COUNSELING

Counseling is an accepting, trusting and safe relationship, in which clients learn to

discuss openly what worries and upsets them, to define behavior, to acquire
essential social skills and to develop the courage and self confidence to implement
the desired new behaviors.

TYPES OF COUNSELING
Counseling should be looked upon in termsof the amount of direction that the counsellor
gives the counselee. This direction ranges from fulldirection (directive counseling) to no
direction(nondirective counseling).

DIRECTIVE COUNSELLING
In this type of approach the counselor plays an important role. A major goal is to replace the
emotional behavior of the individual with deliberately rationale behavior. Although he avoids
dictatorial advice this approach is also known as counselor-centered. Under this process the
counselor plans the counselling process, his work is to analyze the problem, identify the triggers
identify the exact nature of the problem and provide various options.
Williamson was a great profounder of this kind of approach as he stated that this approach is good
to address the problems relating to educational and vocational adjustment. This type of counseling is
a concept, where educational and vocational guidance relate to the personality dynamics and
interpersonal relationship. This type of counseling is more useful where the individual wants
information and advice for choice of a career. This approach does not focus its attention on
personality development as such.
Basic Assumptions of Directive Counseling :
According to Willy, the following can be the basic assumptions of directive counselling
a) Competency in giving Advice-: The counselor posses the best training experience and information.
He is more competent to provide an advice to problem.
b) Counseling as an intellectual process -: An client’s intellectual is not destroyed as a result of mal-
adjustment. Hence counseling is primarily an intellectual process .It stresses upon the intellectual
aspects of a person instead of emotional aspects of the personality.
c) Counseling objectives as problem solving situation-: The objective counseling are achieved
through problem solving situation.
d) Client’s incapability of solving the process-: The counselor does not possess the capability for
solving the problem always.

Steps of Directive counseling:-

Williamson has given six steps Directive counseling:
1)Analysis :It includes collection of information about the individual which can be collected through
structured interviews,psychological case history methods, Interaction with family members, friends,
etc.
2) Synthesis: After collection of lot data the information is organized in the logical manner to analyse
the individual in terms of his qualifications, assets, potentials, liability adjustment, cultural
background, habits etc.
3) Diagnosis :The diagnosis consists of the interpretation of the data in relation to the nature and
problem, the causes of problems.
4)Prognosis: Under this step a prediction is made about the future development of the problem.
5)Counseling : The counseling here is to bring about adjustment and readjustment to the individual
in relation to his problem. Attitudes and interest of the individual are considered during the
counseling. It emphasis the individual to develop life cycle where an effort in the positive direction
could lead to success and success in turn could lead to further efforts and motivations.
6) Follow -up :The sixth step in directive counseling is follow up which is extremely important. An
individual may be able to solve immediate problems through counseling but new problems may
occur or the original problem may re-occur. Follow-up with the client is extremely necessary. The
role of counselor is important as he has to make the individual understand and accept his strength
and also his weakness and faults.

The following are the characteristic of directive counselling.

 The counsellor plays a prominent and leading role.

 The possible solution to the problem is suggested by the counsellor himself.
 The counsellor gives ‘direct’ advice, suggestions, explanations etc., to the counselee.
 Persuasion of the counsellor through repeated explanation to convince counselee regarding
the suitability of the suggested solution.
Advantages of Directive counseling:
1) This method is useful from the time consuming view- point .It saves time.
2) In this type of counseling, there is more focus on the problem and the person.
3) The counselor can look the client directly.
4) Counseling focuses more on the intellectual aspects of the person than emotional aspect of the personality.
5)In this process, the counselor becomes readily available to help which makes the client very happy.
Limitations of Directive counseling-:
1) In this process the client is more dependent. He is also less able to solve new problems of adjustment.
2) As the client is never independent of the counselor, it is not an efficient best guidance.
3) Unless and until a person does not develop some attitude through experiences, he cannot make any decision
himself.
4) The counselor fails in stopping the client to commit the mistakes in future