Exploring the background and current counselling practices in Pakistan proved not to be as difficult as anticipated. In the past, research in the field of psychology was extremely limited, giving the impression of an overall lower priority to this area (Javed et al, 2020). Research on mental health has also been deemed not significant and there are no forms of incentive from researching such topics for the local professionals. However, “The Advanced Education Commission of Pakistan has now created enthusiasm for advancing research at all levels and is trusted that improvement will be observed in different areas of research in coming years” (Javed et al., 2020, p. 11) .
This can be due to a surge of new literature piling into academia in recent years (more research is being done on the psychological state of Pakistanis this past 2 years; Javed et al., 2020). With that being said, the public’s acceptance towards counselling or any other form of mental health service remains relatively low in the country. Furthermore, the priority given to mental health in countries like Pakistan is considered low compared to many other developing countries (Bashir, 2018). Javed et al. (2020) indicated a factor that largely contributes to this low priority and overall low public awareness towards mental health stems from their culture of seeking alternative medicinal methods. Javed et al. (2020) explain how faith healing is extremely popular in this culture due to the Pakistani population viewing supernatural influences as the cause of mental illness.
Another factor that contributes to this issue is the taboo that surrounds discussions of mental health and emotional talk. People from this culture are reluctant to reveal they have any mental issues to other individuals as well as family members (Javed et al., 2020). The local community has long been in denial of recognizing mental health issues as a major concern and continues to do so with major societal implications (Ali & Gul, 2018). Javed et al. (2020) further states that Pakistan’s limited political will and priorities in the past towards mental health has negatively influenced “the quality of care provided for people suffering with mental issues” (Javed et al., 2020, p. 8). However, with new policies and structural changes being implemented in recent years, this obsolete societal stigma may finally be curbed (Javed et al., 2020).