Counseling History in Nepal

The trajectory point of counseling in Nepal is recorded from the early 1990s. After Nepali Language speaking Bhutanese Citizen was deported from Bhutan to Nepal around 1993 to 1996. Around 80000 refugees were forced to flee to Nepal. The victims (refuges) besides basic needs they too were facing the separation from family and home. Refuges, not only required basic needs but emotional support too. The host country, Nepal then started to realize the importance of counseling after seeing many mental health and psychosocial problems.

Realizing the importance of counselors in the refugee camp Mr.Bhava Poudyal, MA Psychology student of Tribhuvan University (TU) started to work as a counselor. This was the first milestone towards the development of counseling in Nepal.

Maoist insurgency: In 1996 political instability brought internal conflict/ war in Nepal. The Maoist insurgency rebellion was launched by the CPN-M to establish the People’s Republic nation overthrowing the Nepalese Monarchy. The conflict created a chaotic situation all over Nepal. It created massacre, lynching, purges, captures, the spread of communism teaching, and a crime against humanity.

Counselors’ needs were detected during the armed conflict, the massacre and capture created a traumatic situation in the families as well as to the individuals who were forced to join the army force.

Mental Health Policy in Nepal:  1996 Nepal passed its first mental health policies. Even policy was passed there was a lack of manpower. This is when Para-counselor started to show their role in the country. Para Counselors at this time were individuals/groups with 4 to 5 months of psychosocial training. They were trained to prevent mental or psychosocial problems as well as provide emotional support.

The internal conflict lasted for 10 years from 1996 to 2006 in this decade Para counselor's roles were very much significant to prevent psychosocial and mental health problems as Psychiatrists were very few in number. 

After the conflict was over the counselor's roles too started to the decrease in context of Nepal.

In 2015, when a massive earthquake hit many people were physically as well as mentally affected. In this point of crisis again the need for counselors was seen as significant.

According to WHO, there were only 0.129 percent Psychiatrist, 0.064 medical doctors, 0.274 nurses, 0.024 psychologists, and 0.01 other workers providing help to the victims.

Counselors were in high demand in every corner of Nepal after the earthquake but Professional manpower was lacking. The few professionals along with social workers and Para counselors were working to aid the victims.

Master's degree in Counseling Psychology: Then in 2017, MA in Counseling Psychology was started to produce professional counselors.

Looking back to the history of counseling the trajectory point was in the 1990s when Bhutanese Refugees flee to Nepal. The importance of counselors was still lacking. Even looking at the conflict era of Nepal, many para counselors were produced but as soon as the events come to an end even the counselor’s role comes to a full stop.

In 2015 when a natural disaster hit Nepal, a lack of manpower in the field of counseling created problems. Victims were not getting Psychological First Aid (PFA), emotional support which had led minor psychosocial into moderate to severe problems.

Counselors are important everywhere and in every event of life not only during the man-made or natural disaster period. Counselors are the one who mostly focuses on preventing psychosocial or mental health problems whereas clinical psychologist and Psychiatrist in Nepal focuses on curative and severe clients.

In Nepal out of 4 one individuals who are facing psychosocial problems, Psychiatrists and Psychologists (clinical) are more focused on severe cases. So, the clients with minor problems if not treated on time might reach to severe level. Counselors are the ones who can prevent people from reaching severe cases.

So, in a country like Nepal where manpower is very low, Counselor roles tend to become more significant.

Key informant of this article: Prof.Dr.Shishir Subba (Coordinator,MA in Counseling Psychology -Tribhuvan University)