Most people come to counseling with feelings of helplessness.
Of course, these feelings generate a great deal of pain and discomfort! Bad things have been happening to them.
Initially, counseling provides needed support for the client. However, in the best case outcome counseling leads the client to discover and develop the resources to effect changes for him or himself.
At the foundation of all good counseling is the idea that you can change things, including yourself! If you have an intolerable situation, habit, or feeling in your life, what makes you think things will become better if you do nothing?