Every pastor will be called upon to counsel people on a wide variety of problems. How you deal with this may depend on your training, experience, and inclination to spend time in counseling.
A pastor must realize his limitations in this area. You may need to suggest a professional counselor or call in a Spirit-filled preacher/counselor to deal with some situations. Some pastors have actually become certified in family or crisis counseling.
There are pitfalls to counseling. People get “addicted” to spending time with the pastor. They do no want to get well. They enjoy the sympathy they feel. They may have emotional needs from a lack of self esteem. They may start to depend on the pastor for emotional support they do not get at home.
Real advancement in counseling is often a very slow process and takes a lot of time. Many pastors may not have the time or ability to deal with such matters.
Encourage people with chronic needs to read Scripture and spend time in prayer. The pastor may even pray with the person and teach them how to depend on God for direction and comfort. Many problems can be address through anointed preaching and teaching.