Quotes: Guidance Doesn't Mean Lip-Flapping

 
Those of superior faculties and great wisdom get the point right off the bat--guidance doesn't
mean gum-beating and lip-flapping. Truly awakened people with clear eyes would just laugh.
 
  The great masters of India and China only met mind to mind--from the first, there was never
any "mind" to attain. But if you make a rationale of mindlessness, that is the same as having a
certain mentality.
 
Spiritual Guidance from dreams
Many of us take our dreams for granted, not realizing that the dream state is actually an
expanded state of consciousness. Due to the fact that the ego lets go of a lot of the control it
normally exercises during the day, we become more open to healing forces that help us to regain
balance mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually as we dream.

Dreams Interpretation Dictionary - Saint

Saint Dream Symbols:
Guidance, wise self, spiritual

self. This one may need further research, depending on the saint. It may be representative of a
high ideal, or your need for support or guidance.
 
Spiritual Theosophical Dictionary on Psychography
Psychography. A word first used by theosophists; it means writing under the dictation or the
influence of one’s "soul-power", though Spiritualists have now adopted the term to denote
writing produced by their mediums under the guidance of returning "Spirits".
 
What is the difference in meaning between 'guidance' and 'counselling'?
Both Guidance and Counseling are process used to solve problems of life. The basic difference is
in the approach. In the process of guidance, the client's problems are listened carefully and
readymade solutions are provided by the expert where as in the process of counseling the client's
problems are discussed and relevant information are provided in-between. In the end of the
counseling process, the client himself/herself have a insight to the problem and he/she become
empowered to take own decision.
Since readymade solutions (taking decision for others) were provided in guidance, the client may
or may not follow it but most often decision taken in the process of counseling are followed
sincerely. The set of decisions comes out from guidance and counseling process may be same but
in the first process the decision is taken by the guide where as the client take own his/her own
decisions in the later process.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_difference_in_meaning_between_'guidance'_and_'couns
elling'
A man has to learn that he cannot command things, but that he can command himself; that
he cannot coerce the wills of others, but that he can mold and master his own will: and
things serve him who serves Truth; people seek guidance of him who is master of himself.
James Allen

Automation and technology would be a great boon if it were creative, if there were more
leisure, more opportunity to engage in raising a family, providing guidance to the young, all
the stuff we say we need. America will work if we're all in it together. It'll work when there's
a shared sense of destiny. It can be done!
Jerry Brown

Books minister to our knowledge, to our guidance, and to our delight, by their truth, their
uprightness, and their art.
George Henry Lewes

Children require guidance and sympathy far more than instruction.

Anne Sullivan

Conscious of my own weakness, I can only seek fervently the guidance of the Ruler of the
Universe, and, relying on His all-powerful aid, do my best to restore Union and peace to a
suffering people, and to establish and guard their liberties and rights.
George B. McClellan

Democracy cannot survive without the guidance of a creative minority.

Harlan Stone

Every time you don't follow your inner guidance, you feel a loss of energy, loss of power, a
sense of spiritual deadness.
Shakti Gawain

Evil is the shadow of angel. Just as there are angels of light, support, guidance, healing and
defense, so we have experiences of shadow angels. And we have names for them: racism,
sexism, homophobia are all demons - but they're not out there.
Matthew Fox

I believe that the fight against crime starts in the home. Parents must take responsibility for
their children and show them love and guidance from an early age so they learn to respect
the rights of others.
Blanche Lincoln

I grew up with a lot of guys, some of them are dead, some of them are this and some of
them that, and some of them very, very powerful, bright young men, who became this
instead of that simply because of a lack of guidance - that's all.
Harvey Keitel
Immaturity is the incapacity to use one's intelligence without the guidance of another.
Immanuel Kant

Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and
wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human
life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.
Buddha

Lee's great gifts are teaching and inspirational guidance, not administration and
management.
Cheryl Crawford

Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and
wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human
life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.
Buddha

Immaturity is the incapacity to use one's intelligence without the guidance of another.
Immanuel Kant

No man is great enough or wise enough for any of us to surrender our destiny to. The only
way in which anyone can lead us is to restore to us the belief in our own guidance.
Henry Miller

