Some individuals who are seeking help may wish to talk to a psychologist because they have been feeling depressed, irritable, worried, stressed or anxious. Or they may be wanting help for an ongoing problem that is interfering with the quality of their lives or their physical health. Others may be experiencing short-term difficulties with which they need help working through, such as feeling overwhelmed by a situation at work or study or experiencing some conflict within a relationship. Some individuals may be grieving the loss of a family member and need an independent person to speak about their emotional pain and heartache with.

Psychologists can also help people learn to cope with stressful situations, overcome addictions, manage their chronic illnesses and overcome the obstacles that keep them from achieving their goals. As well as assisting people to address these issues mentioned, psychologists are able to assist people to work through traumatic experiences to become less emotionally affected by these situations.