Basics of counseling and guidance

JAMAL MOHAMED COLLEGE (Autonomous)
College with Potential for Excellence
Accredited (3rd
Cycle) with ‘A’ Grade by NAAC
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(Affiliated to Bharathidasan University)
PG AND RESEARCH DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WORK
TIRUCHIRAPPALLI- 620 020
Social Work Students can make use of this simple material on
BASICS OF COUNSELLING AND GUIDANCE
Prepared By
Dr.S.RAJESWARI
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WORK
JAMAL MOHAMED COLLEGE
TIRUCHIRAPPALLI - 20
Since 1951

BASICS OF COUNSELING AND GUIDANCE
Unit-1
Meaning:
Counseling is, therefore, regarded as depth guidance or an expert process
where one is having certain crucial problem in hand who neither knows the cause nor
knows how to resolve it is called the counselee, on the other hand there is an expert,
who is trained, experienced, and has got ability to diagnose the causes and suggest the
remedial measures to resolve the crucial / difficult problems is called the counselor.
Hence, counseling is a face to face relationship between two individuals.
Definition:
According to Bordin counseling is the process of aiding an individual to solve
his problems through the medium of the interview.
Counseling is essentially a process in which the counselor assists the counselee
to make interpretation of facts relating to a choice, plan or adjustment which he needs
to make – Smith Gleen.F
Charactertics / Essential elements of Counseling:
Analysis of different definitions given by different authorities reveals the
different elements of counseling such as
1. Counseling is an interpersonal face to face relationship between two
individual, viz. the counselee, who is having a crucial problem in hand and
the counselor, who is professionally trained, and expert and is having
certain ideas of solving the problem.
2. Both of them meet ( Where the counselee is compelled/ directed/
voluntarily come/report) in different conditions to help to enable to resolve
the problem independently along with minimum of counseling
3. It enables an individual to set up realistic goal and to assist him to realize
those. In case of serious problems the counselor acts as director in the
process of counseling and follows the process as required on the basis of the
nature of the problem.
4. The meeting is held under mutually respectable, friendly and co-operative
condition in order to help and assist the counselee properly to understand
himself fully and to act accordingly.
5. Since the problem of the counselee is crucial in nature, with the help of
different tests, process and systems the true nature of the problems are
ascertained by the counselor and necessary measures are undertaken to
resolve these by the counselor and the same is ascertained, followed and
adopted by the counselee.

6. Counseling is a democratic process where counselor allows free atmosphere
for the free expression of the counselee’s opinion, views, problems etc, and
understanding his self.
7. Counseling has different acts i.e., behavioral, adjustment, curative,
developmental, self-directive, self-realized etc. on the basis of situation and
its requirements different sources are followed by different personnel in
different situations. Problems in behavior require behavioral counseling.
Like wise role of adjustmental counseling is felt to adjust fully with varying
situations of life. In case of existence of inherent problems creative
counseling is used. To bring development of innate potentialities, abilities,
insight etc. developmental counseling is used. To do work independently
and to realize the highest potentialities in man counseling enables one to
resolve all problems by which one can realize his self.
Goals of Counseling:
Byrne examines counseling goals under three headings: Ultimate intermediate
and immediate
He points out that the counselor’s ultimate goals get their substances from his
philosophical views of man that his intermediate goals hinge on reasons why students
seek counseling help, and that his immediate goals are his moment by moment
intentions during counseling.
After analyzing or evaluating many ultimate goals he finally synthesizes the
following ultimate goal of counseling.
The counselor’s goal firmly based on the human worth of the individual,
regardless of education, intelligence, character or background is to use his technical
skills.
To help each counselee attain and maintain an awareness of self so that he can
be responsible for himself.
To help each counselee confront threats to his being. And thus to open further
the way for the counselee to increase his concern for other well being.
To help each counselee bring into full operation his unique potential in
compatibility with his own life style and with in the ethical limits of society.
IMPORTANCE OF COUNSELLING:
a) Help clients to tell their stories.
In telling the story, clients reveal and discuss their problems and missed opportunities.
Some clients are articulate while others may be mute. Some will be reluctant to reveal
everything that is bothering them, while others do so easily. The story needs to be told
either at the beginning of the helping process, or in bits and pieces. For this to happen,
counsellors need to develop an effective helpful relationship with clients. They need
to assess rather than judge their clients. They need to assess such things as the nature
and severity of the problem, other problems that are not discussed, the impact of the

clients' environment on problems, the personal and interpersonal resources available
to clients.
b) Help clients become aware of, and overcome,their blind spots and develop new
perspectives about themselves and their problems.
Many people fail to deal with problems, or fail to exploit opportunities, because they
do not see them from new perspectives. They lock themselves in self-defeating
patterns of thinking and behaviour. Using imagination and brainstorming as a means
of problem management and opportunity development is one way in which
counsellors can empower clients. Challenging blind spots is not the same as telling
them that what they are doing is wrong. It is helping them to see themselves, others,
and the world around them, in a more creative way.
c) Help clients search for leverage.
Clients should be helped to identify and work on problems, issues, concerns or
opportunities that make a difference. Leverage includes three related activities. First,
the cost of the problem has to be considered in terms of the effort and time spent on it.
Secondly, if clients, when telling stories, reveal a number of problems at the same
time or if the problem is complex, then criteria are needed to determine which concern
is to be dealt with first. Lastly, the problem, issue, and concerns, need to be clarified
in terms of specific experiences, behaviour and affects (feelings, emotions).
d) Help clients develop a range of future possibilities.
If a client's state of affairs is problematic and unacceptable, then he/she needs to be
helped to imagine, conceptualize, or picture, a new state of affairs, that is more
acceptable. Ask future-oriented questions like:
‘What would this problem look like if I managed it better?’
‘What changes in my present life style would make sense?’
‘What would it look like if it were better?’
Clients should be helped to find appropriate and realistic models. Another way could
be to review better times or become involved in new experiences. The use of writing
fantasy and guided imagery has also proved beneficial for many clients.
e) Help clients to translate possibilities into viable agendas.
The variety of possibilities constitutes the possible desired outcomes of the helping
process. The client is helped to choose the possibilities that make the most sense, and
turn them into an agenda, i.e. a set of goals that need to be accomplished.
f) Help clients identify the kinds of incentives that enable them to commit
themselves to the agendas they prepare.
Ideally the agendas a client chooses are appealing. If not, then the incentives for
commitment need to be discovered. The goals that are set in the agenda need to be
accepted and appeal to the client. It is better if they are chosen from among a number
of options. The focus should be on those that reduce crisis or pain. Challenging goals
should not be avoided. The counsellor can help clients see ways of managing the

obstacles that stand in the way of goal attainment. Contracts can help clients to
commit themselves to choices, and the client needs to be helped to identify strategies
for accomplishing goals.
g) Help clients brainstorm various strategies for implementing their agenda.
Clients are helped to ask themselves questions like, ‘How can I get where I want to
go?’ Strategies tend to be more effective when chosen from among a number of
possibilities. A strategy is the action needed to achieve a goal. If the strategy is
complex, then it needs to be divided into a number of interrelated outcomes or
accomplishments. Each of these sub-goals then has its own set of strategies. This
divide and conquer process can lead to the achievement of what once seemed
impossible. One reason why people fail to achieve goals is that they do not explore the
different ways by which a goal can be reached. Brainstorming plays a role by
suspending judgement, producing as many ideas as possible, using one idea leading to
others, removing constraints to thinking, and producing more ideas by clarifying items
on the list.
h) Help clients choose a set of strategies that best fits their environmentand
resources.
‘Best’ here means one strategy, or a combination of strategies, that best fits the clients'
needs, preferences, and resources, and that is least likely to be blocked by the factors
present in the client's environment. They should be clear and specific, tied to the
desired goal, realistic, effective, accepted by the client, and in keeping with his or her
values.
i) Help clients formulate a plan, a step-by-step procedurefor reaching each goal.
A plan has strategies for reaching goals, divides them into workable bits, puts the bits
in order, and prepares a time-table. Formulating plans helps clients find useful ways of
reaching goals, that is, even better strategies. Plans provide an opportunity to evaluate
the realism and adequacy of goals. They tell clients something about their strategies.
Clients are also helped to discover obstacles to the reaching of goals.
Types of Counselling:
1.Developmental Counselling:
Developmental counseling is an approach to psychological helping that is
organized around a set of unifying and clarifying ideas, principles, and commitments
regarding human beings and the physical and social world in which they live. Since
developmental counseling perceives people as thinking, feeling, and acting beings, it
is seen as natural and desirable to couple the exploration of deeply personal hopes,
fears, and aspirations with practical, useful information and adaptive skills that can
move the client toward the removal of obstacles to goal attainment and thus toward
higher levels of development and satisfaction. Issues that deal with successfully
handling basic social roles such as those of spouse, parent, worker, student, or friend

