A client asks a counsellor – “Collective stress because of bad relations with father and no growth in career has deteriorated my thinking abilities. I feel left out as people around me are moving ahead whereas I am still at the same position as 4 years back. I don’t know where to get success from.”

Multiple adversities, in terms of her/his perceived poor interpersonal relationship as well as difficulties at the work place are seemingly causing distress to the individual. It may get compounded if the person has any history of psychiatric illness. My suggestion to the counsellor is that, first of all, s/he should interview the person in detail and try to understand all these issues; for example, whether or not s/he has any history of psychiatric illness (such as depression), is s/he having any syndromal or sub-syndromal illness now, what is the usual problem solving mechanisms of the individual, her/his relationship with other family members and colleagues, is s/he taking any professional support for mental health (or has taken in past), and so on. After collecting all the information, the counsellor can decide the targets of counselling or refer the person to appropriate mental health facility if there is need for further psychiatric help.