Help Seeking Behaviour of Women: A Study of Women Seeking Help at Family Counseling Centers in Chandigarh

This study is an attempt to investigate the help seeking behaviour of women who visited all the five Family Counseling Centers in Chandigarh during the period April 2009 to March 2010. The study analyzed the reasons of their seeking help and the relief/help expected by them from the Family counselling centre. A better understanding of the role of the factors in professional help seeking decisions is very important for Counsellors and other decision makers to design strategies and educational programmes that may help in reducing the bottlenecks/barriers in seeking help. The present study shows that a large percentage of sample did not ask for anyone's help for tackling their problems though their problems were of fairly long standing. The barriers to their seeking help were not knowing whom to approach, fear of humiliation, guilt and shame, isolation of self, social pressure, financial dependence and a hope that things will improve.