are crucial in terms of optimal development, while failure or fear of failure in these
roles is fraught with profound emotional distress.
1. The primary goal of developmental counseling is to facilitate the optimal
psychological development of clients, both by enhancing higher levels of functioning
and by helping to remove obstacles to further growth.
2. Developing human beings can only be fully understood and helped within the
context of their interactions with the physical, social, and psychological environment.
3. The ultimate goal of developmental counseling is to facilitate a dynamic and
growth-producing engagement or “fit” between the developing person and a humane
and responsive environment. Change in person-environment interaction is inevitable.
The inevitability of change, however, by no means guarantees the progress of further
development for any individual. Development is seen as systematic, continuous
change in a valued direction. Change in human affairs and individual lives is an
inescapable reality. Further growth and development is an ever-present possibility.
Developmental counseling is very heavily concerned with choice and consequently
with issues of human freedom. Human beings have the freedom to participate
purposefully and consciously in change. The failure to engage actively and planfully
with change factors at work in one’s own life is to abdicate the opportunity to exert
any degree of direction and impetus to your life. People can only participate actively
and purposely in the realities of change when they become aware of those realities.
Developmental counseling deals very directly with the task of helping clients to
become aware of themselves and equally aware of crucial events and opportunities in
their environments.
As self-awareness and awareness of the environment grow, new possibilities,
new aspirations, new hopes, and consequently new choices and new challenges
emerge. Developmental counseling helps not only to increase awareness, but also to
mobilize clients’ personal and practical resources to convert hopes and aspirations into
accomplishments and successes.
Developmental counseling has a strong focus on human potential. It also has an
equally strong concern with interactions between people and their environment—
human ecology. Human development proceeds from a long-term, optimal set of
interactions between the developing individual and the environment. The ecological
focus represents a second set of unifying and clarifying ideas that helps to distinguish
developmental counseling from other psychotherapeutic systems.

Unit - 2
PRINCIPLES OF COUNSELING
Counselors should set aside their own value system in order to empathize with the
person during counseling. The things the counselor may view as unimportant may be
of paramount importance to the counselee. We tend to view the world through our
own values, and this can present problems when we are confronted with values
that are at odds with our own. If persons in your unit think something is causing
them a problem, then it is a problem to them, regardless of how insignificant you
might believe the problem to be. The objective of counseling is to give your
personnel support in dealing with problems so that they will regain the ability to work
effectively in the organization. Counseling effectiveness is achieved through
performance of one or more of the following counseling objectives: advice,
reassurance, release of emotional tension, clarified thinking, and reorientation.
Advice Many persons think of counseling as primarily an advice-giving activity, but
in reality it is but one of several functions that counselors perform. The giving of
advice requires that a counselor make judgments about a counselee’s problems
and lay out a course of action. Herein lies the difficulty, because understanding
another person’s complicated emotions is almost impossible. Advice-giving may
breed a relationship in which the counselee feels inferior and emotionally
dependent on the counselor. In spite of its ills, advice-giving occurs in routine
counseling sessions because members expect it and counselors tend to provide it.
Reassurance Counseling can provide members with reassurance, which is a way
of giving them courage to face a problem or confidence that they are pursuing a
suitable course of action. Reassurance can be a valuable, though sometimes
temporary, cure for a member’s emotional upsets. Sometimes just the act of talking
with someone about a problem can bring about a sense of relief that will allow the
member to function normally again.
Release of Emotional Tension People tend to get emotional release from their
frustrations and other problems whenever they have an opportunity to tell someone
about them. Counseling history consistently shows that as persons begin to
explain their problems to a sympathetic listener, their tensions begin to subside.
They become more relaxed and tend to become more coherent and rational. The
release of tensions does not necessarily mean that the solution to the problem has
been found, but it does help remove mental blocks in the way of a solution.
Clarified Thinking Clarified thinking tends to be a normal result of emotional
release. The fact is that not all clarified thinking takes place while the counselor
and counselee are talking. All or part of it may take place later as a result of
developments during the counseling relationship. The net result of clarified

thinking is that a person is encouraged to accept responsibility for problems and to
be more realistic in solving them.
Reorientation Reorientation is more than mere emotional release or clear thinking
about a problem. It involves a change in the member’s emotional self through a
change in basic goals and aspirations. Very often it requires a revision of the
member’s level of aspiration to bring it more in line with actual attainment. It causes
people to recognize and accept their own limitations. The counselor’s job is to
recognize those in need of reorientation before their need becomes severe, so
that they can be referred to professional help. Reorientation is the kind of function
needed to help alcoholics return to normalcy or to treat those with mental disorders
COUNSELLING TECHNIQUES
These techniques help assure good communication with client during the counselling
session:
_ Create a positive and friendly first impression.
_ Establish rapport during the first session, show empathy and reassure the young
client.
_ Eliminate barriers to good communication (e.g., negative attitudes, poor listening,
not allowing youth to express fears or ask questions, being judgmental and impatient,
etc.)
_ Use “active listening” with the client; i.e. acknowledging, confirming and asking
clarification from the speaker.
_ Provide information simply and use visual aids as much as possible.
_ Ask appropriate and effective questions and use open-ended questions.
_ Allow client to ask questions and seek clarification.
_ Recognize and take advantage of teachable moments.
ETHICS OF COUNSELLING
1. Counsellors respect the essential humanity, worth and dignity of all people, and this
is reflected in their work.
2. Counsellors recognise and respect the individual uniqueness of each person and
oppose discrimination and oppressive behaviour.
3. Counsellors make every effort to foster self-determination and individual
responsibility on the part of clients.
4. Counsellors take all reasonable steps to cause no harm to clients during the
counselling process, and to foster the client’s psychological and physical well-
being.
5. Counsellors respect the privacy of their clients and preserve the confidentiality of
information acquired in the course of their work.
6. Counsellors make clear to a client the terms on which counselling is being offered,
and establish clear agreements about the counselling process.

7. Counsellors take steps to develop and maintain their competence, and work within
the limits of that competence.
8. Counsellors take the same degree of care to work ethically whether the counselling
is paid or voluntary.
9. Counsellors are mindful of their obligations under the law, and to the wider
community.
CODE OF ETHICS
ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES
1. THE COUNSELLING RELATIONSHIP
CLIENT WELLBEING
 Counsellors take all reasonable steps to ensure that the client suffers neither
physical nor psychological harm during counselling.
Counsellors seek to promote the client’s control over his/her life, by respecting and
supporting the client’s ability to make choices and decisions.
 Counsellors are accountable for the use of their power and influence, and for
their responses to the client.
 Counsellors avoid actions that seek to meet their personal needs at the expense
of clients.
 Counsellors are aware of their influential positions with respect to clients, and
avoid exploiting the trust and dependency of clients in financial, sexual,
emotional or any other ways.
 Counsellors avoid fostering long term dependence unnecessarily.
 Counsellors, in providing the counselling service, do not usually act on behalf
of their clients except when the counsellor and client mutually deem it
appropriate. BOUNDARIES OF THE COUNSELLING RELATIONSHIP
 Counsellors are responsible for setting and monitoring boundaries between the
counselling relationship and any other kind of relationship, and making this
explicit to the client.
 Having more than one type of relationship may lead to enmeshment of
relationship boundaries, misuse of power, and impaired professional
judgement, resulting in harming the client. (Examples of such relationships
include, but are not limited to, familial, social, financial, business, or close
personal relationships with clients.)
 When a dual relationship cannot be avoided, counsellors take appropriate
precautions to ensure that their judgement is not impaired and their power is
not being misused. Such precautions may include seeking supervision.
 Engaging in any type of sexual intimacy with clients during counselling is
unethical. It is recommended that counsellors seek consultation whenever they
are unable to easily contain either their sexual attraction to a client, or a client’s
approaches.

