Page 188 - DEDU502_GUIDANCE_AND_COUNSELING_ENGLISH

Guidance and Counseling

Notes l. Preparing for the interview and getting started : Counseling can hardly be expected to be
effective unless both counselor and student are prepared for what is to take place. The counselor
may need to review background data concerning the student or read notes made after the last
meetings. He may know of some materials or information sources that he could have readily
available. The student, if he is aware of the purposes of counselling, should consider, how he
can best use the time available. As described earlier in the chapter, the counselor uses his skill
in communication to draw upon what the student wants, what he is attempting to say, and
what he considers of current primary importance.
2. Developing opening structure : The student needs to know who The counselor is, what he is
able to do, and what he expects of the student. This should be done briefly and simply.
Experienced counselors know how to communicate quickly and effectively.
3. Establishing the objectives : As a product of his training and experience, the counselor will
be, aware of objectives he can set for himself in counselling. These stem from his professional
value system and the way he conceptualizes human development. They are manifested in the
ways that he can effectively behave and communicate with students.

During the opening minutes of the interview, the counselor and student need to
establish objectives or goals toward which they can work in the time available. The
objectives are not of a fixed nature and may be revised as the interview develops.

An objective must be attainable and realistic in order to be a goal worth pursuing. The student
who suggests, “I’d just like to be everyone,” will need assistance from the counselor in making
the objective realistic. “I wish I had two friends who cared” would be a goal toward which
they might work. Counseling without process objectives on the part of the counselor and
student objectives in terms that are meaningful to him is a futile endeavour.
4. Building the relationship : As the interview progresses, the counselor must continue to build
upon the relationship that has been established. His honesty, expression of interest, humanness,
and perceptiveness will allow the student to realize that the counselor is fully committed to
assisting him. At times, however, the novice counselor needs to remember to let a little of
himself out. A warm smile, a touch on the hand, a nod of understanding, any act of caring that
is shown will help the student to invest a little more of himself and be more honest in his
communication.
5. Helping the student to talk : The counselor may perceive that the student is reluctant to
discuss some concerns or some aspects of concerns even though a sound, trusting relationship
has been developed. When this occurs, the counselor may need to give particular assistance to
get communication going.
The threatening nature of the concern probably prohibits approaching it frontally. The counselor
must therefore rely upon spontaneity and sensitivity in (a) assisting the student to express his
feelings, (b) understanding why the student is experiencing difficulty, and (c) helping the
student to recognise feelings of which he is unaware or has difficulty accepting. The counselor’s
own relaxed and reassuring manner will convey more than the words he uses.
6. Terminating the interview : The counselor must use his skill in developing closing, as well as
opening, structure. He initiates this phase of the interview by pausing longer between responses,
focusing more upon cognitive than affective aspects of the student’s concern, and not
encouraging further exploration of subtleties or tension-producing areas. His sensitivity assists
him in determining when the focus might be changed to the summary and plans for subsequent
meetings.

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