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Unit 17: Counseling Services: Individual Counseling

This may be initiated by his suggestion that “our time is all but up.” The counselor asks the Notes
student to summarize those aspects of the interview that were most meaningful and assists
him, as necessary, in reviewing the objective and whether or not it was achieved. Plans for the
future must then be made.
Will there be another interview ? When ? Where ? Or should there be a referral ? Should tests
be taken ? Information sources tapped ? When counselor and student have reached an
understanding concerning how they might handle matters such as these, the counselor stands
up (an excellent way to prevent a reopening of concerns) and sees the client to the outer office.
7. Planning the follow-up : After each interview the counselor should make some brief notes as
a check upon his own faulty memory and in order to keep a running record of what has
transpired through the series of interviews.
These can be reviewed briefly before the next formal contact with the student. Even though no
immediate contact is planned with the student, a note can be made to see the student briefly
, after a week or a month to learn whether the established objectives have been reached and
whether the counselor can be of future assistance.
This informal, individual follow-up can be structured to give the counselor some evidence of
whether or not he was effective. A more comprehensive, mass follow-up is conducted separately
as a guidance service to study groups such as all seniors, all recent graduates, or all students
now in technical schools.

Regardless of the approach utilized in a particular counselling interview, there are certain
general considerations to which attention should be directed. The interviewer should try
to put himself in the other person’s place and listen to what he has to say without base or
prejudice. Suggestions made or questions asked by the counselor should be given in a
friendly manner aimed at setting the counselee at ease and winning his confidence.

Without seeming to hurry the interview, the interviewer should keep the conversation focused on
the problem at hand, avoiding consideration of extraneous matters. Finally the counselee should
leave the interview with the feeling that he has been helped by his counselor and that he can return
for further counselling.
A question often asked is whether or not the interviewer should take notes during the interview.
For the purpose of evaluating the interview or in preparation for an ensuring interview, on-the-spot
notes are better than attempts at recall after the interview. However, an emotionally disturbed
individual may react unfavourably to seeing the counselor job down what is being said. The counselor
can make it a practice to allow the interviewee to see what he writes and to explain its purpose.
Usually this procedure encourages co-operation on the part of the counselee. A code may be used
for any point which should not come to the individual’s attention. Recording an interview has value
either if the counselee is unaware that it is being done or if he knows about it and approves. Otherwise,
the presence of the recording equipment may inhibit free expression on the part of the counselee.
The success of an interview depends on whether or not the counselee (1) believes that he has been
helped, (2) is willing to return for another interview, and (3) exhibits an improved ability to meet
and solve similar problems in the future. Whether the interviewer plays a relatively active or passive
role, he can benefit from practicing the following “Do’s” and “Don’t’s” that are included in a handbook
for the teachers, counselors, and principals of the Canton, Ohio, Public Schools.

17.5. Advantages of Individual Counseling

• Even when couples or family counselling will follow, most family counselors will want to see
each partner for at least one session to gather information that can better facilitate future work.

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