 Counsellors use discretion when accepting superiors or subordinates as clients.
 Counsellors avoid unnecessary conflicts of interest, and where potential
conflicts do exist, these are made explicit to the client.
CONTRACTING
 All information in any form given to clients before counselling commences
should reflect accurately the nature of the service on offer and the training,
qualifications and relevant experience of the counsellor.
 Counsellors are responsible for communicating the terms on which counselling
is being offered, including availability, the degree of confidentiality offered,
provisions for safety, and the counsellor’s expectations of clients regarding
fees, cancelled appointments and any other significant matters.
 Counsellors take all reasonable steps to honour undertakings offered in their
pre-counselling information.
 Counsellors and their clients work jointly to define counselling aims, taking
into account the abilities and circumstances of clients, and reviewing the
counselling contract on an ongoing basis.
 Counsellors take all reasonable steps to communicate clearly the extent of the
confidentiality they are offering to clients
 Counsellors endeavour to establish with clients whether there are other current
therapeutic or helping relationships, or medical or other conditions which
might impact on the counselling process.
RESPECTING DIVERSITY
 Counsellors are aware of their own values, attitudes, beliefs and behaviours,
and how these apply in a diverse society, and avoid imposing their values on
clients.
 Counsellors do not engage in unreasonable discrimination based on age, colour,
culture, disability, ethnic group, gender, gender identity, sexual preference or
orientation, race, religion or spirituality, political orientation, marital status,
socio-economic status, or any other aspect of human life.
FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS
 It is acceptable for counsellors to provide professional services for little or no
financial return.
 Counsellors exercise great discretion in giving and receiving gifts and
donations to or from clients during the course of counselling. A gift of
substantial value or a donation of money for research purposes should only be
accepted after appropriate evaluation has taken place.
 Clients may use bartering when no exploitation takes place, if the client
initiates such a request, and if such arrangements are clearly defined.
 Introducing additional services or selling products to clients should be done
with discretion and without undue pressure.

RELATIONSHIPS WITH FORMER CLIENTS
 Counsellors always remain accountable for their relationships with former
clients.
 Counsellors exercise caution entering into any other type of relationship with
former clients.
 Any decision regarding any change(s) in relationships with a former client
should take into account whether the issues and power dynamics present during
counselling have been resolved and properly ended.
TERMINATION AND REFERRAL
 Counsellors take all reasonable steps not to abandon or neglect clients at any
stage of counselling. If counsellors feel unable to be of professional assistance
to the client, they either avoid entering, or immediately terminate a counselling
relationship, and suggest appropriate alternatives. If clients decline the
suggested referral, counsellors are not obligated to continue the relationship.
 Counsellors who terminate a counselling relationship give advance and
sufficient notice with adequate explanation to the client of impending
termination. Counsellors attempt to gain client agreement when possible.
 Following termination, counsellors are required to assist their clients in making
appropriate arrangements for a continuation of counselling, when necessary or
required by the client.
 Counsellors endeavour to have an arrangement in place with their clients in
case of the counsellor’s long term illness or death.
2 CONFIDENTIALITY
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
 Unless required by law, counsellors must maintain the confidentiality of the
counselling relationship.
 Counsellors take all reasonable steps to protect their clients’ information and
identity They avoid unwarranted disclosures of such information either by
themselves or by anyone involved in their work in any way, without the
express written consent of the client.
 Any information about a client that may result in identification of the client, or
any information given by a client, whether obtained directly or indirectly or by
inference, must be treated with confidentiality.
 Agreements about confidentiality continue after the client’s death.
 If interpreters are used in the counselling session, counsellors take all
reasonable steps to insure that confidentiality is preserved.
 Exceptional circumstances may arise which give the counsellor good grounds
for believing that the client will cause serious physical harm to others or
themselves. In such circumstances, the breaking of confidentiality may be

required, preferably with the client’s permission, or after consultation with a
supervisor.
INFORMING THE CLIENT
 Counsellors take all reasonable steps to communicate clearly the extent of the
confidentiality they are offering to clients.
 Clients should be informed if counselling includes consultations with
colleagues or other professionals
 If client treatment involves a treatment team, the client should be informed of
the team’s existence and composition.
SUPERVISION / CONSULTATION
 Only information relevant to the supervision will be given, and efforts will be
made to preserve the anonymity of the client(s).
 Counsellors take all reasonable steps to ensure that client information given
during supervision, any details of the discussion, and any record of the
supervision will be kept confidential by anyone present.
 When it is found by the supervisor or consultant that the client discussed is
previously known to them, the counsellor should be informed and an
assessment made whether continuation of the supervision or consultation is
appropriate.
 Unless an exception to confidentiality exists (see 2.1.6), counsellors obtain
written permission from clients when consulting with legitimate third parties
about their case, and take steps to ensure confidentiality.
RECORDS
 Counsellors inform clients about the kind of records that will be made during
or following sessions, and that these will be kept confidential.
 Counsellors maintain confidentiality in creating, storing, accessing,
transferring, and disposing of counselling records that are written, taped, video
taped, computerised or in any other form.
 Permission to observe or record any sessions must be obtained beforehand
from the client. All records made by observers are to be treated with
confidentiality.
 Counsellors recognise that counselling records are kept for the benefit of the
client, and provide access to the client or their guardian upon reasonable
request.
 In the case of multiple clients, access to records is limited to those parts of
records that do not include confidential information related to another client.
Access to such information will be given only with the written permission of
those involved.

GROUPS, FAMILIES AND MULTIPLE CLIENTS
 In group work, counsellors clearly define confidentiality, its importance and its
parameters for the specific group being entered, and discuss the difficulties
related to confidentiality involved in group work.
 When working with families and/or multiple clients, any information which is
acquired by the counsellor outside a joint session is confidential and can be
given to others participating in the counselling only following permission from
the source of the information.
 In counselling minors or individuals who are unable to give voluntary informed
consent, parents or guardians may be involved in the counselling process as
appropriate.
RESEARCH, TRAINING, PUBLICATION AND PRESENTATION
 Data derived from a counselling relationship can be used for research, training,
presentation and publication only if the content is disguised so that the
individuals remain anonymous.
 Identification of a client in research, training, publication or presentation is
permissible only when the client has reviewed all the material and has agreed,
in writing, to its release.
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
 When responding to legal requirements to disclose confidential information,
counsellors provide only essential information.
 Counsellors have a duty to inform the Court of potential harm to the client or
the counselling relationship as a result of the disclosure.
 Counsellors contact this Association and /or seek legal advice if in doubt about
their rights and obligations regarding confidentiality.
3. PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
COMPETENCY
 Counsellors actively maintain and advance their competence by means which
may include education, training, personal development and supervision.
 Counsellors recognise their competence levels and boundaries, and practice
only within these, unless adequately supervised.
 Counselling requires ethical competence. Counsellors have a responsibility to
read, understand and adhere to this Code of Ethics
 Counsellors take reasonable steps to consult with other counsellors or related
professionals when they have questions regarding their ethical obligations or
professional practice
 Counsellors refrain from offering professional counselling services when
experiencing personal difficulties which are likely to lead to harm to clients.
Counsellors are knowledgeable about issues of impairment, and are sensitive to