We become strong, I feel, when we have no friends upon whom to lean, or to look to for
moral guidance.
Benito Mussolini

http://www.brainyquote.com/words/gu/guidance170954.html

guidance and counseling concept that institutions, especially schools, should promote the efficient and happy lives of
individuals by helping them adjust to social realities. The disruption of community and family life by industrial
civilization convinced many that guidance experts should be trained to handle problems of individual adjustment.
Though the need for attention to the whole individual had been recognized by educators since the time of Socrates, it
was only during the 20th cent. that researchers actually began to study and accumulate information about guidance.

guidance counseling, byname counseling and guidance, the process of helping individuals

discover and develop their educational, vocational, and psychological potentialities and thereby
to achieve an optimal level of personal happiness and social usefulness. The concept of
counseling is essentially democratic in that the assumptions underlying its theory and practice
are, first, that each individual has the right to shape his own destiny and, second, that the
relatively mature and experienced members of the community are responsible for ensuring that
each person’s choice shall serve both his own interests and those of society. It is implicit in the
philosophy of counseling that these objectives are complementary rather than conflicting. The
function of those who guide children and young people is not to effect a compromise between
the requirements of individuals on the one hand and the demands of the community on the other.
It is rather to orient the individual toward those opportunities afforded by his environment that
can best guarantee the fulfillment of his personal needs and aspirations.

Guidance, in this sense, is a pervasive activity in which many persons and organizations take
part. It is afforded to individuals by their parents, relatives, and friends and by the community at
large through various educational, industrial, social, religious, and political agencies and,
particularly, through the press and broadcasting services. A part of such guidance may be the
giving of information that enables others to increase the scope of their exploratory behaviour.
The guidance counselor, for example, may provide information about a person’s own abilities
and interests as determined by psychological tests or about educational opportunities and the
requirements of various occupations. The competent counselor does not attempt to solve
people’s problems for them, however; the counselor tries instead to clarify the person’s own
thinking.

Professional counselors and counseling psychologists are commonly found in institutional

settings such as high schools and colleges, private industry, community agencies, prisons, and
the military, as well as in private practice. They are often called on to help individuals deal with
the grief of unexpected tragedies.

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/140167/guidance-counseling

Educational Guidance, the helping of persons to do better in their studies and to select courses
and schools that will be fitted to their tastes and abilities. Closely related is vocational guidance,
the helping of persons to find the right kind of work.

Persons who give educational guidance are usually called counselors. Many schools employ
trained full-time counselors. Their work often includes helping with students' emotional
problems. In many schools the principal or one or more selected teachers serve as part-time
counselors. Home-room teachers often play a main part in a school's guidance program. In
colleges and universities, professors (called faculty advisors) and deans of students act as
counselors.

A counselor tries to help each student to understand himself better and make the most of his
talents. The counselor first learns about his family background, the school subjects he likes or
dislikes, and his interest in athletics or other activities. He studies the student's school record and
may give him aptitude and other special tests. In working with the failing student, the counselor
may advise on how to improve study habits. Counselors provide information on college or
graduate school entrance requirements and scholarships, and may also give vocational guidance.

http://people.howstuffworks.com/educational-guidance-info.htm

A vocation is a career or calling and the word is derived from the Latin vocare, which means "to call." Vocational
guidance means helping someone find his or her calling or at least a suitable career choice. Vocations or careers can be
loosely categorized into areas such as service, technical, mechanical, creative, health and business.

Vocational training rather than vocational guidance is available at career colleges and this is usually for entry-level
careers. For example, a career college with a health vocational curriculum may offer education and training programs for
nurse’s aide and medical assistant careers, while business-oriented vocational schools may have marketing assistant and
bookkeeping program offerings. A career college or vocational school differs from regular colleges and universities as the
focus isn't on academics, but rather on training students for a specific career. Vocational or career colleges are also
sometimes referred to as community colleges or trade schools.

This Guidance service is also available to support staff members, as well as parents and caregivers when they have concerns about
students. Students can self-refer and make an appointment via a note system outside the Guidance rooms, by visiting the Guidance
rooms in person, or by email.  As well as the opportunity for self-referral, student referrals can also made by concerned teachers,
Whanau Leaders, or parents. When this happens the student is encouraged to attend a first session by invitation.  In this instance
the counsellor and student will together identify and then explore the situation that may have precipitated the referral.

As Guidance Counsellors, we aim to help students make sense of their difficulties and concerns, as well as looking for opportunities
to develop each students capabilities and resilience.  We aim to foster conditions whereby the student can grow and develop as a
caring, contributing and responsible young adult.  We aim to empower students to make informed decisions.  We promote
awareness of and respect for difference, and we seek to act for those who are disempowered. It is not the role of the counsellor to
discipline or punish students as this could compromise the counselling relationship.

