X INTRODUCTION

This topic introduces a few topics on an interns preparation to become a

counsellor and a few pointers on the counselling process. Firstly, it rationalises
the need to increase the number of professional counsellors if the country wants
to become a developed nation. Next, a few important concepts are explained as a
preparation to become an intern counsellor.
COUNSELLING
What do you understand of counselling concept and the tasks of a counsellor? Is
counselling important and useful? Why?

In this country, counselling service has reached an encouraging level especially in
schools and institutions of higher learning, in line with economic, social, cultural,
educational, science and technological development. In the context of a developing
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Introduction
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Counselling
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
1. Identify the counselling concept and its importance;
2. Differentiate counselling and psychotherapy;
3. Explain the aims of counselling;
4. Describe the roles and characteristics of a counsellor; and
5. Differentiate between individual and group counselling.
X TOPIC 1 INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELLING
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nation gearing towards a developed nation with high technology, counselling is
useful to people in various situations.

Although counselling is regarded a new field compared to sociology, economics
and psychology, on the whole, the influence of counselling is felt by the society
though not that widely. The number of individuals who seek counsellors help to
solve their problems to achieve a more peaceful and better quality of life has
increased.

Among the problems that are regularly brought forward by the individuals are
personal problems to interpersonal ones at the workplace that affect their peace
of mind, difficulty in making decisions due to confusion and also learning
problems. Hence, professional counsellors in modern society have important
roles to play especially when Malaysia is developing rapidly.

This development is not merely in terms of economic, science and technology but
also nation unity and multi-racial peoples harmony. The change in society is the
basis of a countrys development. Various social problems exist directly or
indirectly as a result of rapid changes in society. The changes are:
(a) A big migration by young people searching for jobs in towns.
(b) Big family system breaks into small families and smaller families becoming
the norm.
(c) The existence of big organisations in private and corporate fields that
drives their people alienated when they pay less attention to these
individuals.
(d) The influence of print and electronic media on humans thoughts and
attitude especially children and adolescents that is against traditional
society values.
(e) Better way of life that destroys good values in individuals and society.
The direct effect of these changes on a person is psychological reaction in the
form of stress. According to research stress can cause various illnesses such as
heart disease, high blood pressure and emotional disturbances. Stress that may
arise at school level is teacher expectation, and parents who are unrealistic about
academic achievements, small living conditions, and pressure from peers towards
a certain behaviour norm. In an institution of higher learning stress occurs as an
effect of competition for academic excellence, shortage of money and social
pressure.


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Reaction from stress differs between adolescents and children. There are cases of
adolescents and children who ran away from homes dues to stress when chaos
happens in the family. Some try to run away or forget the stress by resorting to
drugs or involving in crimes.

Counselling may not be able to get rid of all social diseases caused by economic
development but in order to achieve harmonious state of mind amongst the
community it must be prepared adequately in all institutions that have a role to
play in the countrys development. Counselling can no longer be regarded as
knowledge to deal with insane people but it must be offered widely so that its
technology can benefit community members in solving their daily problems.

DEFINITION OF COUNSELLING
The word counselling has different meanings according to the approaches that
individuals practice. One of the definitions that has many similarities is when it
states that counselling aims at helping a person learns to make a decision and
carry out that decision. Some has defined counselling as learning. In these two
definitions the similarity is the word learn. The first definition teaches a person
to make decision and the second is learning in general. You will understand the
concept and functions of learning in counselling more when you read the
following topics.

1.2
1. Have you ever experienced stress or know of any individual who
is experiencing stress?
2. How did you or that individual overcome the stress?
SELF-CHECK 1.1
To know more about psychotheraphy, please visit the following website
www.aboutpsychotherapy.com.
Then discuss the findings in class.
ACTIVITY 1.1
X TOPIC 1 INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELLING
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Below are some counselling definitions:


A counselling expert who is influential in this field, Krumboltz (1965) has a
definition that clearly shows what a counsellor wants to achieve is his clients aim
and this is a very important aim. Here, an approach or a counselling method that
can be used to achieve the aim is not stated or suggested

The American Guidance and Personnel Society (1980) defines counselling as
using counselling procedures and other fields related to behavioural science to
help learn how to solve certain problem, making decisions regarding career
choices, personal growth, marriage, family or other interpersonal matters.


One more definition that may be easier to understand and relevant to this course
is by Burks and Stefflre (1979).