signs indicating it. They seek help for their personal problems, and when
necessary, limit, suspend or terminate their professional obligations.
 It is an indication of the competence of counsellors when they recognise their
inability to help clients at any point in their counselling relationship and find
the appropriate alternatives.
TRAINING AND SUPERVISION
 Counsellors conduct training programs in an ethical manner.
 Counsellors adhere to the principles of this code when working with students or
supervisees, recognising the power differential that may exist.
 Counsellors, through ongoing evaluation and appraisal, endeavour to be aware
of the academic and personal limitations of students and supervisees that might
impede performance.
 Counsellors make every effort to ensure that clients are aware of the
qualifications of students, supervisees and novice counsellors rendering
counselling services.
 Students and supervisees have the same ethical obligations to clients as those
required of counsellors.
4 RESEARCH AND PUBLICATION
RESEARCH RESPONSIBILITIES
 Counsellors plan, design, conduct, and report research in a manner consistent
with pertinent ethical principles, national and state laws, host institutional
regulations, and scientific standards governing research with human
participants.
 Counsellors who conduct research with human participants are responsible for
the participant’s welfare throughout the experiment and take reasonable
precautions to avoid causing psychological, physical or social harm.
 If a participant’s consent (see 4.2.1) is withdrawn at any time, it is the
researcher’s responsibility to address any adverse effects of discontinuing
participation.
INFORMED CONSENT
 In obtaining informed consent for research, counsellors use language that is
understandable to research participants and that:
a. accurately explains the purpose and procedures to be followed.
b. identifies any procedures that are experimental or relatively untried.
c. describes the attendant discomforts and risks.
d. describes the benefits or changes in individuals or organisations that
might be reasonably expected.
e. discloses appropriate alternative procedures that would be
advantageous for subjects offers to answer any inquiries
concerning the procedures.

f. describes any limitations on confidentiality.
g. instructs that subjects are free to withdraw their consent and to
discontinue participation in the project at any time.
 Counsellors do not conduct research involving deception unless alternative
procedures are not feasible and the prospective value of the research justifies
the deception. When the methodological requirements of a study necessitate
concealment or deception, the investigator is required to explain clearly the
reasons for this action as soon as possible.
 Participation in research is typically voluntary and without any penalty for
refusal to participate. Involuntary participation is appropriate only when it can
be demonstrated that participation will have no harmful effects on subjects and
is essential to the investigation.
 Information obtained about research participants during the course of an
investigation is confidential
 When a person is incapable of giving informed consent, counsellors provide an
appropriate explanation, obtain agreement for participation and obtain
appropriate consent from a legally authorised person.
REPORTING RESULTS
 When reporting research results, counsellors explicitly mention all variables
and conditions known to the investigator that may have affected the outcome of
a study or the interpretation of data.
 Counsellors plan, conduct, and report research accurately and in a manner that
minimises the possibility that results will be misleading. They provide
thorough discussions of the limitations of their data and alternative hypotheses.
Counsellors do not engage in fraudulent research, distort data, misrepresent
date, or deliberately bias their results.
 Counsellors are obligated to make available sufficient original research data to
qualified professionals who may wish to replicate the study.
PUBLICATION
 When conducting and reporting research, counsellors are familiar with and give
recognition to previous work on the topic, observe copyright laws, and give full
credit to those to whom credit is due.
 Counsellors give credit through joint authorship, acknowledgment, footnote
statements, or other appropriate means to those who have contributed
significantly to research or concept development in accordance with such
contributions.
 Counsellors submit manuscripts for consideration to only one journal at a time,
unless acknowledgment and permission from a previous publication has been
obtained.

 Counsellors are required to disclose all sources of sponsorship.
5 RESPONSIBILITIES TO OTHERS
TO OTHER COUNSELLORS
 Counsellors do not conduct themselves in their counselling-related activities in
ways which undermine public confidence in either their role as counsellors or
in the work of other counsellors.
 Counsellors have an obligation not to impair the legitimate work of their
colleagues, and to accept the client’s right to seek a second opinion.
 Counsellors at all times act without malice in their professional dealings with
other counsellors.
TO THE WIDER COMMUNITY
 Counsellors inform themselves about current law affecting their work.
 Counsellors who provide knowledge, advice or comment to the public through
the media take reasonable precautions to ensure that:
a. the statements are based on appropriate professional counselling
literature and practice.
b. the statements are consistent with this Code of Ethics.
c. the recipients of the information are not encouraged to infer that a
professional counselling relationship has been established.
 While being mindful that other approaches to counselling may legitimately
differ from their own, counsellors are committed to protecting the public
against incompetent and dishonourable practices and are prepared to challenge
these practices.
ADVERTISING
 Any publicity material and all information in any form should reflect
accurately the nature of the service offered and the training, qualifications and
relevant experience of the counsellor.
 Advertising should be realistic and clear.
 Credentials are presented according to guidelines which have been established
by the entities that issue them.
 In order to avoid undue influence, counsellors who use testimonials should not
solicit them from clients.
 Counsellors promoting products or additional services to clients do so in a
manner which is not deceptive, and which avoids undue influence.
6 RESOLVING ETHICAL ISSUES
ETHICAL DILEMMAS
 Counsellors are familiar with this Code of Ethics. Lack of knowledge or
misunderstanding of an ethical responsibility is not a defense against a charge
of unethical conduct.

 When uncertain as to whether a particular situation or course of action may be
in violation of the Code of Ethics, counsellors consult with other counsellors
who are knowledgeable about ethics, with colleagues, or with appropriate
authorities.
 If the demands of on organisation with which counsellors are affiliated pose a
conflict with the Code of Ethics, counsellors specify the nature of such
conflicts and express to their supervisors or other responsible officials their
commitment to the Code of Ethics. When possible, counsellors work toward
change within the organisation to allow full adherence to the Code of Ethics.
SUSPECTED VIOLATIONS
 Counsellors expect professional associates to adhere to the Code of Ethics.
 When counsellors have reasonable cause to believe that another counsellor is
violating an ethical standard they may attempt to first resolve the issue
informally with the other counsellor if feasible, providing that such action does
not violate confidentiality rights that may be involved.
 When an informal resolution is not appropriate or feasible, counsellors, upon
reasonable cause, may take action such as reporting the suspected ethical
violation to the Chairperson of the Management Committee of this Association.
 Counsellors do not initiate, participate in, or encourage the filing of ethics
complaints that are unwarranted or intend to harm a counsellor rather than to
protect clients or the public.
 Counsellors assist in the process of enforcing the Code of Ethics, and cooperate
with any reasonable requirement of the Ethics Committee.

