Page 148 - DEDU502_GUIDANCE_AND_COUNSELING_ENGLISH

Guidance and Counseling

Notes • In the counseling of personal problems the psychotherapeutic model assumes a somewhat
different character. In this, information and planning in logical terms do not play that central a
role.
• Readiness: Clients broadly fall under two broad categories, the first consisting of those who
seeks assistance voluntarily and the second comprises those referred.
• Counter Will: Often people experience difficulty in asking for help and accepting it as well.
Because in some cases, they are reluctant to face the consequences of change and for some
receiving help means an admission of inadequacy of failure.
• Case History: This is a term very often used in this field. A case history can be defined as a
systematic collection of facts about the client present and past life. However, the focus of
attention varies with the theoretical orientations of the counselor like a psychoanalytically
oriented counselor looking for relevant childhood experiences, etc.
• Stage I: The first stage is the awareness of need for help. Most individuals go about their day-
to-day lives without much awareness of their situation and they appear to be none the worse
for it.
• Stage II: The second important stage in counseling consists of the development of relationship.
This can be viewed as a bridge connecting the counsellee’s personality with that of the
counselor’s, penetrating through the other defenses. The development of an emotionally warm
and understanding relationship is the first step in the Counseling relationship.
• Stage III: Thp third step in counseling is to aid the expression of feelings and clarification of
problems. In psychoanalytic terminology this is similar to ‘catharsis’. In a sense, it is a ventilation
of feelings and the client experiences a feeling of relief consequent to the release of tension.
There is an awareness of relief from emotional stress obtained through the communication of
problems.
• Stage IV: The next stags emprises the exploration of deeper feelings. We have said in the
preceding section that the client may mistake ventilation of feelings for resolution of feelings. It
is necessary that the counselor should not be content with a superficial view of the client’s
feelings.
• Stage V: The preceding stage logically leads to the next stage, comprising the integration process.
A proper appreciation of the feelings and underlying polarities can help diffuse emotional
tension and the counselor can help the client see each feeling in its proper perspective without
either unduly exhibiting fear or withdrawal or showing lack of concern.
• Stage VI: The next stage, though not spelt out very clearly, is concerned with the time perspective.
Clients usually are confused about their time perspective. They are not able to see the present
as logically arising from the past or the present affecting the future.
• Stage VII: This stage is one of developing the awareness of the counsellee. A number of
counselors and psychotherapists stress the importance of helping the client gain insight into
himself as well as insight into the world around him. This term, ‘insight’, is usually used
synonymously with awareness.
• Therefore this stage is the actual test to determine the success of counseling. If the client is not
able to adapt himself to his surroundings then we can infer that he has not gained much from
counseling.
• Beginning of counseling session (introduction) : As the patient enters the room, greet the
person, call the person by name, welcome the client and make him/her comfortable.
• Active attending or Listening : It is most important point in counseling because the details
provided by the client are based on it. Active listening means listening carefully and paying
attention to verbal as well as non verbal signals.
• Some of these nonverbal activities are counselee entering the room, Voice quality, Breathing,
Eyes, Facial expressions, Leg movement & Body posture.
• Questioning : Always try to use questions and establish communications so that both the
problem and the solutions are clear. Asks questions in order to clarify the situation and make

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