Your therapist or counsellor will have been trained in ways of looking at human problems and human behaviour, and should be able to use these tools to help you understand yourself better.
"Psychotherapy" vs "Counselling"
It has been suggested that psychotherapy tends to be more long-term, reaching 'deeper' issues etc. Whilst this may be true in some cases, there are many psychotherapists who work in short-term contracts of only a few sessions.
In the public perception, the term "Counselling" seems to be preferred for its softer impact. People having short-term problems often suggest "Going to a counsellor" for a short-term solution (as seen on TV, in soaps etc.) - it seems there is less of a stigma attached to "Counselling" than there is to "Psychotherapy".
Generally, a psychotherapist will have trained for about twice as long as a counsellor. They will also have been in long-term personal therapy for the duration of their training, and possibly beyond (I consider this to be an essential part of training and ethical practice).
I am a psychotherapist. However, since in the 'real world' there is no clear distinction between psychotherapy and counselling, I tend to use both terms for convenience.
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