Unit- II
Course Code: MED15204DCE
COUNSELLING
COUNSELLING
Counseling is a process of helping individuals or group of people to gain self-
understanding in order to be themselves. Counseling is a reflection of a professional
relationship between a trained counselor and a client. Olayinka (1972) defined it to be a
process whereby a person is helped in a face-to-face relationship while Makinde (1983)
explained counseling as an enlightened process whereby people help others by encouraging
their growth. Counseling is a process designed to help clients understand and clarify
personal views of their life space, and to learn to reach their self-determined goals through
meaningful, well-informed choices and a resolution of problems of an emotional or
interpersonal nature. It believes that every human individual has the potential for self-
growth, self-development and self-actualization.
Counselling is ……
A process between two persons
A professional job of a professionally trained person
A process to help the person in solving his problems independently
Definitions
1. According to Shostorm and Brammer, “Counselling is a purposeful reciprocal
relationship between two people in which one, a trained person helps the other to
change himself or his environment”.
2. According to Ruth Strong Counseling is a face to face relationship in which growth
takes place in the counsellor as well as the counselee
3. According to Myers, “Counselling means a relationship between two persons in
which one person provides special assistance to the others.”
, 4. According to Webster dictionary counselling is defined as-Consultation, mutual
interchange of opinions, deliberating together.
5. According to Wren, “Counselling is a dynamic and purposeful relationship between
two people who approach a mutually defined problem, with mutual consideration of
each other to the end that the younger or less mature or more troubled of the two is
aided to a self-determined resolution to his problem”.
6. According to Shertzer and Stone, “Counselling is an interaction process which
facilitates meaningful understanding of self and environment and results in the
establishment and or clarification of goals and values for future behaviors”.
7. According to English and English Dictionary, “Counselling is a relationship in which
one person endeavours to help another to understand and solve his adjustment
problems”. \
8. According to Merle M. Ohlsen, “Counselling is an accepting, trusting and safe
relationship in which clients learn to discuss openly what worries and upsets them, to
define precise behaviour goals, to acquire the essential social skills and to develop the
courage and self-confidence to implement desired new behavior.
9. According to Edwin Lewis, “Counselling is a process by which a troubled person
(client) is helped to tell and behave in a more personally satisfying manner through
interaction with an uninvolved person (counsellor) who provides information and
reactions which stimulate the client to develop behaviour which enable him to deal
more effectively with himself and his environment.
If all the definitions are analyzed we can come to the following conclusions.
a. Counselling is a two way process.
b. It involves two individuals.
c. There is mutual relationship between two individuals.
d. It helps an individual to gain self-understanding self-acceptance and self-realization
Characteristics of Counselling
1. The aim of counselling is to help a student form a decision, make a choice or seek
direction
2. It helps a counselee to acquire independence and develop a sense of responsibility,
explore and utilize his potentialities.
, 3. It is more than advice giving. The progress comes through the thinking that a person
with a problem does for himself rather than through solutions offered by the
counsellor.
4. Its function is to produce changes in the individual that will enable him to extricate
himself from his difficulties. Emotional rather than purely intellectual attitudes are the
raw material of the counselling process.
5. It helps an individual to know himself better, gives him confidence, encourages his
self-directedness and provides him with new vision to grow.
6. It develops mutual relationship between two persons.
7. It makes the Problem clear through discussion.
Principles of Counselling:
The principles on which the process of counselling is based are-
1. Warmth:
The Counsellor should communicate personal warmth and make the client feel welcome
valued as individuals.
2. Acceptance:
The Counsellor should accept the person & his feelings for what he is without criticizing him.
He should also accept the person irrespective of age, race, sex, etc.
3. Genuineness:
The counsellor should be very honest with himself and with client he should be very open,
friendly and undefensive.
4. Empathy:
Instead of showing sympathy to the person having problem, the counsellor should show
empathy, which means to sense the feelings and experience of another person.
In order to make good relationship the above qualities should be acquired by a counsellor. He
should imbibe these qualities to follow the principles of counselling properly.
To conclude we can say that interview is essential in counselling process. Although it has some
limitations, it must be supplemented by other techniques.
