Talking to someone outside of the situation

Counsellors can be helpful

One of the advantages of talking to a counsellor is that they are not involved in the situation. This can sometimes make it easier to talk openly about your concerns without feeling like people are making judgements. Most counsellors are open-minded and they won't tell anyone else unless you want them to. Sometimes though, they may have to. That's if:

• they believe that you or someone else is at risk of serious harm.
• a court orders them to.

For more information about confidentiality, you may want to check out the Confidentiality fact sheet.

Counsellors are also trained to help you change the things that cause you distress. For more information about how a counsellor may be able to help you, check out the counsellor section on Getting help or explore the Who can help you section. Other people who you may be able to talk with are youth workers, teachers or your local doctor.

If you are still unsure about whether talking to someone is the best option for you, you may want to check out the fact sheet Benefits of talking to someone.