Krumboltz (1965)
Counselling is any ethical activity performed by a counsellor in assisting a
client demonstrates a behaviour that motivates towards problem solving.
The American Guidance and Personnel Society (1980) defines counselling as
using counselling procedures and other fields related to behavioural science to
help learn how to solve certain problem, making decisions regarding career
choices, personal growth, marriage, family or other interpersonal matters.
Burks and Stefflre (1979),
Counselling refers to professional relationship between a trained counsellor
and a client. This relationship is normally person-to-person, although
sometimes it involves more than two persons. It is designed to help clients
understand and express their views about their lives, and learn to achieve
personal choice aim through a meaningful and informative choice after they
have solved their emotional and interpersonal problems.
TOPIC 1 INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELLING W
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Based on these definitions that were put across by experts in the counselling field,
it can be simplified as follows:
It is hoped that from these definitions you will understand the gist of a
professional counsellors duty towards his client, whether the client is an
individual or a small group. Besides that, a counsellor has to identify whether a
client really needs counselling or psychotherapy. This is because there is a
difference between a client who needs counselling service and the one who needs
psychotherapy, a more serious service.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COUNSELLING
AND PSYCHOTHERAPY
What do you know about psychotherapy? In your opinion, do counselling and
psychotherapy have the same or different aim?

Now, lets look at the difference between counselling and psychotherapy. About 40
years ago, there is a prominent difference between counselling and psychotherapy.
Psychotherapy emphasises more on treating of mental illness, but counselling
focuses more on helping individuals overcome dead ends or troubled minds so
that they can continue their lives peacefully.

Now, it is very tedious to find the difference between counselling and
psychotherapy. Most counselling textbooks could not find the difference between
the two. In fact, books on counselling theories are no different than books on
psychotherapy. The difficulty is more obvious when we compare the definitions
of counselling and psychotherapy by a few writers. The definitions of counselling
by a counselling writer can be used by the psychotherapy writers. On the other
1.3
Zainal Abidin (2002)
Counselling is a discussion between a trained counsellor and an individual
or a small group that experiences confusion and needs help, and together
they think and analyse a few alternatives to overcome the chaotic situation
and implement the chosen alternative.
From the given counselling definition, what is the role of a counsellor?
ACTIVITY 1.2
X TOPIC 1 INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELLING
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hand, the definition of psychotherapy by a psychotherapy writer can be used by a
counselling writer.

There are many similarities between the two fields that involve special
relationship between an individual who wants to get help to solve his
psychological problem (client) and a trained person who gives that help
(counsellor or therapist). The special relationship is the same and in fact, the
technique in helping patients and clients is similar.

The difference between the two is the objective. The counselling objective is to
help at any time an individual overcome his or her personal growth problem
towards achieving optimum strength development that is in him or her. This
objective can be accepted as the aim of psychotherapy process. Besides solving
growth problem of an individual, psychotherapy also solves the reconstructive
change problem. Normally, psychotherapy is carried out for a long period (1
month to 2 years) as outpatient or inpatient. On the contrary, counselling is
usually for a short period (less than 6 months) as outpatient only. However,
counselling and psychotherapy have similar aim that is to achieve the clients
aim.

COUNSELLING AIM
What do we hope to achieve at the end of a counselling session? Generally, every
individual has different hopes according to his perspective of the counselling
process that has been carried out. For example, after an individual has gone
through the counselling process, he who sought help from counsellor, parents,
teachers or school principals has different perception regarding the ending that
he hopes for. Difference in opinion will exist, but this will not be discussed as the
last choice that determines the counselling aim depends on the agreement
between the client and his counsellor. Both of them will ensure the direction of
their discussion.
1.4
Do you find psychotherapy and counselling really different from one
another? Why?
SELF-CHECK 1.2
TOPIC 1 INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELLING W
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1.4.1 Five Counselling Aims
Figure 1.1 shows five counselling aims. The aims are to:
(a) Make behaviour change easier;
(b) Increase clients ability to start and continue relationships;
(c) Help clients effectiveness in coping with problems and issues;
(d) Encourage the decision making process; and
(e) Help clients development and potential achievement.

