Depending on where you go, there is also patient confidentiality to consider. If they tell someone something you've said as a patient, they can be sued. I'm not sure if this applies to school counsellor type stuff, though.
Student counselors follow pretty much the same rules, usually under some form of no disclosure unless the "student authorizes it or when there is a clear and present danger to the student and/or to other persons.
Student counselors also are pretty much professionals themselves
So yeah. Unless depending on the place you've got--their place is filled with replacements who may lack the specialty but generally are equipped with handling them (ie Here, we lack professionals in that field, so sometimes Values teachers temporarily fill in). Students cannot fulfill the role of counselors though (ie they're limited to peer counseling, and even then, this is contextual
)
Also the term 'client' is used instead of 'patient'. Patient is usually never used.
Counseling isn't something you can do as an amateur, but then again counseling isn't the only way you can help someone. Listening and treating them like a human bean is generally good enough.
This.
Psychology, while beneficial, is also a very strenuous course in the mental aspect--you'll have to ensure your own well-being of mind and clarity in order to help others because your own understandings will affect your efficiency :O Other people not in the course of Psychology can pretty much help other people out in general, as Hector says. You can get yourself into reading these books, along with literature that helps broaden your knowledge, skills, and abilities.
...I'm already invested in the lives of people I've never met, hector. Somehow, I think I can manage it. I mean, I don't want to switch careers, but...I do want to know how to help people.
You can inquire that in your area, because resource materials are generally all around if you have access to a local college. :3