For most students, their time at Albany Junior incorporates their journey through puberty into young adulthood.  With the rapid
changes that are occurring on many interconnected fronts – physically, emotionally, socially - we aim to support students in their
effective navigation of these often turbulent and unknown waters.

When choosing to access support via the schools Guidance services, the issues brought to a counselling session can include:
relations with peers and peer conflict, anger management, self esteem, classroom concerns, classroom teacher concerns,
classwork concerns, change, loss and grief, sexual health and sexual identity, depression, anxiety, stress, bullying, drug and alcohol
related concerns, or crisis and trauma within the context of home and family. 

Due to the diversity and complexity of the issues that students can bring to a counselling session, at times it is helpful or necessary
to involve outside agencies or community groups.  Whether liaising with these people, or with other staff members or
family/Whanau, at all times the counsellor will be operating within a confidential and ethical framework.  At times there are tensions
between different aspects of the counsellor’s role, e.g. advocacy for students alongside respect and support for the role of parents.
The physical, mental and emotional safety of the student is of paramount importance at all times.

The school endeavours to have a trained counsellor on-site and available to students at all times. The Guidance Department is part
of the Student Health Center. Dave McGerty, Deputy Principal, is Head of Guidance.   Should you have any questions or concerns
about the school Guidance service, please feel free to contact the school directly via phone or in person and speak with a member
of the Guidance team. 

Edu . guide: If we believe that students vary in interests, abilities, aptitudes, cultural
background and motivation, then we must provide for these differences.

- Mary A. Meye, Executive Director Emeritus, ILS

The main idea behind group therapy is that individuals can share their feelings with others who may be experiencing similar
situations. For example, an individual who is dealing with feelings of alienation may be more open with others who are
struggling with those same issues. The group offers a support structure many of these individuals would not have outside of
therapy. As the treatment progresses, the hope is that each patient will be able to take the lessons in the sessions, and
apply them to their everyday life.
Icebreakers
This is the first part of the process and seeks to introduce everyone involved in the sessions and make persons more
comfortable. In order to do this, the therapist tries to find interesting and creative ways to get each member to open up.
This serves to put everyone at ease from the start, though this is not always achieved right away. The main goal is to help
each person feel less inhibited so that they will be more willing to share as the program progresses.

Building Trust in Group Therapy

This aspect of group therapy is quite challenging. It means devising ways to get those involved in the sessions to begin the
process trusting each other. Given that most often, these clients start out as perfect strangers, the therapist must carefully
break down the defenses of each person. This way the therapist allows them to bond through the sharing of common
experiences.

Telling
As the name implies, this has to do with each member telling the others about his or her life and experiences. This is a
vital follow up to the trust building exercise, since trust has to be established before most members of the group will open
up. Conversely, a group member who had previously been reluctant to share may do so after hearing the others do so.
This is especially true if that individual sees some commonality in their lives and backgrounds.

Group Therapy Games

Simple games are fun and effective ways to get members of the group to feel comfortable sharing. It is up to the therapist
to decide how to go about this, and often this means coming up with ideas right on the spot.

Role-playing or Psychodrama
This is a challenging aspect of group therapy, and involves getting each person to act out certain aspects of their lives.
There is a conscious effort to adopt the role of another person or to vent their feelings to someone filling the role of
someone significant in their lives.
While group therapy is widely practiced, there are many therapists who consider it less effective than individual therapy.
An analysis of studies on group therapy suggested that it does produce results. War veterans treated in this manner have
also been shown to respond well.
Often families may undergo group therapy at the request of a therapist who is treating one family member. This is
specifically referred to as family therapy although it is done in a group setting. The therapist in this case is usually a family
therapist. The success of group therapy depends on the skill of the therapist, and his or her ability to draw each person out
of their shell. Like any other therapy, its effectiveness depends on the commitment of all involved.

Coun. Serv:

People come for counselling because of any reason that might be troubling them,
although they may not know why. Counselling Service provides a confidential
environment where you can explore and express aspects of yourself that may be
painful or uncomfortable. Our professionals will listen to you and help you in gaining
your own insights and making and acting on your own choices, enabling you to work
towards relating and living in a more satisfying and resourceful way.

