If you ask counsellors why they got into the profession, you will likely get a different response from each of them.

However in amongst all the stories of inspiration, curiosity and empathy there are common themes. For those who have taken a psychotherapy course in order to offer professional help, the job becomes a huge part of their life. No matter how they get there, the end result is a fascinating and rewarding role that challenges each and every day.

So what are some of the most common factors driving people to train in this discipline?

Intellectual curiosity

You could argue that there is no topic more interesting and complex than the human mind, so it is no surprise that some individuals like the intellectual stimulation of working with people every day; helping them through problems by sorting through the vast array of factors that affects their emotional state.

The chance to help others

For many people the opportunity to help others and get paid for it is a dream come true. While some individuals know this is what they want to do from a young age, sometimes it takes a person a few years of doing a more emotionally-flat job - perhaps in an office - before they realise how much they want their job to mean something in the grand scheme of things.

Personal experience

It is hard to know just how many people become counsellors because of some trauma that they - or a loved one - has suffered, but anyone can see that it would be a strong motivating factor to have personal experience of a disorder.

This aspect often incorporates intellectual curiosity and the chance to help others, as a person may be keen to know just what mechanisms cause a person to act a certain way, or simply be there for others who have suffered a similar mis-fortune.