Unit - 3
1. Psychoanalytic Therapy:
Psychoanalytic therapy is one of the most well-known treatment modalities, This type
of therapy is based upon the theories and work of Sigmund Freud, who founded the
school of psychology known as psychoanalysis. Psychoanalytic therapy looks at how
the unconscious mind influences thoughts and behaviors. Psychoanalysis frequently
involves looking at early childhood experiences in order to discover how these events
might have shaped the individual and how they contribute to current actions. People
undergoing psychoanalytic therapy often meet with their therapist at least once a week
and may remain in therapy for a number of weeks, months or years.
How Does Psychoanalytic Therapy Work: Psychoanalytic therapists generally
spend time listening to patients talk about their lives, which is why this method is
often referred to as "talk therapy." The therapy provider will look for patterns or
significant events that may play a role in the client’s current difficulties.
Psychoanalysts believe that childhood events and unconscious feelings, thoughts and
motivations play a role in mental illness and maladaptive behaviors. Psychoanalytic
therapy also makes use of other techniques including free association, role play and
dream interpretation. During therapy, the psychoanalytic therapist assists the client to
make unconscious thoughts conscious and to develop strength in the ego to ensure
behavior is based on reality rather than instinctual impulses arising from the id.
During this process, the therapist functions as a blank slate providing little or no self-
disclosure, which fosters a relationship of neutrality. In fact, Freud advocated clients
lie on a couch facing away from the therapist, minimizing opportunity for client-
therapist relationship. The psychoanalytic therapist wants to reduce the chance that
transference will occur whereby the client projects feelings.
During sessions, the therapist works through and explores unconscious
feelings, thoughts, and experiences. Therapy is usually long-term with treatment
lasting two years or longer. As issues result in childhood, psychotherapy focuses on
early memories and dreams as a source for resolving current problems and anxiety
Benefits of Psychoanalytic Therapy:While this type of therapy has many critics who
claim that psychoanalytic therapy is too time-consuming, expensive and generally
ineffective, this treatment has several benefits as well. The therapist offers an
empathetic and nonjudgmental environment where the client can feel safe in revealing
feelings or actions that have led to stress or tension in his or her life. Oftentimes,
simply sharing these burdens with another person can have a beneficial influence.
Downsides to Psychoanalytic Therapy: Costs are often cited as the biggest
downside of psychoanalytic therapy. Many clients are in therapy for years, so the
financial and time costs associated with this treatment modality can be very high.
Critics also point out that the effectiveness of psychoanalytic therapy can also be
questioned. One study found that there was no difference in therapy outcomes

between psychoanalytic therapy clients and a placebo group. Other critics including
Noam Chomsky and Karl Popper suggest that psychoanalysis lacks scientific basis.
2. Cognitive therapy (CT) is a type of psychotherapy developed by American
psychiatrist Aaron T. Beck. CT is one of the therapeutic approaches within the larger
group of cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) and was first expounded by Beck in the
1960s.
Cognitive therapy seeks to help the patient overcome difficulties by identifying and
changing dysfunctional thinking, behavior, and emotional responses. This involves
helping patients develop skills for modifying beliefs, identifying distorted thinking,
relating to others in different ways, and changing behaviors. Treatment is based on
collaboration between patient and therapist and on testing beliefs. Therapy may
consist of testing the assumptions which one makes and identifying how certain of
one's usually unquestioned thoughts are distorted, unrealistic and unhelpful. Once
those thoughts have been challenged, one's feelings about the subject matter of those
thoughts are more easily subject to change.
A simple example may illustrate the principle of how CT works: having made a
mistake at work, a man may believe, "I'm useless and can't do anything right at work."
Strongly believing this then tends to worsen his mood. The problem may be worsened
further if the individual reacts by avoiding activities and then behaviorally confirming
the negative belief to himself. As a result, any adaptive response and further
constructive consequences become unlikely, which reinforces the original belief of
being "useless." In therapy, this example could be identified as a self-fulfilling
prophecy or "problem cycle," and the efforts of the therapist and client would be
directed at working together to change it. This is done by addressing the way the client
thinks and behaves in response to similar situations and by developing more flexible
ways to think and respond, including reducing the avoidance of activities. If, as a
result, the patient escapes the negative thought patterns and dysfunctional behaviors,
the negative feelings may be relieved over time.
Types of cognitive therapy:
Cognitive therapy
based on the theory that depression is due to distortions in the patient's
perspectives, such as all-or-none thinking, over-generalization, and selective
perception. The therapist initially tries to highlight these distortions, then
encourages the patient to change his or her attitudes.
Rational-emotive therapy (RET)
based on the belief that most problems originate in irrational thought. For
instance, perfectionists and pessimists usually suffer from issues related to
irrational thinking; for example, if a perfectionist encounters a small failure, he
or she might perceive it as a much bigger failure. It is better to establish a
reasonable standard emotionally, so the individual can live a balanced life. This

form of cognitive therapy is an opportunity for the patient to learn of his
current distortions and successfully eliminate them.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
the most commonly practiced type of cognitive therapy. It is based on the belief
that using both cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy is more effective than
just one of these types. Very few therapists believe in using just one style of
therapy for success any more.
3. Group psychotherapy or group therapy is a form of psychotherapy in which one
or more therapists treat a small group of clients together as a group. The term can
legitimately refer to any form of psychotherapy when delivered in a group format,
including Cognitive behavioural therapy or Interpersonal therapy, but it is usually
applied to psychodynamic group therapy where the group context and group process is
explicitly utilised as a mechanism of change by developing, exploring and examining
interpersonal relationships within the group. The broader concept of group therapy
can be taken to include any helping process that takes place in a group, including
support groups, skills training groups (such as anger management, mindfulness,
relaxation training or social skills training), and psycho-education groups.
History of group psychotherapy
The founders of group psychotherapy in the USA were Joseph H. Pratt, Trigant
Burrow and Paul Schilder..
Therapeutic principles
 Universality
The recognition of shared experiences and feelings among group members and
that these may be widespread or universal human concerns, serves to remove a
group member's sense of isolation, validate their experiences, and raise self-
esteem
 Altruism
The group is a place where members can help each other, and the experience of
being able to give something to another person can lift the member's self
esteem and help develop more adaptive coping styles and interpersonal skills.
 Instillation of hope
In a mixed group that has members at various stages of development or
recovery, a member can be inspired and encouraged by another member who
has overcome the problems with which they are still struggling.
 Imparting information
While this is not strictly speaking a psychotherapeutic process, members often
report that it has been very helpful to learn factual information from other
members in the group. For example, about their treatment or about access to
services.
 Corrective recapitulation of the primary family experience

Members often unconsciously identify the group therapist and other group
members with their own parents and siblings in a process that is a form of
transference specific to group psychotherapy. The therapist's interpretations can
help group members gain understanding of the impact of childhood experiences
on their personality, and they may learn to avoid unconsciously repeating
unhelpful past interactive patterns in present-day relationships.
 Development of socializing techniques
The group setting provides a safe and supportive environment for members to
take risks by extending their repertoire of interpersonal behaviour and
improving their social skills
 Imitative behaviour
One way in which group members can develop social skills is through a
modeling process, observing and imitating the therapist and other group
members. For example, sharing personal feelings, showing concern, and
supporting others.
 Cohesiveness
It has been suggested[10] that this is the primary therapeutic factor from which
all others flow. Humans are herd animals with an instinctive need to belong to
groups, and personal development can only take place in an interpersonal
context. A cohesive group is one in which all members feel a sense of
belonging, acceptance, and validation.
 Existential factors
Learning that one has to take responsibility for one's own life and the
consequences of one's decisions.
 Catharsis
Catharsis is the experience of relief from emotional distress through the free
and uninhibited expression of emotion. When members tell their story to a
supportive audience, they can obtain relief from chronic feelings of shame and
guilt.
 Interpersonal learning
Group members achieve a greater level of self-awareness through the process
of interacting with others in the group, who give feedback on the member's
behaviour and impact on others.
 Self-understanding
This factor overlaps with interpersonal learning but refers to the achievement
of greater levels of insight into the genesis of one's problems and the
unconscious motivations that underlie one's behaviour.
4. Family therapy and marital therapy, also referred to as couple and family
therapy, family systems therapy, and family counseling, is a branch of
psychotherapy that works with families and couples in intimate relationships to