Please avail of our services if you are having difficulties. The services are free and
confidential to registered IIT Kanpur students. Navigate through our website to know
more about the problems that concern students.

Introduction
Counseling in its widest connotation existed in one form or the other from time immemorial. In
all cultures the elders not only set the norms of behavior within that culture but also counseled
the youngsters to follow the norms. In India, elders especially parents and teachers thought that
imparting counseling in the form of advice and guidance was one of their fundamental, and
seared duty. The oft repeated adage; "Mata, Pita, Guru, Deivam" (Mother, Father, Teacher,
God)reminded the youngsters not only of the agents of counseling but also of the priority as to
who should impart counseling at various stages of life. Ancient epics of India are replete with
depictions of counseling. Elders were only too ready to take up the role of counselors and
youngsters sought counseling with prompt compliance. Many such incidents could be explained
away as mere acts of 'giving advice'. But in most of those ancient transactions it is not difficult to
see the scientific practice and ethics of modern counseling techniques. The most widely
acknowledges counseling situation in the epics is that of the dialogue between Krishna and
Arjuna in the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Whether this dialogue had all the characteristics of
modern counseling may have to be answered by committed researchers in this area. Many, often
ask questions regarding the relevance and suitability of modern counselling techniques in all
cultures. Experts in this field are of the opinion that the culture of India with the above heritage
is potentially oriented to the modern techniques of counseling.
Counseling as Others See It
Counseling is a much-misunderstood concept. To the laymen it is an occasion where an expert
solves the problems of others. Laymen believe that the expert has ready-made solutions for all
the problems of human beings. Most counselors know that this is far from truth.
Guidance and Counseling
The term guidance denotes explicit directions given by an informed person regarding any
subject. An expert in career guidance can impart information regarding different career
possibilities. He may also be able to tell us where the careers are open and even the possible
openings at the time of consultation. In imparting such information the guidance expert can give
pieces of information irrespective of the suitability of the client for the job. However, he has also
the option to test the suitability of the client using suitable psychological test.

Counselling, on the other hand is more dynamic. It aims at the solution of clients’ problems.
Counselling is a much-misunderstood concept. To the laymen it is an occasion where an expert
solves the problems of others. Laymen believe that the expert has ready-made solutions for all
the problems of human beings. Most counselors say that this is far from the truth. Counselling is
a process between the counsellor and the client in which solutions emerge as a joint venture of
the two.

Characteristics of counselling

1. is expected to be a process.
2. Counselling is usually for normal people with problems.
3. It is essentially a dynamic interaction between the client and the counsellor.
4. Client is expected to be frank and forthright in his approach.
5. It is the duty of the counsellor to keep confidentiality regarding the client.
6. Counsellor is to show warmth and sympathy while listening to the client’s problems.
 7. Counsellor is expected to be non judgmental and non critical.
8. The relationship between the client and the counsellor is expected to be genuine.
9. Counselling usually works at the level of rapport and not at the level of transference.
10. Client’s conscious motives are explored rather than the unconscious motives.

Perspective of Counseling
The perspective of Counseling may change from counselor to counselor. There are differences in
training, clients and settings, and even goals. But the basic perspective of counseling remains the
same, through with different emphasis. The best examples are the three different definitions of
counseling given by Good (1945), Pepinsky and Pepinsky (1954) and Wrenn (1951). Good
defined counseling as the "...individualized and personalized assistance with personal,
educational, vocational problems, in which all pertinent facts are studied and analyzed, and a
solution is sought, often with the assistance of Specialists, school and community resources, and
personal interviews in which the counselee is taught to make his own decisions". According to
Pepinsky and Pepinsky, "Counseling is a process involving an interaction between a counselor
and a client in a private setting, worth the purpose of helping the client change his/her behavior
so that a satisfactory resolution of needs may be obtained". To Wrenn, "Counseling is a dynamic
and purposeful relationship between two people in which procedures vary with the nature of
students’ needs, but in which there is always mutual participation by the counselor and the
student with the focus upon self-clarification and self-determination by the student". All these
definitions have common base but are different in their emphasis. The difference among the
three definitions stems from the fact that they have three different orientations. Hann (1953)
identifies one group as the social welfare advocates with ideographic interest. The second group
is more medically oriented and the thirds group consists of people with student personnel
administration and has great interest in measurement. Along with the differences it is worth
noting the commonalties. Common to all these perspectives are the notions that,

a. counseling is aimed at helping people make choices and act on them,

b. counseling is a learning process, and
c. counseling enables personality development

A recent and much accepted definition is:

"Counseling denotes a professional relationship between a trained counselor and client. This
relationship is usually person-to-person, although it may sometimes involve more than two
people. It is designed to help clients to understand and their self determined goals through
meaningful resolution of problems of an emotional or interpersonal nature" (Burks and Stefflre,
1979).
The merit of the definition by Burks and Steffler is that it is sufficiently theoretical and at the
same time reasonably operational.