Figure 1.1: Counselling aims

Let us read further on each aim:

(a) To Make Clients Change in Behaviour Easier
Majority of theorists agree that counselling aim is to help client make some
change in behaviour that enables him or her to have a more productive and
satisfactory life. Prior to visiting a counsellor, there must be something that
disturbs him or his relationship with someone is unsatisfactory (e.g. his
employer). Perhaps, its the routine way the client interacts with others so
much so that it causes a negative reaction from others. This negative effect
causes the client to feel disturbed.
It is hoped that after completing a session the client will understand and
analyse effectively and satisfactorily ways to interact with his or her
employer or others who have the tendency to create disturbing response.
X TOPIC 1 INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELLING
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Here, counselling aim is to encourage and make it easier for client to change
his or her behaviour to a more effective one.
For example, Ali (a teacher) is unaware that he always gives a negative
response such as giving cynical remarks to his students who give wrong
answers in class. Alis behaviour causes his students not to interact with
him in class. This poses a problem and disturbs effective teaching. With
counselling session, Ali will be able to identify the real problem and a
counsellor can assist Ali in changing his behaviour, where he should have
given support to his students when interacting with him and guide them
although the answers they gave is wrong.

(b) To Increase Clients Ability to Start and Continue a Relationship
A big part of our life is interacting with people. But, many clients are facing
problems due to their inability to interact with others correctly and
appropriately. This problem can be linked to clients not having
communication skills or having negative personal image. In this case, the
counsellors aim is to find ways to increase effective interaction with others.
Relationship problem can occur amongst adults in a family, from between
husbands and wives to school children and their peers. In each case, a
counsellor will try to find ways to help the client increase his quality of life
by improving the way he interacts with others.
For example, when Monas principal gave her comments she felt very angry
and refused to listen to what was said. This led to communication
breakdown between the two. Mona saw the comments as criticism. A
counsellor can assist Mona in having a better relationship with her
principal. When commented, Mona could be helped so that she would not
react negatively but rationally by listening calmly to every comment and
taking the positive ones for her.



(c) To Help Client to Manage Oneself
Another important counselling aim is to help client manage himself in
difficult situations. Each individual experiences difficulties in his life when
he grows up. It is rare that a person grows up by reaching and perfecting
every significant persons claim in his life, such as his mother and fathers.
Are you comfortable in any relationship with another person? Why?
SELF-CHECK 1.3
TOPIC 1 INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELLING W
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Parents expectation on their children has often given unpredictable effect.
A child for instance, will learn a less efficient and less effective behaviour or
both when he is unable to fulfil his parents hope. He will bring this
learning into adulthood. Unfortunately, in specific situation such as at the
workplace, the behaviour pattern that he learnt will not help him but
instead will cause him constant problems. In this kind of situation, a
counsellor will train his client to manage himself effectively especially in
new situations and new demands.
For example, Ahmad is always criticised when he fails in his subjects. The
effect is Ahmad becomes lazy and always play truant in school. He brings
this attitude to the working environment. He is always late and lazy to try
something new. A counsellor can help Ahmad manage himself effectively
and increase his self-image.

(d) To Encourage Decision Making Process
The process of making decision is very difficult to certain people. They are
scared of having to shoulder responsibilities due to wrong choices made
and they always make decisions without thinking of the existing
alternatives. For these clients, the aim of counselling is to help them make
important decisions in their lives. It is vital to note that the counsellors role
is not to give the last say and to direct client to choose certain decisions. The
final decision is made by the client and he must understand and know why
and how to achieve that decision. The client will learn to make risk
estimates undertaken from that decision in terms of time, money, decisions
and others. The client also learns to make a few explorations about his
values in life that are relevant to the present situation and condition,
realising that these values are considered in the decision making process.
To exemplify, Ah Kau feels dissatisfied and stressed with his job. He fears
to make any changes. A counsellor can help Ah Kau finds the cause of his
dissatisfaction and search for his value in life. A counsellor can also help
Ah Kau finds and estimates the risk of various alternatives such as
changing departments, discussion with his employer or changing jobs.

(e) To Help Clients Development and Potential Achievements
Helping a client expands his potentials has always been one of counselling
aims. This aim is providing opportunities for client to learn ways of using
his abilities and interests to the maximum level. This aim also means the
client is taught to increase personal effectiveness.
This reinforcement means the counsellor helps the person to learn how to
stop smoking, to take care of his health, overcome problem of shyness that
is unproductive, lessen feelings of stress, and down. To simplify,
X TOPIC 1 INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELLING
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counselling aim is to help client decrease or overcome whatever that
hinders or retards his development of potential ability and interest.
For example, Indras ambition is to be an actress. She feels stressed when
she always stammers and she feels scared to be in front of a crowd. This
retards her ambition. A counsellor can help her feel comfortable when
standing in front of a crowd and this indirectly helps her achieve her
ambition to be an actress.


