In Nigeria efforts towards poverty alleviation has largely been through government policies, loans and hand-outs, yet level of poverty is rising in the country with serious consequences on daily survival among the vulnerable groups. The most vulnerable here are usually women and youths and most, especially those living in rural communities. Those living in poor conditions are likely to be psychosocially deprived and disadvantaged, a situation that has become even more worrisome with impact of Covid-19 pandemic. The World Bank reports that over 95million Nigerians are living in poverty in 2022 made this study expedient. Therefore, the present study sought to address the question: Can psychological counseling change the perception of vulnerable groups towards self-reliant initiatives for poverty alleviation? A mixed method approach was adopted for the study.