TOPIC 1 - GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING

Foundations of Guidance and Counseling:

Both guidance and counselling existed in our traditional societies. This involved educating the youth about
the traditions and culture of a specific community. It was done by the elders of the community. They were
not trained but depended on their age, knowledge, wisdom and experience. Counselling was also an
accepted practice among members of the society, e.g. whenever there existed a marital problem, or a
deviant behaviour, elders would be called upon to give counsel.
Due to the changes that have taken place in our societies, the traditional guidance and counselling is no
longer effective. The concept of the extended family does not hold anymore. Parents are rarely at home to
give guidance to their children. Children spend most of their time in school from a very early age. The
demands of the society have changed as well and have become more complex. Parents do not always hold
the necessary information to give proper guidance and counselling to their children. As a result of all these
changes, guidance and counselling have become more formalized.

What is guidance?
Guidance is derived from the root word “guide”, which means to direct, pilot,manage, steer, aid, assist,
lead, inform, interact.
 According to Shertzer and Stone (1976) guidance is a process of helping an individual understand
himself and his world.
 Peterson, H.J (1977) defines guidance as a term referring to a broad area of educational activities
and services aimed at assisting individuals in making and carrying out adequate plans and
achieving satisfactory adjustment in life.
 The Kenya Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (1971) defines guidance as a
continuing process concerned with determining and providing for the developmental needs of
learners. It is a life long process that involves helping individuals both as part of a group and at
personal level
In summary guidance is an on going process aimed at assisting an individual be aware of his/her
identity, resources, and limitations in order to adjust well in life. One has to be aware of his world in
terms of the resources available to be used by the individual to exploit his full potential, and lead a
productive happy life. We all need guidance throughout life.
Counseling

 Rogers (1961) refers to counselling as a series of direct contacts with the individual, which aim at
offering assistance in changing attitudes and behaviour.
 Joseph Perez, 1965, counselling is an interactive process conjoining the counselee, who is
vulnerable and who needs assistance, and the counsellor who is trained and educated to give this
assistance. The goal is to help the counselee learn to deal more effectively with himself and the
reality of his environment.
 Inskipp and John (1984) counselling is a way of selecting and responding to another person, so
that the person is helped to explore his or her thoughts, feelings and behaviour. This assists the
counselee to search for a clearer self-understanding of him/herself, to find and use his/her
strengths. He or she then manages to cope more effectively with life, by making appropriate
decisions or taking relevant action
In summary counseling is
 a helping relationship or interaction between a professional referred to as counselor/therapist (a
person trained to provide treatments and rehabilitation for people) and the person seeking help
referred to as the client
• a therapeutic relationship. It involves use of skills, techniques, approaches & theories.
• a Relationship: It has two people working together but at least one of the parties (counsellor) has
the intent of promoting positive growth/change, development, maturity, and improved functioning of
the other (Carl Rogers). E.g. from dissatisfaction to satisfaction, pain to comfort, low esteem to
high esteem, and low social skill to high social skills.
• has a focus on the problems of the person who is being helped (client) which helps them to
examine their concerns objectively.
• is a process because is not a single event but it involves a sequence of actions and practices
progressing towards a goal.
• has purpose, and it takes commitment to achieve the goal.
• involves the counsellor giving time, therefore has a plan and a time frame.
• has a contract, and it is consistent.
NOTE: What Counseling is not:-

 Counseling is not a conversation- it is not simply two people, exchanging information and opinions.
 Counseling is not discussion- different points of view are not being argued.
 Counseling is not an interrogation. The client is not being morally evaluated, pardoned or
absorbed by the counselor.
 Counseling is not the giving of information – The client does not come to the counselor only for
information although information may sometimes be given.
 Counseling is not about influencing attitudes, beliefs, behaviours by counselor – the client is not
persuaded, compelled, or threatened to change his attitudes to those of the counselor.
 Different points of view are not being argued.

 The client is not being questioned to find out the truth.

 Counselling is not a confession.

 Counselling is not giving advice - The counsellor does not tell the client what he should do.

 Counselling is not a confession.

 The client is not being morally evaluated, pardoned, or absolved by the counsellor.

 Counselling is not giving advice

 The counsellor does not tell the client what he should do.

 The client is not persuaded, compelled, or threatened to change his attitude to those of the
counsellor.
What is Advice?

• Advice is an opinion given or offered as to a future action. When given repeatedly, it can create
dependency.

• However the aim of counselling is to enable clients to become autonomous by discovering their
own wisdom rather than have wisdom imparted on them by the counsellor.

Principles of Counselling

• Human beings have the capability and the capacity to be what they would want to be
• A client should move towards a greater level of self-awareness, self-understanding and self-
acceptance.
 • The client should develop a greater level of honesty particularly honesty towards self.
• Objectives of counseling should be based on the client’s needs not the counselor’s needs.
Who Can Benefit from Counselling?

Counselling is beneficial to all people experiencing problems in their day to day lives. It is for normal people
struggling with issues of self, including lack of confidence, lack of being assertive, feelings of anxiety, fear,
aging, issues that relate to others including relationship problems, marital problems, loss of loved ones,
parenting etc.

Aims of Counseling

• Counseling aims at helping people to;

• To understand their situation more clearly.

• Identify a range of options for improving their situation.

• Make choices which fit their values, feelings and needs.

• Make their own informed decisions and act on them.

• Cope better with a problem.

• Develop life skills.