nurture change and development. It tends to view change in terms of the systems of
interaction between family members. It emphasizes family relationships as an
important factor in psychological health.
This involvement of families is commonly accomplished by their direct participation
in the therapy session. The skills of the family therapist thus include the ability to
influence conversations in a way that catalyses the strengths, wisdom, and support of
the wider system.
Family therapy has been used effectively in the full range of human dilemmas; there is
no category of relationship or psychological problem that has not been addressed with
this approach. The conceptual frameworks developed by family therapists, especially
those of family systems theorists, have been applied to a wide range of human
behaviour, including organisational dynamics and the study of greatness.
Family therapy uses a range of counseling and other techniques including:
 communication theory
 media and communications psychology
 psycho education
 psychotherapy
 relationship education
 systemic coaching
 systems theory
 reality therapy
 attachment-focused family therapy
The number of sessions depends on the situation, but the average is 5-20 sessions. A
family therapist usually meets several members of the family at the same time. This
has the advantage of making differences between the ways family members perceive
mutual relations as well as interaction patterns in the session apparent both for the
therapist and the family. These patterns frequently mirror habitual interaction patterns
at home, even though the therapist is now incorporated into the family system.
Therapy interventions usually focus on relationship patterns rather than on analyzing
impulses of the unconscious mind or early childhood trauma of individuals as a
Freudian therapist would do - although some schools of family therapy, for example
psychodynamic and intergenerational, do consider such individual and historical
factors (thus embracing both linear and circular causation) and they may use
instruments such as the geno gram to help to elucidate the patterns of relationship
across generations.
The distinctive feature of family therapy is its perspective and analytical framework
rather than the number of people present at a therapy session. Specifically, family
therapists are relational therapists: They are generally more interested in what goes on
between individuals rather than within one or more individuals, although some family
therapists—in particular those who identify as psychodynamic, object relations,

intergenerational, EFT, or experiential family therapists—tend to be as interested in
individuals as in the systems those individuals and their relationships constitute.
Depending on the conflicts at issue and the progress of therapy to date, a therapist may
focus on analyzing specific previous instances of conflict, as by reviewing a past
incident and suggesting alternative ways family members might have responded to
one another during it, or instead proceed directly to addressing the sources of conflict
at a more abstract level, as by pointing out patterns of interaction that the family might
have not noticed.
Family therapists tend to be more interested in the maintenance and/or solving of
problems rather than in trying to identify a single cause. Some families may perceive
cause-effect analyses as attempts to allocate blame to one or more individuals, with
the effect that for many families a focus on causation is of little or no clinical utility.
5. Occupational Therapy:
Occupational therapy is a discipline that aims to promote health by enabling people to
perform meaningful and purposeful activities. Occupational therapists work with
individuals who suffer from a mentally, physically, developmentally, and/or
emotionally disabling condition by utilizing treatments that develop, recover, or
maintain clients' activities of daily living. The therapist helps clients not only to
improve their basic motor functions and reasoning abilities, but also to compensate for
permanent loss of function. The goal of occupational therapy is to help clients have
independent, productive, and satisfying lives.
The World Federation of Occupational Therapists provides the following definition of
Occupational Therapy: "Occupational therapy is as a profession concerned with
promoting health and well being through engagement in occupation." Occupational
therapists use careful analysis of physical, environmental, psychosocial, mental,
spiritual, political and cultural factors to identify barriers to occupation. Occupational
therapy draws from the fields of psychology, sociology, anthropology, and many other
disciplines in developing its knowledge base.
Process of OT
An Occupational Therapist works systematically through a sequence of actions known
as the occupational therapy process. There are several versions of this process as
described by numerous writers. This version has 11 stages, which for the experienced
therapist may not be linear in nature. The stages are:
Referral
 Information gathering
 Initial assessment
 Needs identification/problem formation
 Goal setting
 Action planning
 Action

 Ongoing assessment and revision of action
 Outcome and outcome measurement
 End of intervention or discharge
 Review
Approaches in OT:Services typically include
Teaching new ways of approaching tasks.
How to break down activities into achievable components e.g. sequencing a complex
task like cooking a complex meal.
Comprehensive home and job site evaluations with adaptation recommendations.
Performance skills assessments and treatment. Adaptive equipment recommendations
and usage training. Environmental adaptation including provision of equipment or
designing adaptations to remove obstacles or make them manageable. Guidance to
family members and caregivers.The use of creative media as therapeutic activity
A key challenge for occupational therapy is to develop and maintain a definition of its
nature and scope assert that while this presents a challenge, it also results in a unique
flexibility which allows the discipline to move with the flow of social, cultural and
environmental change.
6. Behaviour therapy/counseling
It is used to help “clients acquire new coping skills, improve communication, or learn
to break maladaptive habits and overcome self-defeating emotional conflicts” (Corsini
& Wedding, 2000). The behavioural therapist/counsellor focuses on interpreting the
client’s behaviour, emphasizing a collaborative and positive relationship with the
client and values the use of objectivity to assess and understand the client.
As well as working with the principles of behaviour therapy, there are a number of
steps a therapist can utilise when in a session with a client (adapted from Seligman,
2006):
Identify the problem
This involves investigating what the problem is and its history. Also, identifying the
baseline of the problem such as the frequency, duration and severity of the
problem.There are a number of techniques used to assess and identify the problem of a
client. Techniques include:
1. Interviews: Interviewsare obviously the easiest way to obtain information about
a client as the counsellor can obtain information straight from the client.
Questions used in the interview include the use of what, when, where, how and
how often (Sharf, 2000).
2. Reports and ratings: Reports and ratings include using both self-report
inventories that the client can answer about his or her behaviour and checklists
and rating scales that those around the client may answer about the client’s
behaviour. These self-report inventories may assess depression, fear, anxiety,

social skills, health-related disorders, sexual dysfunction, and marital problems
(Sharf, 2000).
3. Observations: Direct observationsof the client may also be used to asses a
client’s behaviour. This can occur through a number of means including having
the client record the target behaviour as well as the frequency and what was
happening around him or her at the time. Another way is to observe the client
in either a simulated or naturalistic observation (Sharf, 2000).
4. Physiological methods: Physiological methodsinclude assessing the client’s
physical functioning when in different situations such as measuring blood
pressure, heart rate, respiration, and skin electrical conductivity (Sharf, 2000)
5. Negotiate Goals: Identifying goals involves selecting goals related to the
problem that are realistic, specific, and measurable. The goals also need to be
relevant to the client and positive to help keep the client motivated.
Behavioural Techniques
This involves identifying and developing strategies that will assist in the change
process. Techniques in behavioural therapies apply the learning principles to change
maladaptive behaviours (Weiten, 2007). The techniques do not focus on clients
achieving insights into their behaviour, rather the focus is just on changing the
behaviour.
For example, if a behavioural therapist was working with a client that has an alcohol
problem, the behavioural therapist would design a program to eliminate the behaviour
of drinking but there would be no focus on the issues or pathological symptoms
causing the alcohol problem.
There are a number of techniques used in behaviour therapy that have been
scientifically validated as being successful approaches to treating symptoms:
Systematic Desensitization: Systematic desensitization was developed by Joseph
Wolfe and was designed for clients with phobias. This treatment follows a process of
“counterconditioning” meaning the association between the stimulus and the anxiety
is weakened through the use of relaxation techniques, anxiety hierarchies and
desensitization (Weiten, 2007). The process of systematic desensitization is applied to
an example of a client with a fear of spiders below:

Exposure Therapies: Exposure therapies are designed to expose the client to feared
situations similar to that of systematic desensitization (Corey, 2005). The therapies
included are in vivo desensitisation and flooding. In vivo desensitization involves the
client being exposed to real life anxiety provoking situations. The exposure is brief to
begin with and eventually the client is exposed for longer periods of time to the fearful
situation.
As with systematic desensitisation, the client is taught relaxation techniques to cope
with the anxiety produced by the situation. The example of the client with a fear of
spiders will be used to demonstrate in vivo desensitization. To begin with the client
would be shown a spider in a container on the other side of the room for one minute.
This would gradually increase in time as well as the client getting closer to the spider
until eventually the client is able to be sitting near the spider for a prolonged period.
Flooding: Floodinginvolves the client being exposed to the actual or imagined fearful
situation for a prolonged period of time. The example of the client with the spider fear
would be that the client would be exposed to the spider or the thought of a spider for a
prolonged period of time and uses relaxation techniques to cope. There may be ethical

