DISCIPLINES OF COUNSELING(LESSON 1)

Learning Objectives: (SET THE DIRECTION)

Generally, at the end of the module, you are expected to demonstrate a high level of
understanding of the basic concepts of counseling through a presentation of a situation in which
practitioners of counseling work together to assist individuals, groups, or communities involved
in difficult situations ( e.g., post disaster, court hearing about separation of celebrity couple,
cyber bullying.

Specifically, as a learner, you are expected

1. to identify the goals and scope of counseling.
2. Infer your own perspective on the purpose of counseling by citing applicable situation.

COUNSELING – For Nystul (2003) defined it as basically an art and a science wherein you endeavor to
weigh the objective and subjective facets of the counseling process.
2. As an art is the subjective dimension of counseling. It upholds a flexible and creative process whereby
the counselor modifies the approach to meet the developing needs of the clients.
3. As a science, on the other hand, is the objective dimension of the counseling process.
4. In practical terms, counseling happens when a person who is distressed asks for help and permit
another person to enter a kind of connection with him/her. It is indicative with formal of someone in
search of counseling requests for time and attention from person who will listen, who will allow him/her
to speak and who will not condemn and criticize him/her.
5. Informal helping- is kin with formal helping in some ways such as presence of
good listening skills, empathy, and caring capacity.
6. Based on Guidance and Counseling Act of 2004, guidance and counseling is the profession that
implicates the application of “ an integrated approach to the development of a well-functioning
individual “ through the provision of support that aids an individual to use his/her potential to the fullest
in accord with his/her interest , needs and abilities. (University of Queensland, 2015).
7. At the American Counseling Association (ACA) Conference in Pittsburgh in March 2010, the
representatives come to an agreement on a mutual definition of counseling. They agreed that
counseling is a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families and group to
accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals (Kaplan, Tarvydas, and Gladding, 2014).
8. Counseling is a discipline that is involved in the provision of advice or guidance in decision-making
especially in emotionally significant situations. It is a avenue where trustworthy experts help clients
explore and understand their worlds and so discover better ways of thinking and living.

What is the purpose of Counseling?

The ultimate aim of counseling is to enable the client to make their own choices, reach their own
decisions and act on them. (www. skillsyouneed.com)
Goals of Counseling – the key component of individual, group, organizational and community success
-Detailed and expansive counseling goals have been identified by Gibson and Mitchell
(2003), which are as follows:
1. Development Goals – assist in meeting or advancing the clients human growth and development
including social, personal, emotional, cognitive, and physical wellness.
2. Preventive Goals – helps the client avoid some undesired outcome. E.g. failing grades,
3. Enhancement Goals- enhance special skills and abilities.
4. Remedial Goals – assisting a client to overcome and treat an undesirable development
5. Exploratory Goals- examining options, testing of skills, trying new and different activities, etc.
6. Reinforcement Goals- helps client in recognizing, that what they are doing, thinking, and feeling is fine
7. Cognitive Goals-involves acquiring the foundation of learning and cognitive skills
8. Physiological Goals – involves acquiring the basic understanding and habits for good health
9. Psychological Goals – aids in developing good social interaction skills, learning emotional control, and
developing positive self – concept.

List of counseling goals, some of which are enhancement of the above goals.
Goal Description
Insight Understanding of the origins and development of emotional
difficulties, leading to an increased capacity to take rational
control over feelings and actions

Relating with others Becoming better able to form and maintain meaningful and
satisfying relationships with other people: for example, within
the family or workplace

Self- awareness Becoming more aware of thoughts and feelings that had been
blocked off or denied, or developing a more accurate sense of
how self is perceived by others.

Self- acceptance The development of a positive attitude toward self, marked by

an ability to acknowledge areas of experience that had been
the subject of self- criticism and rejection

Self – actualization Moving in the direction of fulfilling potential or achieving an

integration of previously conflicting parts of self.