• Provide support for others whilst preserving their own strength

Why psychological?

• Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior.

• By making effort to understand human being’s thinking or cognition as well as behavior, a

counselor will be able to be more effective when counseling as they already have a deeper
understanding of human beings.

Qualities of an effective Helper

Definition of Terms

• Quality- A quality is a distinguishing attribute or characteristic.

• Helper- A person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose.
 • Attitude- Manner, disposition, feeling, position with regard to a person or thing especially of the
mind. In counselling it is a learned tendency to evaluate things in a certain way.

Qualities of an effective Helper

• Patience

• Good Listening

• Warm

• Knowledgeable

• Empathetic and caring

• Trustworthy

• Personal Integrity

• Non judgmental

• Observant

• Self-aware

Attitudes

• Respect -It is the acceptance and appreciation of a person as they are.

• Genuineness - This is honesty with oneself.

• Empathy -Empathy is the ability to accurately understand what another person is undergoing and
communicate that understanding.

DICHOTOMY OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING

Guidance and Counseling are like the two sides of the same coin. There are similarities between the two
process. Olu Makinde (1984) advanced the following distinctions between Guidance and Counseling as
follows

GUIDANCE COUNSELLING
1. Guidance is the “body” of psychotherapy- a 1 Counseling is the “heart of
building up process - involves those experiences .
that assist each learner to understand him/herself, Psychotherapy (healing process )
accept him/herself and live effectively in his/her
society 2
2 . Counseling is affective: It is value-
Guidance is knowledge based - factual. It deals oriented; deals with perception,
. with principles, methods and cognitions. motivation, needs and feelings.
3. Guidance is less personal and less intimate. It is 3 Counseling is more personal, intimate
usually structured and more public. and less structured. It is interpersonal,
private and confidential.
4 Counseling is largely emotional,
Guidance is informative and didactic . flexible and less didactic.
4.
Guidance is usually initiated by counselor. 5 Counseling is usually initiated by the
5.
. client.

As noted earlier, there are similarities between the process of Guidance and that of Counseling as follows:-

1. Both Guidance and Counseling assist individuals understand themselves and their worlds.
2. Both processes help individuals to find solutions to their problems.
3. Both are concerned with individual’s personal development and individual’s behavioral process.
4. Both are based on the recognition of the dignity and worth of the individual client as well as his/her
right to make choices.
5. Both are oriented towards co-operation and not compulsion.

1.3 IMPORTANCE OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING PROGRAM IN

SCHOOLS

 Provides Educational Guidance to enable students select subjects/courses realistically for future
careers and for high academic performance.
 Vocational Guidance is also provided to help students choose careers wisely considering their
strengths, limitations and their interests.
  Guides students on vocational pursuits such as co-curricular activities, to occupy their leisure time
constructively.
 For moral well-being students are helped to adhere to school rules and accepted code of conduct.
 Assists students in their interpersonal relationships, students come from heterogeneous
backgrounds and they need assistance in order to attain proper social adjustment. (Orientation
services assist in this area).
 Provides health Guidance to equip students with information to enable them make a choice to
promote good physical and mental health. Issues such as drug abuse, STI’s,/ HIV/Aids, proper
diet and hygiene are addressed.
 Provides counseling to help students with personal problems emanating from family, friends,
painful memories, inferiority, low self-esteem, loneliness etc.
 Civic Guidance is also provided for students to understand their rights and responsibilities as
citizens.
1.4 RELEVANCE OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING TO TEACHER TRAINEE
1. The study of Guidance and Counseling helps the teacher understand sources of frustration
among student.
2. Enables teachers to assist students adapt to frustrations without over using defense mechanisms.
3. The study helps teachers to assist students with social, biological or moral issues.
4. Teachers are able to guide students to set realistic goals and attain them.
5. Assists teachers to be able to assist students in their vocational aspiration.
6. Helps the teachers understand the changes taking place in society i.e social, economic, political
etc to be able to adapt and accommodate them as well as help the student adjust.
7. Teachers are equipped with skills and attitudes that enable them counsel students individually
and in groups.
1.5 GOALS OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING
The following are some of the goals that guidance and counseling aims to achieve:-

1. Promote human welfare, reduce discomforts and facilitate all round development of an individual.
2. Understand human behaviour and help individuals/groups understand their own behaviour and
process of behaviour change.
3. Bring about and maintain mental and physical well-being thereby releasing energy for creative
living.
 4. Increase persons sense of worth (self- esteem) or self-regard so that one prizes himself and
accepts oneself. The handicapped are accorded special concern to create a sense of dignity and
self-worth.
5. Develop rationality, giving rise to logical and correct thinking.
6. Develop personal responsibility enabling the individual accept full responsibilities of his/her own
behaviour.
7. Help individuals develop capacity for good interpersonal relationship, by being aware of self-
respecting and being mindful of others.
8. Develop a democratic personality structure with the ability to respect the views and opinions of
others.
9. Establish a sense of trustworthiness based upon ethical living having honesty, integrity etc.
10. Show concern for socially and economically disadvantaged through support and counseling for
better adjustment.
11. Concern for preventive measures in molding individuals through sex education, drug abuse
information etc.
12. Train personnel in methods and skills of counseling to improve the state of humanity.
13. Carry out research to improve the services of Guidance and counseling.

FOCUS AREAS OF GUIDANCE

 Personal and social guidance

 Educational
 Vocational
 Health
 Civic guidance