COUNSELLORS ROLES
A counsellors role depends on the place and setting he contributes his service
(see Table 1.1). Over the years, the counsellors roles have gone through changes.
The roles have now spread to public counselling centres, hospitals, prisons,
Islamic offices, the Haj Fund, churches, some government departments and other
places that require counselling service instead of mainly helping students with
problems at schools and career choices. Counselling is also found at a few places
in cities such as Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh where counsellors provide their services
as `private practice to the public.








1.5
With reference to the aims given, can counselling help you and the ones
you know? How?
SELF-CHECK 1.4
(a) May Ling is always angry and throws things when things dont run
smoothly for her. What counselling aim can be achieved when
counselling is given to May Ling?
(b) What are the five counselling aims and give relevant examples.
ACTIVITY 1.3
TOPIC 1 INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELLING W
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Table 1.1: Example of Counselling at Various Places
Place Example of Counselling Service
School Helping students make appropriate career choices.
Prison Helping inmates rehabilitate and the process of integrating them
into the community.
Hospital Helping families that lost their family members deal with the
loss.
Islamic Office Helping spouses who are experiencing marriage problems.
Government Offices Helping stressed employees or ones with problems of being
burnt out.
Churches Helping those with personal problems such as problems with
their parents.

This new development took place due to the recognition that counsellors have the
required training to help in matters such as drug abuse at the Rehabilitation
Centre, rehabilitation works at prisons and at places where there is emotional
problems and tension. In the West, there are counsellors who joined the
professional mental health team which includes psychiatrists, psychology experts
and psychiatric nurses, where the counsellor becomes the case manager of a
patient giving treatment and main service.

With the expansion of counsellors roles at specific places, so the focal point of
approaches will be towards the whole individual that includes his whole life.
This means the focus of counselling includes physical, social, mental and
emotional concerns as well as individual spiritual needs (see Figure 1.2).
X TOPIC 1 INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELLING
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Figure 1.2: Aspects that make up a whole individual

Let us read further on each aspect.

(a) Physical Health
(i) An individuals physical health is important in counselling process.
Examples of counselling that involves physical are:
(ii) Helping individual use the habit of taking care of health, such as
avoiding obesity, and to quit smoking;
(iii) Exploring emotional or psychological matters that hinder an individual
from practicing positive attitude of eating a lot due to negative self
image;
(iv) Motivating individual to practice healthy lifestyle such as exercising;
and
(v) Teaching an individual to decrease his tension or stress.

(b) Social Needs
An individuals social needs include family relationship, working
environment, friendship and other activities that tie him to other people in
the community. This relationship gives that individual strength and avoids
him from experiencing feelings of alienation, down and low self esteem.

TOPIC 1 INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELLING W
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(c) Mental Health
A counsellor must always be aware of the relationship between his clients
thoughts and feelings to his doings or behaviour. The counsellors roles
towards his clients thoughts are to stimulate his thought process so that his
ability to solve problems will increase and becomes more creative. Creative
mental activity is the guide to a persons quality of life.

(d) Emotional Needs
In many cases, human beings focus of aspects is linked to the aim of
increasing an individuals emotional contentment. This aim has become a
tradition for all counsellors and will continue to be the focus of counselling.
Normally, an individual will meet a counsellor to obtain clarification about
certain feelings. Often, the expressed feelings are related to his life or certain
event that disturbs him in his life. So, the importance of emotional
contentment is clear when a client talks about things that affect his feelings
physically, socially, mentally and spiritually.

