseling or council?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “counseling”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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