Theory and Practice of Counseling

Theory and practice should go hand in hand. Many trained counselors initially adhere to the
theory while starting their career as counsellor. However, even those who are fanatically tied
down to one theory appear to change over time. This is because the client is a human being and
he is the link between the theory and practice of the counsellor. Rigid theories, like the
Procrustean bed, repel the human psyche. When the man does not fit into the theory the
counselor is compelled to change his theory. This is one of the most demanding challenges of
counselling.
Counselors should keep their minds more receptive and flexible. The psychological concept of
individual difference must be understood thoroughly. Individual clients differing in their
personalities come with dissimilar problems, goals and aspirations. To believe that all those
clients would benefit from one kind of theory is unrealistic. It is useful to know that all the well-
known theories have emerged from the practice of individual counselor’s personal experience
with counselees. This is why we have different theories and practices. Trying to know these
theories as old and new broadens our perspective. But what would be ultimately useful is the one
that is carved out from the counselor’s experience with the counselees. This is why all textbook
writers speak of a ‘Personal Theory’
http://www.psychology4all.com/CounselingTrends.htm

What is counselling ?

Counselling is a  process that enables a person to sort out issues and reach decisions
affecting their life. Often counselling is sought out at times of change or crisis, it need not
be so, however, as counselling can also help us at any time of our life.

Counselling involves talking with a person in a way that helps that person solve a problem
or helps to create conditions that will cause the person to understand and/or improve his
behaviour, character, values or life circumstances.

Counselling is often performed face-to-face in confidential sessions between the counsellor

and client(s). However, counselling can also be undertaken by telephone, in writing and, in
these days of the Internet, by email or video conferencing.

Counselling can and may take many different formats to bring a person to a better
understanding of them self and others. It can therefore be seen that counselling can be of
benefit to a person experiencing problems in finding, forming, and maintaining
relationships.

Relationship counselling is not about giving advice. It is about helping and supporting a
person to find an understanding and answers that work for that person. Counselling is a
friendly, supportive and positive approach to personal development.

Many people seeking counselling, have problems or past experiences in their life, which they
find difficult to overcome. These experiences and problems prevent the person moving
forward in their life. Counselling helps the person face the effects of past experiences and
seek ways to overcome them.
Clients usually find counselling a very liberating and empowering experience. That is not to
say that they do not feel nervous or daunted when first approaching a counsellor, they do!
However, the process and the feeling afterwards, are usually very positive and beneficial.

Counselling may take time to work, depending upon the nature and number of problems
being presented by the client. Sometimes, a single or a few sessions are all that is needed.
At other times, longer periods, possibly months or up to a couple of years may be needed.
The counsellor is there throughout to assist the client in their development.

So if you are facing a crisis in your life, or a period of change, then may be counselling
could help you. If you feel things may be going wrong in your life and you want to
understand why and do something about it, then may be counselling could help.

Carl Rogers is often thought of as being the 'father' of counselling. It is he who devised the
phrase 'person-centered' or 'client-centered' counselling as a description of his approach to
therapy with clients. This phrase appears to have been derived from an earlier phrase he
used, 'non-directive', which is a phrase still used in Life coaching.

Counselling is often a misunderstood approach. People feel that it is

just talking and lacks any practical or therapeutic approaches.
Whilst talking, or rather communicating, issues is central to the  
counselling process, it is the listening and the reflecting done by the
counsellor that helps the client to understand their problem better.  
In Carl Rogers' approach to counselling, it is believed that the client
already has all the skills necessary for them to tackle the issues they
present. This latter point is a factor that helps distinguish
counselling from 'other forms of therapy which provide an 'expert' to
provide a 'cure' or 'treatment' for you

http://www.dougwoods.com/counselling.html

Q. What is Counseling?

According to Dictionary the meaning of Counseling is "Advice or guidance, especially as

solicited from a knowledgeable person."