(e) Spiritual Needs
Pertaining to present situations, the subject of spirituality in counselling is
getting more attention as compared to the past. Before the expansion of
counselling such as now, every explanation of certain behaviour is through
the perspective of psychology. For instance, from the learning perspective,
deviant behaviour is explained where an individual has learnt
characteristics, acts and thoughts that are not normal for his community.
This act is received reinforcement from his environment and so deviant
behaviour continues.
Why does the question of spirituality receive attention in counselling?
Basically, there is awareness that every persons behaviour, thoughts and
feelings are related to his religious beliefs and teachings. For the majority,
their values in life and the ways they react in a community are influenced
by religious teachings. Now, spirituality is the basis for guidance that
determines their behaviour pattern, lifestyle and values in life.
With this explanation, it is clear that the domain of a counsellors job is in
the form of growth facilitation and individual development from the
physical, mental, social and spiritual aspects. By providing attention on the
function of an individual as a whole, a counsellor will be able to help that
individual live his life more productively and meaningfully.
In a research, Myers (1992) found that if a strong bond exists between
physical health and mental in counselling, there will be a positive impact on
the clients emotional contentment and physical. He supports the idea of
X TOPIC 1 INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELLING
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giving development, prevention and contentment counselling throughout
ones life to facilitate mental and physical contentment. He believes that this
approach will be a new paradigm for all counsellors new roles, now and in
the near future.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A PROFESSIONAL
COUNSELLOR
Counselling must be understood as a unique interpersonal process. Its
effectiveness depends on attitudes, skills and knowledge shown by a counsellor
when he deals with his client. A counsellors client must be able to feel that the
counsellor is a helper with these characteristics:
(a) Believes that clients are unique and precious individuals;
(b) Believes that his clients have abilities to change;
(c) Understands and knows how effective individuals function;
(d) Has knowledge and skills that are needed to help individuals with limited
functions;
(e) Is willing to be involved in interpersonal process; and
(f) Knows himself and his skills and his limitations.

In other words, you as a counsellor should have the following beliefs on your
clients:

(a) A Client is a Unique Individual
One important characteristic that a counsellor must have is to trust that
every human being created by God is useful, valuable and unique. Sincere
acceptance towards a client actually can be felt by the client, and to him it is
not merely an abstract explanation. This doe not mean we must simply
accept or not his behaviour or we like or dislike the character he
demonstrates. In fact, we must sow our sincerity and respect towards him
as a valuable individual and a useful human being.
1.6
As a teacher and a student, how can counselling give an impact on your
entire life physically, socially, mentally, emotionally and spiritually?
SELF-CHECK 1.5
TOPIC 1 INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELLING W
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A counsellor must try to understand that a clients self and world
observations are his realities. Every belief, attitude, feeling and thoughts
about himself and is environment greatly influence the way he reacts. As a
counsellor, you must focus your attention on this perception because all
these will show the clients thoughts and will give meanings to us on why
he reacts and behaves as such.
A counsellor who can show that he accepts his client in a counselling
process without any condition will motivate his client to have hope and
develop feelings of trust in his counsellor.
How can the characteristic of accepting be communicated to clients? Can
you do it? There are a few non-verbal ways that can communicate this
characteristic such as showing fail expression that is calm, posture while
entertaining client, seriousness in answering that is not stalling and
unthreatening voice intonation. We must cater to clients feelings of
sensitivity when using our voices.

(b) A Client can Change
A counsellor must be optimistic. They must believe that a client can change,
at least demonstrating changes in feelings, attitude, cognitive structure and
behaviour. At the same time, a counsellor must also accept the fact that
.helping someone to change is a difficult and time consuming task. At times
this effort fails and some people cannot be helped at all. When this happens
this does not mean that changes are impossible.
A counsellor must think that changes do not take place due to certain
factors:
The client is not ready to change;
Changes can take place if there is the clients environment is changed;
A counsellor does not have the specific expertise or adequate
experience to influence a change in client.
As a counsellor, you must convince the client that you trust him to change.
Do not merely say it but show him with your actions and attitude.
Utterance like, I really believe you will solve this problem, will not on its
own change the client or influence your belief. This utterance must be
accompanied by relevant body movements, convincing facial expressions
and voice intonation that has positive quality. All these have therapeutic
value to put across our attitude and belief towards our clients.

X TOPIC 1 INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELLING
16
(c) A Client can Function Effectively as an Individual
A counsellor must understand the psychology principles that influence
human behaviour and realise that the environment plays a part in creating
that behaviour. You are exposed to the principles of psychology in the
previous units that are related to principles of behaviourism and cognitive.
The learning theory that is explained before this will also help in
understanding how effective individuals function.

In carrying out a counselling process, it is important to know how an
individual functions whether our aim is to get our clients trust or in the
explorations of problems that hinder his function and growth. This
knowledge is required when we make judgment which way is appropriate
to be used to assist and to make a decision when counselling should be
stopped.