Enlightenment Assisting the client to arrive at a higher state of Spiritual

awakening

Problem- Solving Finding a solution to a specific problem that the client had not
been able to resolve alone. Acquiring a general competence
in problem – solving
Psychological
Education Enabling the client to acquire ideas and techniques with which
to understand and control behavior

Acquisition of Social
Skills Learning and mastering social and interpersonal skills such as
maintenance of eye contact , turn taking in conversations,
assertive, or anger control

Cognitive change The modification or replacement of irrational beliefs or mal

adaptive
thought patterns associated with self- destructive behavior

Behavior change The modification or replacement of maladaptive or self-destructive

patterns of behavior.

Systematic change Introducing change into the way in that social systems operate
Empowerment Working on skills , awareness, and knowledge that will enable
to client to take control of his or her own life
Restitution Helping the client to make amends for previous destructive
behavior

Generality Inspiring in the person a desire and capacity to care for others and
pass on knowledge and to contribute to the collective good
through political engagement

NEEDS FOR COUNSELING BENEFITS OF COUNSELING

1. To help  improved communication

in the total and interpersonal skills
developme  greater self-acceptance
nt and self-esteem
of the  ability to change selfdefeating
student: behaviors/habits
Along with  better expression and
the management of emotions,
intellectual including anger
developme  relief from depression,
nt proper anxiety or other mental
motivation health conditions
and  increased confidence and
clarification decision-making skills
of goals  ability to manage stress
and ideas effectively
to  improved problem-solving
pupils in and conflict resolution abilities
conformity
with their
basic
potentialitie
s and
social
tendencies

SCOPE OF COUNSELING
The scope and field of counseling has widened as the human problems are wide in range.
Broadly, the
scope of counseling includes individual counseling, marital and premarital counseling, family
counseling,
and community counseling.
INDIVIDUAL COUNSELLING
• Adolescent identity, concerns, teen-parent relationships, peer relationships
• Anxiety
• Anger management
• Children’s concerns within the family unit, sibling relationships, school experiences, peer
relationships
• Depression
• Family of origin dynamics and issues
• Gender: identity, sexuality, homosexuality
• Relationships: personal and interpersonal dynamics
• Sexual abuse recovery
• Seniors: challenges, limitations, transitions
• Singles: single, newly single, single through divorce or being widowed
• Spirituality
• Stress management
• Workplace stress and relationships
• Young adult: identity, relationships, vocation

MARITAL AND PRE-MARITAL COUNSELLING

• Marital and relational dynamics
• Extended family relationships
• Fertility issues
FAMILY COUNSELLING
• Adolescent and child behaviors within family dynamics
• Adult children
• Divorce and separation issues and adjustment
• Family dynamics: estrangement, conflict, communication
• Family of origin / extended family issues
• Life stages and transitions

A more focused subject matter related to scope of counseling is the 4757-15 Scope of
Practice for Licensed Professional Counselors. It contains the rights and responsibilities
of licensed counselors including the following:

1. Licensed Professional Counselors may help for a fee, salary, or other considerations
2. Afford counseling services to individuals, groups, organizations, or the general public
compromising of: application of clinical counseling principles, methods, or procedures to assist
individuals in realizing effective personal, social, educational, or career development and
adjustment.
3. “apply clinical counseling principles, methods, and procedures “, means an approach to
counseling that emphasizes the counselor’s role in systematically assisting clients through all of
the following: assessing and analyzing emotional conditions, exploring possible solutions, and
developing and providing treatment plan for mental and emotional adjustment or development. It
may include counseling, appraisal, consulting, supervision, administration, and referral.
4. Engage in the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders when under the
supervision of a professional clinical counselor, psychologist, psychiatrists, independent
marriage and family therapist, or independent social worker.
5. Provide training supervision for students and registered counselor trainees when services are
within their scope of practice, which does not include supervision of the diagnosis and treatment
of mental and emotional disorders.