In my experience, some people find that once they actually make the space to stop and reflect in counselling, they can gain the clarity they need within a very few sessions. Counselling helps them get back in touch with their true selves and their own resources, and they soon know the direction they wish to take.
Others find that coming to counselling for one problem unearths a related deeper issue that needs more time and attention to resolve, but which holds the key to the difficulty on the surface.
For this reason I seek to incorporate a regular review within the counselling sessions, so we can assess progress and clarify what further work is needed.