On top of that, you as a counsellor also need to be:

(a) Knowledgeable and Skillfull in Helping an Individual
Counselling needs more than the willingness to build a special relationship
with the client, appreciate and respect the client, believing that the client can
change, and having knowledge how effective people function. A counsellor
also has to have clinical skills that can help clients find the source of the
hindrance that block their ability to change so that they can function at a
much desired level.
Clients can be assisted in various ways. What works at a place and time
may not be provide a much desired effect in another place and time. There
are many approaches, methods and theories that can be used. As a
counsellor who is new to the field and is trying out you must refrain from
using approaches that is taken a bit from theory A and B and so on. As a
counsellor in training, you are encouraged to try a few approaches that can
be observed by your supervisor. Then, slowly you join the approaches that
you have tried with your own style that you practiced in the training.
While you are designing and expanding your counselling skills you should
seize the opportunity to conduct counselling session to clients from
different cultural background, for example clients from different ethnic in
Malaysia. In this way, you can see the difference ways the ethnic groups
perceive themselves, their environment and worlds. This will add on to
your experience that not all clients will give the same response though the
problems appear to be similar. This experience is useful so that you will
understand when you ought to change your strategy and to use a suitable
technique in a relevant situation.
TOPIC 1 INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELLING W
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A counsellor must accept the fact that learning ways to help people takes a
long time. Trainee counsellors normally start their counselling training
process via a few attempts, from one to another. They read and listen to
ways counsellor conducts counselling. They also emulate skilled
counsellors behaviour to obtain suitable actions that can be used as part of
their rituals or styles. A counsellors development skill is a process that is
always on going. A counsellor has to increase his skills as long as he still
carries out his professional role.

(b) Willing to be Involved
A counsellor must demonstrate his willingness to get involved in the
counselling process. Commitment and the readiness to share experience are
more meaningful to a client than the allocated time given and the effort
needed to help a person. This includes communication with a client in a
client-counsellor relationship, and nothing is more important at that time
than his client and what is to be discussed in that meeting.
Commitment and the willingness to be involved with a client drive a
counsellor to be focused on his clients inner thoughts, such as how he sees
his problems. In this way, a counsellor can help his client understands his
self, the change process and the hindrance he has to face. At the same time,
the client is helped to take risk and a perspective that a counsellor is a tool
to help him change.
A counsellor who feels that he is sufficient, stable and disciplined will take
away all his weaknesses and focus on helping his client. A counsellor will
show his willingness to be involved with his client by being understanding,
accepting and showing sincerity towards his client.
(c) Able to Know Yourself
A counsellor must have a positive self concept and feel at ease, comfortable
and safe about him. By demonstrating mental health a counsellor can be a
role model to his client. As a counsellor you must be sensitive to your own
feelings, attitude and values and how all these play a role in helping others.
Normally, a counsellor has high social interest and strong motivation to
cooperate with others. A counsellor also needs to have high tolerance in
handling defensive, uncooperative and down clients.
A counsellor must know how to solve his own problems and handle conflict
and stress that he experiences. At the same time, a counsellor must also
know his own skills and his limitations. A counsellor must be open to
improve himself and his self development by increasing his knowledge,
skills and experience.
X TOPIC 1 INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELLING
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A counsellor must realise that he cannot help everybody who has problems
and in certain cases, he has to refer clients who demand more than his
ability to a relevant expert.
The process that requires a counsellor to know or to identify one self is
actually to admit the limit to ones capabilities. This process is important in
counselling because:
(i) The more sensitive a counsellor is to his own feelings, thoughts and
acts, the easier it is for him to understand others feelings , thoughts
and acts; and
(ii) A counsellor who is comfortable with himself will communicate
sincerity to his client. A client will trust the person who wishes to help
him if he feels the sincerity of that person. Hence, the client will be
more open to discuss his problems and this enables the counsellor to
understand how his client perceives his problems.
In short, counsellors should have the following characteristics (Figure 1.3):

Figure 1.3: Characteristics of a counsellor

ACTIVITY 1.4
In your opinion, what else would be the characteristics of a counsellor?
Why must a counsellor have these characteristics?
TOPIC 1 INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELLING W
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COUNSELLING AND GUIDANCE SERVICES
Traditionally, the counselling and guidance services at schools or higher
education institutions consist of three types of services (refer to Figure 1.4):

Figure 1.4: Types of counselling and guidance services

1.7
1. Having learnt about the aims and roles of a counsellor, in your
opinion what are the characteristics that a counsellor should have to
enable him to achieve the aims and fulfil his role as a counsellor?
Why?

