This study examines secondary school students' perceptions of inhibiting factors in seeking counselling. Responses to a questionnaire completed by 1346 secondary school students were analysed using quantitative and qualitative methods. Exploratory factor analysis highlighted that within 21 pre-defined inhibiting factors, items loaded strongly on one component, "diffident", suggesting that this is a main inhibiting factor. A second component, "self-reliant", also emerged as a main inhibiting factor. Significant differences were found across gender, with female participants rating the pre-defined inhibitory factors higher than males on items relating to diffidence and self-reliance. The main inhibiting factors, "diffidence" and "self-reliance", warrant development into measures for future investigations into students' views of school-based counselling. (Contains 4 tables.)