So in this context, it is basically guidance to your College selection and Branch selection.

Q. Why this Counseling has started?

Some years back, some of the colleges indulged in "Branch fixing ", that is they demanded
high fee for allotting the Branch of study.

Since the Branch allocation was in the second year of study, most from average middle
class family students had to give out more money to get the branches of their desire.
Otherwise they were allotted Branches which were rejected by most of the students or
which they don't like.
Seeing all this, the Govt. decided to admit students on Counseling, that each student will be
allotted a College and Branch of their own choice.

This practice has almost brought the Branch fixing to zero.

Some tips to be followed for Counseling:

1. Go well informed about the colleges and branches. It's better to have 2-3 colleges in
mind.

2. Go to the place earlier, say if you are allotted 4 o'clock in the evening don't be there at
sharp 4 o'clock. Ask your parents to take a leave and be there at least 3-4 hours before so
that you can watch the trends and have a good selection.

3. Take lunch with you or have your lunch at least one hour before the counseling time if
your counseling is near to lunch or tea time. Because when your cut off rank is called, and
you are not available, chances are there you will lose the college or branch. So be alert.
Keep a watch for the announcements.

5.Also if your parents are addicted to tea, coffee, or smoking, ask them to buy you coffee or
have coffee or smoke near the hall itself. This is because, when your turn come your father
or guardian may be away from you in search of coffee or lighting his smoke and you will be
running here and there in search of him, thereby losing some important things in life.

6.You can ask your doubts to the persons inside the counseling session also. They are there
to clear your doubts.

7. Keep your documents safely in a bag and have a check on that. Because without
documents you will lose the entry.

8. More importantly, keep your ears open. Listen what parents of others and students are
talking. There will be groups of parents in discussions. Not all parents will be well informed;
in fact they will be reflecting their son/daughter knowledge. But anyway lend your ears to
their talking, you may get some tips out of that about a College or Branch .You can also
bring your brothers or Grandfathers to act like a spy to get information.

Characteristics of Effective
Counseling
By LYNN PONTON, MD

Effective counseling is a two way street. It takes a cooperative effort by both the person
receiving counseling and the counselor. And it takes a commitment to make sometimes
difficult changes in behavior or thinking patterns.
What you expect to achieve with your counselor should be clearly defined as you begin your
counseling. You and your counselor should discuss realistic time frames for reaching your
goals and agree on how you will measure your progress.
It’s important that you and your counselor establish a good relationship that allows you to
be completely honest about your thoughts and feelings. Often, this requires an elusive
“chemistry” between both of you in which you feel comfortable with your counselor’s
personality, approach and style. If after the first few sessions you don’t feel this chemistry,
look for another counselor with whom you feel more comfortable.
Once you think you’ve found the right counselor, how do you tell if your relationship is
effective? Here are some signs to look for:
While you are responsible for making changes in your life, an effective counselor can help
pinpoint the obstacles in your way. If you have control over these obstacles, a counselor can
suggest behavioral changes to help you overcome them. If these obstacles involve factors
outside of your control, your counselor can teach you coping mechanisms that will foster
your well being in trying circumstances.
An effective counselor can identify negative thinking patterns that may be feeding feelings
of sadness, depression or anxiety. By encouraging you to build upon personal strengths and
suggesting skills that can overcome self-inflicted feelings of hopelessness, a counselor can
help you develop a more positive attitude.
A good counselor can assist you in making positive changes in your relationships with
others, helping you recognize behaviors that may be contributing to a troublesome
relationship. Your counselor can teach you effective ways of communicating, clearing the
way for honest exchanges with people in your life who may be causing you emotional pain.
You can determine whether your work with your counselor is effective if you begin to obtain
insights about your own thoughts and behaviors that may have eluded you before. Over
time, you should be able to recognize patterns in the way you act, trace their sources and
identify stumbling blocks to your happiness that you may have unwittingly created. The end
result is personal growth that empowers you to control your life and enjoy positive, life-
affirming relationships with others.
http://psychcentral.com/lib/2006/characteristics-of-effective-counseling/

STAGES OF COUNSELLING:

There is a natural progression that takes place within the context of the helping relationship. This
process enables you and the person you are working with to build a relationship, assess the
situation, set goals and come up with a plan to bring about your desired results. This progression
is known as the counseling process. There are four stages of the counseling process. They are:
developing a relationship, making an informed assessment, establishing mutually agreed upon
goals and objectives and developing an implementation plan.