2. Do you have the characteristics that have been explained? Give an
example of a situation that you have experienced that highlights the
characteristic. If not, how can you train yourself to have these
characteristics?
SELF-CHECK 1.6
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Let us read further on each type of a counsellor's service:

(a) Teaching and Training Services
The service of teaching and training is for those in need of certain skills and
practice. For instance when it is important for students to get general
information about smoking or drug addiction and also the danger of certain
contagious diseases e.g. HIV or AIDS, a guest speaker will be invited to
deliver a talk. This service is meant to spread information.
In other situations like career choice problems, the counsellor will invite
people of specific posts to deliver a talk about the available career
opportunities or those in the future. It is common among students at school
to be lack of information and exposure about the job opportunity as well as
the necessary academic preparation. Information such as this will serve as
an eye-opener for school students and more importantly will trigger their
interest to learn subjects related to their dream jobs.
Other activities that can be held by the counsellor in the component of
teaching and training are:
(i) Effective revision strategies;
(ii) Preparation for an important exam;
(iii) Time management;
(iv) Tips for attending an interview;
(v) Ways to prepare a good resume (curriculum vitae);
(vi) Practices to overcome nervousness and shyness; and
(vii) Practices to be assertive and to deliver a speech in public.
The counsellors effort to spread information and provide teaching and
training can be held in a big group according to the suitability of the
condition. However, to train certain behaviours such as to reduce shyness
or to train someone to be assertive, it is best if it is held in a smaller group of
less than 10 individuals.

(b) Counselling Services
The counselling service is meant for those who need a counsellors service
to solve a problem. For instance, in order to choose a career, a counsellor
can play a role to help the clients brainstorm and discuss their interest and
preference and also the ambition. The counsellor can also show various
options for the clients so as to choose a perfect career for them.


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(c) Examination Services
This service is provided for those who need it or those who simply wish to
understand the real self in a more thorough way. For example in choosing a
career, the counsellor can prepare the clients with exams such as the IQ test,
personality and preference test so that the clients can match their job with
their respective personalities and preferences.
GROUP COUNSELLING
Other than the individual counselling, a counsellor may also use his counselling
skills to handle a small group of counselling. Those who wish to get
psychological help or help as they are in crisis have a choice of receiving a
counselling service in a small group. Group counselling is implemented to
develop self-awareness and to improve interpersonal skills.

When can you say a small group is a group? A group contains three or more
individuals (normally not more than ten members) who mutually influence each
other. If the group has more members, the interaction is at stake as the group
members will be threatened by the presence of such a number of people to share
something private.

What is group counselling? By definition, it is an application of group interaction
to facilitate self-comprehension and facilitate individual behavioural changes.

1.8.1 Types of Group
Generally there are two major types of groups which would seek help from a
counsellor. They are:

(a) Guidance Groups
Normally, the guidance groups are used to spread information, particularly
for the students at schools or higher education institutions. The topic
delivered is the topic chosen by the counsellor. One of the characteristics of
the information is the information of prevention such as the danger of
drugs, free sex that may lead to AIDS or other sexually-transmitted diseases
and elements that precipitate moral deterioration. Some of the popular
topics discussed in guidance groups are:
(i) Time management;
(ii) Attending interviews;
(iii) Study skills;
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(iv) Career selection; and
(v) Exam preparation.

(b) Counselling Groups
The focus of counselling groups is on the individual, unlike the guidance
groups where the focus is on the topic to be delivered. Counselling groups
consist of 5 to 10 members with no specific structure. The counsellor serves
to create conducive condition for the members to discuss without feeling
depressed or threatened. Things to be shared with the other members are
things that they feel comfortable to talk in public such as family problems,
interpersonal relationship, problems regarding self concept and personal
problems faced. The content of discussion involves the expression of
feelings and each member has a chance to be heard by everyone including
the person facilitating the group the counsellor.
Students who are interested to further find out about other types of groups
may refer to the text books which will state the features and advantages of
certain groups. For the purpose of this course, it will suffice to understand
the two groups to help teachers in their tasks in helping school students.
Other types of groups include:
Therapy groups;
Sensitivity groups; and
T-Groups.

1.8.2 Advantages of Cluster Counselling
Group counselling has many advantages. Bear in mind that not all clients may
benefit from group counselling. Some individuals may feel depressed having to
confront other people and some may feel hard to talk something considered
private in the presence of others.


Discuss with your classmates what are the advantages and disadvantages
of group counselling.
ACTIVITY 1.5
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The main advantage of group counselling is its practicality. A counsellor has so
many jobs with work burdens facing a lot of clients. This will not allow the
counsellor to meet all clients in the same day, but group counselling enables the
counsellor to meet more clients in a short time. In a group, a counsellor can meet
seven to eight individuals within similar time duration he uses to meet them
individually.

