A qualitative study of the attitudes that most affect the decision of a Singaporean whether to seek counselling or not

ABSTRACT An interview was conducted for 10 Singaporeans to evaluate their reasons which prevent Singaporeans from seeking professional counselling. The participants revealed that firstly being able to trust on their counsellor because of sensitive information would be leaked to other unauthorized parties who do not have access to such information. Secondly, more important being able to have access to a counsellor who understood their predicament and can empathize significantly. Thirdly, there was also the need to be able to access a counsellor of their choice promptly and without incurring too many costs. The conclusion was that there is a need to set a national framework involved all stakeholders to discuss how professional counselling could be made more readily available to the public and address the needs of those looking for help.