Introduction to Counseling

Introduction to Counseling

Person-centered counseling refers to the treatment of people with milder psychological problems or to advice given on vocational and educational matters. Such counseling is the act or process of giving counsel - the process of assisting and guiding clients, especially by a trained person on a professional basis, to resolve personal, social, or psychological problems and difficulties. It is also a generic term that is used to cover the several processes of interviewing, testing, guiding, advising, etc. designed to help an individual solve problems, plan for the future, etc. Process - a systematic series of actions directed to one end. Counseling is a continuous action or series of changes taking place in a definite manner. (Rogers, C.R. 1959 Pp. 120-124)

Counseling psychologists usually work in schools or industrial firms, advising and assisting people. Today the distinction between psychotherapy and counseling is quite blurred, and many mental health professionals use the terms interchangeably.

Presentation and Discussion

Psychotherapy is an important form of treatment for many kinds of psychological problems. In most types of psychotherapy, as well as counseling, a person discusses his or her problems one-on-one with a therapist. The therapist tries to understand the person's problems and to help the individual change distressing thoughts, feelings, or behaviors. People often seek psychotherapy when they have tried other approaches, like counseling, to solving a personal problem. For example, people who are depressed, anxious, or have drug or alcohol problems may find that talking to friends or family members is not enough to resolve their problems. Sometimes people may want to talk to a therapist about problems they would feel uncomfortable discussing with friends or family, such as being sexually abused as a child. (Hill, Clara E. 1989. Pp. 123-125)

In counseling, there are many processes used by a counselor in his sessions with a client. These may be done in a specific order or however which way the counselor sees them to be appropriate. Listed below are the different processes that may be undertaken during a counseling session. Before meeting a counselee, the counselor tries to find out as much as he can about the former. This is done so that he may discern what will help the client most. In addition, he has to fathom the counselee's past so that he will know beforehand how he can help him.

The counselor and the counselee take some time to get to know each other. This is a process that works both ways, as does the entire counseling process upon which they are about to embark. In the process, the counselee's needs are assessed and appropriate therapy may be chosen. Questionnaires or tests may be given to the counselee to prove or disprove the counselor's initial findings. It may be too early to judge the counselee right away but this may help the counselor in the totality of the sessions. The counselor needs to determine, with greater accuracy, the nature of the emotion and experience that is behind the counselee's current difficulties ...