Phase 1. Developing A Relationship

In order to develop positive helping relationships with youth, you've got to be able to connect
with them. This can only happen when youth are made to feel like you genuinely care about their
well-being and that you understand where they are coming from. It's about behaving in a way
that demonstrates the core conditions of genuineness, respect and empathy.
To develop solid relationships with youth, you need to create a safe environment where young
people will feel comfortable enough to open up to you and talk to you about anything that is on
their minds. You also need to help youth see that despite their circumstances they have strengths.
In short, you should start things off from a strengths-based perspective.

Questions to Consider When Trying to

Develop A Relationship

· In what ways can you build better relationships with the youth in your program?

· If there are youth who are not actively engaged, what can you do differently to engage them?

· If a youth is resistant, what steps can you take to reduce resistance?

· What worked in the past with resistant youth?

· How do you know when you've built a solid relationship with a youth? Could you use these
indicators to strengthen your relationships with other youth?

Phase 2. Making An Informed Assessment

An informed assessment happens when both you and the youth gather information in order to
figure out what's "really" going on so that you can assess what needs to happen next in order to
change the situation for the better or build up the youth's coping skills to better deal with a
problematic situation. The first step in making an assessment is to find out if change is necessary,
and if it is what needs to happen for change to take place. If you have determined that change is
necessary, then the next step is to figure out what needs to change. Is it a behavior? An attitude?
A situation?

A good assessment can provide an opportunity for a young person to see how his/her behavior or
attitude might be contributing to an undesirable or unhealthy situation. Assessment is an ongoing
process. You need to regularly check in with your youth to see how things are going.
Reassessments enable you to ensure that you and the youth are on the right track.

How do you gather information in order to make an informed assessment? You can gather
information in a number of ways: talking with youth, observing the youth's behavior and
interactions, discussions with other people who are involved in the young person's life, and
reading any documented information on the young person. Keep in mind that when utilizing
someone else's verbal or written report as a source of background information, you run the risk
of subjecting yourself to their biases and assumptions.

Points to Keep In Mind When Making An Assessment

· Be aware of your biases and how they impact on the assessments you make.

· Involve youth in the assessment process.

· Don't rely on one single source to make an assessment, gather as much information as you can
from a variety of sources.

· Don't automatically label a behavior as dysfunctional because you don't understand it, or it is
not germane to your culture.

· Make sure to point out a young person's strengths even when addressing problematic behavior.

Phase 3. Establishing Mutually Agreed Upon Goals and Objectives

Why is it important to establish "mutually agreed" upon goals and objectives? Because if a
young person is in agreement with the goals then he/she is more likely to follow through on
them. When a youth is actively involved in the goal setting process and is in agreement with the
goals, then he/she is more inclined to take ownership of the goals. What are goals? Goals are
broad statements that identify what you want to accomplish. Think of goals as the end result that
you are trying to achieve. While goals are broad statements that identify what you want to
accomplish overall, objectives are the measurable steps that you take to achieve your goals. For
example if you have a goal that states, "youth will be better able to manage her anger." One of
your objectives might be, "youth will recognize emotional triggers that lead to angry outbursts
and use positive, self-talk to calm herself down." Your objectives should always be concrete and
measurable. They should also be derived from the overall goal.

Questions to Consider When Developing

Goals and Objectives

· What do you and the young person want to achieve?

· How are you going to achieve it?

· When do you want to achieve your stated goal?

· What obstacles do you anticipate?

· How will you address these obstacles?

· How will you use to measure and monitor progress?

· Are your goals realistic?

Phase 4. Implementation Plan

The implementation plan is a plan that you and the youth work on together. It is designed to
prevent, intervene, or address unhealthy behaviors and practices. The implementation plan
identifies who will perform the activities, where the activities will occur, how frequently they
will occur, how they will be carried out and when they will be carried out. Implementation
activities are designed to help individuals re-think risky behavior, work through problematic
issues, address unhealthy lifestyles practices, learn new skills and build strengths.
Implementation activities can include: counseling, crisis intervention, training and education,
supportive services, concrete services and constructive use of free time.