Types of Counselling
1. Directive
2. Non Directive
3. Eclectic
Course Code: MED15204DCE
COUNSELLING
COUNSELLING
Counseling is a process of helping individuals or group of people to gain self-
understanding in order to be themselves. Counseling is a reflection of a professional
relationship between a trained counselor and a client. Olayinka (1972) defined it to be a
process whereby a person is helped in a face-to-face relationship while Makinde (1983)
explained counseling as an enlightened process whereby people help others by encouraging
their growth. Counseling is a process designed to help clients understand and clarify
personal views of their life space, and to learn to reach their self-determined goals through
meaningful, well-informed choices and a resolution of problems of an emotional or
interpersonal nature. It believes that every human individual has the potential for self-
growth, self-development and self-actualization.
Counselling is ……
A process between two persons
A professional job of a professionally trained person
A process to help the person in solving his problems independently
Definitions
1. According to Shostorm and Brammer, “Counselling is a purposeful reciprocal
relationship between two people in which one, a trained person helps the other to
change himself or his environment”.
2. According to Ruth Strong Counseling is a face to face relationship in which growth
takes place in the counsellor as well as the counselee
3. According to Myers, “Counselling means a relationship between two persons in
which one person provides special assistance to the others.”
, 4. According to Webster dictionary counselling is defined as-Consultation, mutual
interchange of opinions, deliberating together.
5. According to Wren, “Counselling is a dynamic and purposeful relationship between
two people who approach a mutually defined problem, with mutual consideration of
each other to the end that the younger or less mature or more troubled of the two is
aided to a self-determined resolution to his problem”.
6. According to Shertzer and Stone, “Counselling is an interaction process which
facilitates meaningful understanding of self and environment and results in the
establishment and or clarification of goals and values for future behaviors”.
7. According to English and English Dictionary, “Counselling is a relationship in which
one person endeavours to help another to understand and solve his adjustment
problems”. \
8. According to Merle M. Ohlsen, “Counselling is an accepting, trusting and safe
relationship in which clients learn to discuss openly what worries and upsets them, to
define precise behaviour goals, to acquire the essential social skills and to develop the
courage and self-confidence to implement desired new behavior.
9. According to Edwin Lewis, “Counselling is a process by which a troubled person
(client) is helped to tell and behave in a more personally satisfying manner through
interaction with an uninvolved person (counsellor) who provides information and
reactions which stimulate the client to develop behaviour which enable him to deal
more effectively with himself and his environment.
If all the definitions are analyzed we can come to the following conclusions.
a. Counselling is a two way process.
b. It involves two individuals.
c. There is mutual relationship between two individuals.
d. It helps an individual to gain self-understanding self-acceptance and self-realization
Characteristics of Counselling
1. The aim of counselling is to help a student form a decision, make a choice or seek
direction
2. It helps a counselee to acquire independence and develop a sense of responsibility,
explore and utilize his potentialities.
, 3. It is more than advice giving. The progress comes through the thinking that a person
with a problem does for himself rather than through solutions offered by the
counsellor.
4. Its function is to produce changes in the individual that will enable him to extricate
himself from his difficulties. Emotional rather than purely intellectual attitudes are the
raw material of the counselling process.
5. It helps an individual to know himself better, gives him confidence, encourages his
self-directedness and provides him with new vision to grow.
6. It develops mutual relationship between two persons.
7. It makes the Problem clear through discussion.
Principles of Counselling:
The principles on which the process of counselling is based are-
1. Warmth:
The Counsellor should communicate personal warmth and make the client feel welcome
valued as individuals.
2. Acceptance:
The Counsellor should accept the person & his feelings for what he is without criticizing him.
He should also accept the person irrespective of age, race, sex, etc.
3. Genuineness:
The counsellor should be very honest with himself and with client he should be very open,
friendly and undefensive.
4. Empathy:
Instead of showing sympathy to the person having problem, the counsellor should show
empathy, which means to sense the feelings and experience of another person.
In order to make good relationship the above qualities should be acquired by a counsellor. He
should imbibe these qualities to follow the principles of counselling properly.
To conclude we can say that interview is essential in counselling process. Although it has some
limitations, it must be supplemented by other techniques.
Types of Counselling
1. Directive
2. Non Directive
3. Eclectic
