How many career counselling sessions will I need?

Most clients complete the full process in four to six sessions over four to six weeks. A focused stream-selection question for a Class 10 student may resolve in three sessions. A mid-career professional with layered financial, family, and identity considerations may need six to eight. The first session clarifies the scope; you will know the expected timeline before session two.

Is a psychometric test enough, or do I need the full counselling process?

A psychometric test alone gives you data without interpretation or context. It can tell you that your aptitude is strongest in verbal reasoning and your interests skew Investigative-Artistic, but it cannot tell you what that means for your specific life circumstances, how to weigh those results against your financial situation, or how to navigate a family that expects something different. The value of counselling is the interpretation layer. The test is the starting point, not the answer.

My parents want engineering or medicine — can career counselling change their minds?

Career counselling does not change minds by argument. It provides a neutral, data-backed framework that allows a constructive conversation to happen. When parents can see their child's aptitude, interest, and personality data laid out by a professional, and understand how those scores map to specific career fields, the conversation changes register — it becomes evidence-based rather than authority-based. We involve parents in the sessions whenever it is appropriate and consented to.

Is Ikigai a useful framework for career decisions?

Ikigai — the Japanese concept of finding the intersection of what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for — is a useful orienting metaphor, particularly for people making mid-career changes who feel the need to ground their decision in something larger than salary or title. It is not a replacement for psychometric assessment, which requires formal measurement rather than reflection alone. At Lilac Minds, we use Ikigai as a conversation-structuring tool rather than as an assessment instrument.

How much does career counselling cost at Lilac Minds?

Adult career counselling sessions are ₹2,500 per session. This is higher than standard therapy (₹1,500) because career assessment sessions include psychometric administration and scored interpretation, which require additional preparation time. Student sessions through the mentorship programme are ₹1,500. Online and in-person rates are the same. Full details are on the [career counselling service page](/services/career-counselling).

What if I'm not in Jamnagar? Can I do career counselling online?

Yes. All Lilac Minds career counselling sessions, including the assessment components, can be conducted entirely online via encrypted video call. Psychometric assessments are administered digitally and scored before the interpretation session. Online sessions are particularly useful for college students outside Gujarat, NRI families with returning children, and working professionals in cities where the wait for a qualified psychologist is long. Session rates are the same as in-person.

Career Counselling: A Complete Guide to Picking the Right Career in India

Career counselling is a structured, evidence-based process for figuring out which career paths fit your abilities, values, personality, and interests. This guide explains what career counselling actually is, who needs it, what psychometric assessment really measures, the frameworks that work (and the ones that don't), and how to navigate parental pressure on career decisions in India.