Another benefit of group counselling is related to the type of problems faced by
the clients. Most students problems are relationship or interpersonal problems.
In a group, clients are given the chance to explore their interpersonal problems
and feelings within a social context. For instance, the feedback collected from the
other members will give a stronger influence than the counsellors since the
feedback comes from the peers. The client will experience psychological growth
through the process of getting genuine feedback from the peers. Group
counselling will turn into a micro society where the client is able to feel peer
pressure, social influence and approval as part of the counselling experience.

In a small group, clients also stand a chance to experiment new behaviours with
the support from other team members through the given feedback. Say, if a client
consistently feels embarrassed to talk in public, for example in front of the class,
the client can practice talking in the counselling group with encouragement from
the other members.

Normally, the client faces his problems alone and it is hard for him to view them
in the right perspectives. In a smaller group and with the help of the counsellor,
he will feel less intimidated as he discovers that some other people have their
problems too. Group counselling provides the clients with chances to explore
their problems and at the same time share them with others.

When the members of a team share their problems with each other, it leads to the
feeling of trust and respect for each other as they exchange the information about
the related problems. The group experience will create a support system for the
members. This makes the group as the source of regaining a new spirit and a
sense of security among the members.

Another advantage of group counselling is that the client will not only benefit
from the feedback from the others, but also be able to offer feedback to help other
team members. This will help enhance the clients self concept.

Other elements that provide therapeutic value through group counselling are:
(a) Promising hope to the clients;
(b) Feeling safe and getting support;
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(c) Solidarity among the members;
(d) Learning something from other members; and
(e) Interpersonal learning.

A counsellor who really understands the therapeutic elements explained will be
able to conduct the group counselling more efficiently and effectively.
CONFIDENTIALITY IN COUNSELLING
Counselling, whether it be individually or in a small group, involves clients self-
disclosure that may not be expressed outside a counselling session. The more the
trust of the client toward the counsellor is, the easier it would be for the client to
discuss his or her problems with the counsellor. In theory, this helps the
counsellor understand the way the client perceives his or her problems. The client
would also feel understood and secure as he or she gets the counsellors support.
This puts the counsellor as the most trusted person who will not leak his or her
secrets to anyone.

From the aspect of professional ethics, it is the counsellors responsibilities to
preserve the confidentiality so that the good rapport built is not wasted. If the
client no longer trusts his or her counsellor, the good relationship will be at stake
and most likely he or she would refuse to meet the counsellor.

Here are some principles of confidentiality that may help the counsellor:
(a) The burden of maintaining the confidentiality is not definitive as there are
some situations that allow the counsellor to repeat the secrets.
(b) Confidentiality is maintained if it does not threaten other individuals
rights or the public.
(c) Confidentiality depends on the matters being kept confidential. If the issue
which is said to be confidential has been made public, the counsellor is no
longer attached to the question of confidentiality.

The counsellor also needs to think about the safety of the client and avoid
misusing the problems confided to him. To avoid the counsellor from being
charged at the court of fraudulence, the confidentiality of the client is crucial.
However, the counsellor is subject to making a shrewd judgment and thinking
rationally when is the time confidentiality may be exempt.


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The situations in which confidentiality may be violated are as follows:
(i) The client is harming himself, herself or others.
(ii) The client demands that his or her particulars be revealed.
(iii) The court demands that the clients particulars be repeated.
(iv) The counsellor suspects that there has been a child abuse case involved.

x In this topic you have been exposed to several fundamental principles and
philosophy of counselling as a basis to prepare you for your counselling
session.
x You have now understood the objective of counselling or in other words, you
have known the direction of the client-counsellor discussion.
x In addition, this topic also enumerates the roles of a counsellor and the
characteristics of an effective counsellor.
x In later part, you are given the explanation about the components of
counselling and guidance services, advantages of group counselling and
finally the importance for the rationale of confidentiality in counselling.


1. What do you understand with the expression the counsellor
understands the way the client perceives herself? Is the problem
perceived by the client accurate?
2. In the effort of the counsellor to search for the causes that disturb
the clients mind, he will try to understand and look for a link
among the clients cognition, emotion and behaviour. State the
relationship among someones cognition, emotion and behaviour
by giving reasonable examples.
ACTIVITY 1.6
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Confrontation
Counselling
Discussion
Problem solving
Psychotherapy