Page 276 - DEDU502_GUIDANCE_AND_COUNSELING_ENGLISH

Guidance and counseling

Notes • act as a resource for teachers and faculty members involved in helping students or graduates
identify and pursue employment opportunities.
• evaluate the effectiveness of the consulting work they do with teachers and other professionals.
• Educational counselors usually work standard school or office hours but may spend additional
evening and weekend hours supervising extra-curricular activities, attending meetings,
advocating for students, developing workshops or other programs, and planning for their
interactions with clients or other professionals.
• A capable counselor must possess a number of personal qualities and develop the proper
attitudes to make a client feel at ease and to build rapport so that a client can self-disclose.
• Empathic understanding is the ability to see things from the client’s perspective. Without this
quality a counselor will be unable to comprehend the problems, experiences, thoughts and
feelings of another person, and will not be able to offer clients the level of supportive
understanding that they will require.
• The counselor’s full attention and empathy encourages a client to relax and trust and encourages
self-disclosure.
• A counselor should be agreeable and act appropriately to provide the client with a comfortable
foundation for the counseling relationship. Only by creating a friendly atmosphere can the
counselor encourage interaction and disclosure.
• Maintain warmth and genuine understanding.
• Use appropriate body language such as a non-threatening posture, while maintaining eye
contact and respecting the client’s personal space.
• Counselors must at all times show respect for clients and their welfare. They must also remain
impartial and non-judgmental.
•` A client must feel comfortable, safe and confident that confidentiality will be maintained at all
times and also that the counselor is committed to helping, encouraging and supporting.
• It is of vital importance in the counseling relationship that the counselor demonstrates a positive
acceptance of the client and that the client is valued and respected.
• A positive, unconditional regard for the wellbeing of a client is the basis from which clients
can explore their thoughts, feelings and experiences, and develop an understanding and
acceptance of their emotions.
• Important values
• Human dignity

• Alleviating personal distress
• Appreciating the differences in culture
• Personal skills
• Each counselor will bring their own unique abilities, qualities and skills into a counseling
relationship to help ensure that their client feels safe and supported. These may include :
• Personal knowledge
• In addition to counseling qualifications, a counselor should be armed with sufficient personal
knowledge and understanding of what counseling is all about.
• Personal development
• Through his/her own development a counselor will also pick up additional understanding
and knowledge, which can be used effectively to support a client during the counseling
process.

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