issues in using these techniques with certain fears or traumatic events and the client
should be provided with information on the techniques before utilising them so he or
she understands the process.
Aversion Therapy: The most controversial of the behavioural treatments, aversion
therapy is used by therapists as a last resort to an aversive behaviour (Weiten, 2007).
This treatment involves pairing the aversive behaviour (such as drinking alcohol) with
a stimulus with an undesirable response (such as a medication that induces vomiting
when taken with alcohol). This is designed to reduce the targeted behaviour (drinking
alcohol) even when the stimulus with the undesirable response is not taken
(medication).
Modelling: Modelling is used as a treatment that involves improving interpersonal
skills such as communication and how to act in a social setting. Techniques involved
in modelling are live modelling, symbolic modelling, role-playing, participant
modelling and covert modelling. Live modelling involves the client watching a
“model” such as the counsellor perform a specific behaviour, the client then copies
this behaviour. Symbolic modelling involves the client watching a behaviour
indirectly such as a video.
Role-playing is where the counsellor role-plays a behaviour with the client in order for
the client to practice the behaviour. Participant modelling involves the counsellor
modelling the behaviour and then getting the client to practice the behaviour while the
counsellor performs the behaviour. Covert modelling is where the client cannot watch
someone perform the behaviour but instead the counsellor gets the client to imagine a
model performing the behaviour (Sharf, 2000).
Biofeedback: Biofeedback involves the therapist getting feedback of the client’s
bodily functions and in turn providing the information to clients to help him or her
engage in relaxation techniques (Weiten, 2007). For example, during a therapy session
the client is hooked up to an electromyograph (EMG) to measure the skeletal-
muscular tension in the body. This information is then used for the client to help
control their physiological responses and implement relaxation techniques.
Implement the Plan
This involves the plan that has been developed being implemented for the process of
change to occur.
Assess Progress
The progress of the plan is assessed and the plan is evaluated. The plan is revised for
any areas of need and successes are reinforced. Reinforcing success helps to keep the
client motivated and ensures more success.
Continue the Process
This is the process is continued by ensuring plans are continued and that plans include
preventing relapse of problems.

Unit – 4
Guidance:
Definition of guidance
Guidance is the process of helping individuals achieved the self-understanding
and self-direction necessary to make the maximum adjustment to school, home and
community.-FRANK W. MILLER
Nature /characteristics of guidance:
(1) Guidance is a process
Guidance is not a product but a process. A process on the other hand, involves
many services and programmes whose aims are to help the individual to help by
himself..
(2) It’s a continuous Process:
Guidance is a continuous process. It does not end in many particular ages and
stages of life. Rather it is a life long process. It starts with the birth of the child and
continuous till the end of life.
(3) Guidance is meant for all./Guidance is Universal:
Guidance is not only meant for abnormal, exceptional and pupils with problems
to be helped to solve and to be helped to develop to the maximum rather it is meant
for all, (for normal person also guidance is needed.)
(4) Guidance is apart from Instruction:
Guidance is completely different form instruction, in the sense that instruction
is primarily concerned with assisting students to gain mastery over subject matter and
skills. Guidance is, on the other hand, is not confined to any area of a particular
subject matter nor it is confined to information alone. It is primarily concerned with
solving problems or meeting pupils need belonging to non-instructional fields.
(5)Guidance is both specialized and generalized services:
Guidance runs both as a specialized and generalized service. In big
organization it runs in a specialized way and it requires the help of trained and
specialized staff for the independent and separate/particular duties and activities to
provide specific help to each individual. But in small organization it runs in
generalized way where the teacher/parents, subject expert can solve almost all the
problems without referring all the cases to the guidance worker and counselor.
(6) Guidance is highly organized:
Even if guidance runs as generalized or specialized way yet it is highly
organized. And the activities of guidance programme aim at to achieve certain
predetermined objectives.
(7) Various disciplines contribute to the field of guidance:
As a matter of fact a particular discipline deals with particular aspect of life i.e
physiology deals with health, psychology deals with mind, biology deals with life of

animal and men, but guidance is such a faculty which deals with the entire aspects of
life.
(8) Guidance is a process of development rather than direction:
Guidance is not provided in the form of trust or compulsion instruction or
learning, rather it is provided in the form of assistance. It is a kind of help or
assistance to guide him, understand himself and the environment.
(9) Guidance fulfills some aims of education:
The aim of guidance is to assist the individual in resolving his problems in life
and achieving the goal.
(10) Guidance is meant for both instructional and non-instructional activities:
Guidance is not to be equated with removing problems of instructional
activities or of education rather its importance is felt more in non-instructional
activities and co-curricular activities also.
(11) Guidance is a kind of help or assistance to the individual in order to help by
himself:
Generally guidance is an individual process no two individuals are alike and
the problems thinking process needs desires, mental conditions, differ. So guidance
basically an individual process.
(12) Guidance is both teacher centred and counselor centred:
Guidance is a process to provide help or assistance in this process different
personnel involve. Different types of help are provided to an individual but among
those what ever guide ones way of life, and way of living is major area of guidance.
Objectives of Guidance:
These are some of the objective of guidance
a. To enable the individual/person to be matured, socially responsible,
economically self-sufficient and ultimately to be self-directing citizen, for that
necessary programmes are undertaken for his best development
b. To achieve self-sufficiency in each and every aspects of life the
individual/person is helped to analyse his self clearly i.e. his strength,
limitation, interests, aptitudes, abilities, potentialities etc.
c. Guidance is organized with the help of different services to provide realistic
information about potentialities of the individual and the opening of the world
of work in which he is best fitted for.
d. Through different sources it places/provides with real/true picture of the
individual before him on the basis of which he can purse the future course of
action accordingly.
e. Besides collection of relevant data/information guidance can store it
systematically, add new information’s and made available all these information
to all who are responsible in dealing or developing the person/individual.

f. Enable one to fix the realistic goal/objective and provide different available
means to achieve those goals/objectives the individual can select amongst those
means as best fit to him in realizing these objectives.
g. It enables the individual/person to take right decision in each and every stage of
his life by overcoming the unnecessities and incorporating the necessities.
h. It empowers the individual to modify his plan of action if it is not in harmony
with the facts/realities of life along with needs of the present and future
situations/requirements.
Importance of Guidance:
Advancement in science and technology has revolutionized the pace of
evolution. The modern life has all ready been competitive and complex this has
resulted in changing the needs and demands of the individual and society respectively.
The rapid changes and challenges have compelled to feel the importance of guidance
for each and everybody to face the needs and demands of complex world.
Everybody needs to excel in his own field to get himself adjusted in
this competing world of work. It is therefore necessary to know ones abilities,
potentialities and dispositions objectively. Hence, guidance is needed to each and
every ages and stages of one’s life to get realistic and objective picture of one self.
(1) Achievement of National Goal and Objectives:
India is a democratic, social, secular country where everybody has got
equal rights in sharing with formation of government. Hence, to achieve the national
goal and objectives guidance is provided to all so that everybody can participate
equally in making democracy a success one.
(2) Universal Literacy:
Universal literacy is another factor of successful running of a
democratic country. Due to poverty. casteism, negative attitude of villagers towards
education general and literacy in particular, the target of universal literacy remains far
away from reality. Successful implementation of guidance programme can help in
achieving the target by making everybody aware of the importance of education for
national development.
(3) Economics Self-Sufficiency:)
Guidance can enable each and everybody to be economically self-
sufficient even if job/vocation is not available in plenty in government organizations
and institutions. Since dearth of suitable skilled man power is a problem now-a-days
guidance can prepare each and every body to prepare him according to the
requirements of the world of work.
(4) Inculcation of Moral, Ethical and Spiritual Values:
Industrialization modernizations have influenced the attitude of the
people to inculcate material comfort. This in turn has reflected in their moral and

