ABSTRACT
In many ways all counseling clients have similar, basic needs. Life challenges or mental illness can overwhelm anyone, regardless of socioeconomic status or class. Common presenting concerns include a sense of isolation, feelings of intense anger or irritability, sadness or anxiety, or a futility in living. However, for those living in poverty there are additional issues that may impede successful help seeking and recovery. People living in poverty may wrestle with basic survival needs, such as food security, stable living conditions, or safe and adequate child care (Campbell, Richie, & Hargrove, 2003). In this way, one may spend the majority of one’s time seeking basic needs low on the Maslow hierarchy rather than attending to mental health concerns (Maslow, 1943).