ethical behaviour therefore to save the world from corruption, terrorism, and religion
based casteism, anti-social activities, theft etc moral and ethical values should be
inculcated within the people through the process of active guidance programme.
(5) Development of Positive Attitude:
Because guidance makes each and every individual aware of the
importance of positive attitude in the life and living of everybody.
(6) Adjustment to situations of life fully:
Every individual has got his own limitations beyond which he can do
nothing. But modern day life is full of compition, rivalry, sabotism; hence, everybody
must helped to help by him self in adjusting with the realities of life. The moment one
realize his innate potentialities he can be able to get him fully adjusted with the
varying situations of life.
MODELS OF GUIDANCE
1. Opportunity Structure:
Roberts' adherents stress the importance of opportunity structures. The careers
adviser informs clients, the parents of schoolchildren and other agencies of the latest
trends in economic figures in order to make transition to work as painless as
possible. Examples of modern trends in Britain are for the expansion of service
industries and the decline of manufacturing industries, small companies as employers
(as against large corporations), the prevalence of information technology and an
increase of temporary and part-time jobs compared to the days of full-time 'jobs for
life'.
2.Developmental model:
Developmental models draw on the human development theories. Different careers
and other counsellors will decide on the most appropriate theories to apply to
practice. Active considerations within interviews may include a client's career
maturity and developmental tasks.
3. Person centred model:
Person-centred approaches, drawing from Rogers, tend to focus on warm accepting
techniques for developing individuals through self-awareness.
4. Goal directed model: Goal-directed orientations draw from behaviourism, with its
emphasis on measurable goals and on invoking the importance of short- and long-term
consequences in motivating individuals. These approaches have led to the idea of
contracting after early screening and may have a bearing on realistic decision-making
and becoming aware of the process of how decisions are made.
5. Trait-factor model:
Trait-factor covers the importance of individuals fitting into suitable work. Although
this assumes that personality is stable over long-term, it may be seen to draw from
learning theories such as behaviourism or psychodynamic theories of development.

Usually the result of extensive empirical research, trait-factor theories have not been
unduly concerned with the origins of personalities.
Criticisms of the models.
Opportunity structures, beyond a certain post-modernist cynicism, does not
offer the careers adviser positive directions. Even the notion of information
dissemination is flawed. The trends mentioned above are just that; historians admit
that the past is not a guide to the future. More to the point, the pursuance of trends
may encourage individuals to follow occupations to which they are unsuited. Given
widespread competition, an individual without motivation or ability is likely to fail; a
better suited individual at least has a chance of gaining an edge. Moreover, there are
dangers in the application of opportunity structures as mere disseminations of trends.
Careless application of this method ignore, for example, the following significant
paradox: whilst the manufacturing industry is indeed declining in Britain, the ensuing
lack of popularity means that there is a shortfall in engineers, particularly electronic
engineers, and also scientists. Trends are also taken to extremes: are permanent full-
time jobs a thing of the past, for example, or have their deaths been highly
exaggerated?
Developmental models are either inapplicable in isolation or too ridden by
complexities for practical use in isolation from other considerations. Although they
have had some influence on practice, goal-directed models are not generally applied
within practical guidance.
The widespread Rogerian techniques of person-centred or process models may
carry with them a largely irrelevant therapeutic underpinning when applied to careers
guidance. Without other clearly defined theories in play, process may become the
theoretical basis for career interventions, thereby tending to ignore realistic
considerations of personal ability, opportunity structures.
Trait-factor has often suffered a critical press, partly because of the
prescriptiveness of the early Seven-point Plan and, probably more influential, because
of controversies during the early development of psychometric testing. The latter are
very much associated with the perceived weaknesses of this scientifically supported
model: it is perceived to be mechanistic and divorced from clients' individuality.
PRINCIPLES OF GUIDANCE
Guidance is a continuous process.
Guidance activities are specifically planned and developed to ensure program
effectiveness
Guidance should not be limited to few
Guidance is fundamentally the responsibility of the parents in the home and in the
school.
Guidance is education but not all education is guidance.
Guidance is a learning process

Guidance is helping the client understand himself
Guidance is based on the true concept of the client.
Differences between counseling and guidance:
While many people may not know it, there is a difference between guidance and
counseling. Perhaps the confusion stems from being involved with a guidance
counselor at a young age in high school. Since guidance counselors offered advice and
guidance, many people believe that guidance and counseling are one in the same.
However, each has its own unique nuances that separate the two. Guidance Read
more.... involves helping a person understand themselves and the world. Guidance
consists of a lot of attentive listening and discussing a wide range of possible remedies
or solutions to a particular problem or obstacle. The primary focus of guidance is to
assist someone who has a problem by learning their plight, finding a possible solution
that works best for that person and advising the person on how they might follow
through with their solution. Counseling, on the other hand, often consists of a series of
talking and listening sessions to work through issues or large problems. Counseling
usually involves helping a person better understand their problem and the root of their
problem, so that it can be ultimately corrected. Most counselors are well-educated and
have some type of background in psychology. The primary goal of a counselor is to
help someone fully understand their problems or obstacles so they can find a
resolution and avoid them in the future. Counseling usually involves a confidential
meeting with a counselor and an individual or group. This meeting is to help
individuals resolved or cope with problems. Many people are embarrassed when they
need to see a counselor for guidance or help. There is no reason to be embarrassed.
Everyone handles things differently and sometimes just having a non judgmental
person to talk to will make someone feel better. Counselors often help others see
things and understand things about a certain situation that they may not have noticed
or understood prior to seeing a counselor.
Counseling vs Guidance
Most people often interchange the words guidance and counseling. This is primarily
because we are so used to the term guidance counselor from our schools. These
professionals we know from childhood usually help students in their way to college,
often giving them advices involving personal or educational problems as well as
showcasing options for college and future careers. Guidance counselors often function
to guide children and young individuals to become mature and responsible members
of society by developing the person’s way of thinking and motivating them to prepare
for their chosen careers and vocations.
Guidance and Counseling are both processes that are done to help solve a person’s
problems in life, however the way these problems are dissected and tackled vary. The
way the problems are tackled could ultimately depend on the way the person in need
of advice or help may be more comfortable with.

Guidance involves listening carefully to the problems of the burdened individuals and
discussing possible readymade solutions that could help solve or at least alleviate the
problem discussed at hand. In this way, the person who is in dilemma can choose
whether or not to accept the said solution and carry out the solution with him. Most
often than not, the solutions that are given out sincerely and thus are often followed
and carried out.
Counseling, on the other hand, involves a series of talking and listening, discussing
the problem at hand and sharing relevant information that could help the person
understand the problem and make his or her own decision or course of action. The
process of counseling usually ends with the advisee having with him an insight of the
problem and a more empowered self that could help the person make future decisions.
This way the advisee can be more intuitive in the future and can learn to dissect and
understand future problems.
Some people state that guidance is only a part of counseling wherein the act of
listening to the problem and discussing solutions can be done repeatedly until the
problem is well understood by the advisee and possible ways or solutions can be
extracted from the repetition.
Difference between Counseling and Guidance
- Guidance is broader and comprehensive whereas counseling is in-depth, narrowing
down the problem until the advisee understands his/her own problem.
- Counseling help people to understand themselves, it is an inward analysis.
Alternative solutions are proposed to help understand the problem. Focus on
counseling is not on solution but on understanding the problem. Adviser may be able
to bring emotional change or change in feeling.
- Guidance on the other hand is more external, help a person understand alternative
solutions available across him and makes him understand his personality and help
him choose the right solution. Here the focus is on finding solution. The guidance may
bring attitude change on the advisee.
- Guidance is generally education and career related, it can be on personal problems
too, but commonly it is impersonal whereas counseling mostly on personal and social
issues.
A lot of people are familiar with guidance and counseling but are often ashamed to see
a counselor for guidance or attend group counseling to help them understand their
problems and discuss possible solutions. It is often difficult to see solutions to
problems when one is burdened and having to talk to a person with no bias or pre-
judgment is a great way to cope with the obstacles in life. Guidance and counseling,
therefore, are great ways to help people handle their problems themselves.
Of course, a little help will no doubt cause problems as long as the advisee is open
minded and is willing to accept his or her own faults and flaws. Problems can be
solved with the right amount of dedication, contemplation and understanding.

Basics of counseling and guidance

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