As you can see, each stage of the counseling process builds upon the former. As you move
through each stage, you will come to realize that it takes patience and practice to counsel youth
effectively, but if you are committed to the goal you'll do just fine. You may not feel completely
confident in your ability as a counselor, but as you expand your knowledge base, gain more
experience and strengthen your helping skills, you will become a more effective counselor.

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-4-Stages-of-the-Counseling-Process:-What-Every-Youth-
Counselor-Should-Know&id=441585

What is Counselling?
by Fiona Muirhead

Counselling is defined as ‘the service of helping people to adjust to or

deal with personal problems by enabling them to discover for themselves the solution to the
problems while receiving attention from a counsellor.’ (Chambers Dictionary)

It is not possible or practicable to be ‘sent for counselling’. It has to be a voluntary process.

Many people, when they first approach me, do so uncertain if this is a process by which they can
be truly helped. The first words I often hear are, ‘You’ll think this is silly...’, ’I don’t really know
why I’m here… , ‘I just can’t shift…’ or ‘I feel so guilty…’.

Counselling is frequently mentioned in the media, usually following a major disaster such as a
rail crash or in relation to a celebrity with major personal issues. Because of this many people
believe that counselling should only be sought to help deal with a dramatic situation. But this is
not the case. Depression, bereavement, stress, relationships, anxieties or phobias, self image and
many other cares and concerns – anything which adversely affects quality of life – are all issues
often benefiting from counselling.

One aspect which cannot be stressed too strongly is that when a counsellor meets a client, it
is in privacy and confidence. Confidentiality is fully discussed before embarking on the
first session. Counsellors will not report back to other professionals, friends or family
members.

Counselling is a process with a beginning, a middle and an end, where the counsellor facilitates
an individual to consider the aspects of their life they wish to change.

The whole idea is to enable the client to explore a difficulty or distress which they may be
experiencing, assisted by the counsellor whose main role is to facilitate the client to make his or
her own decisions on how to proceed. It is not an environment where the counsellor will say
what has to be done or even give advice. However, through this process the counsellor will
endeavour to guide the client from feeling a victim of circumstances to feeling that they have
more control over their life.

There are different models of counselling, differing routes or tools to enable the client to change.
My practice is based on Transactional Analysis (TA) into which I integrate aspects of other
models as well. TA is a model for understanding personality, relationships and communication. I
use it because of its clarity and versatility. In TA counselling, people talk about their Parent,
Adult and Child. These are distinctive parts of us all, available and necessary for living as a
whole, integrated person. TA holds that everyone has intrinsic dignity and worth; they are ‘OK’.
Everyone has the capacity to think. There is a commitment to change, to making decisions and
taking personal responsibility for personal outcome.

Clarifying the problem and the desired change encourages the person to decide how they wish to
be. Often unpacking one problem may reveal its connection to another. When people start the
process of counselling they begin to experience the recurring patterns in their lives, to identify
their negative feelings and how they play games and thereby limit themselves. A decision to
make positive change is a further step. Someone may know what their goal is, but they have to
decide to take positive action to achieve that goal.

The Counsellor offers support and facilitation on the basis that the client has decided what he or
she feels…yet this is something that may also change!

The basic steps of counselling involve people in:

 gaining recognition for their skills and experience

 being confronted, from a caring position, by the ways they used to discount themselves
and others
 re-experiencing, in the present, any relevant events from the past. This can help them to
obtain emotional release from feelings or beliefs to which they may be clinging, that are
stopping them from meeting their immediate needs.

Emphasis is given to feelings and thoughts, as stimuli for action and change. Support, challenge
and practice are essential to enable all these steps to be achieved.
Counselling may comprise a few sessions, or it may take longer, but it does not go on for ever. In
the end, the client is helped to find the tools to enable them to think, feel and behave in the way
they desire, empowered without the counsellor’s support.

http://www.healthywaymagazine.com/issue34/03_.html

Willingness

Many who need counseling either will not seek it or they come for therapy and are not willing to make any
changes in their lives. They want others to change; they want their environment or circumstances to
change but they are resistant to doing anything different themselves. It is surprising how much emotional
pain a person can endure because they have difficulty embracing the idea of change.Many individuals
have difficulty with the process of change because it can create much anxiety getting outside one's
comfort zone. For some, it's just being a creature of habit and the known is more preferable than the
unknown. New habits, new methods of doing things, and changing thinking patterns or behaviors take a
great deal of energy and time, as well as courage.Courage can be defined as "the willingness to do
something even if you are afraid". Given the choice of being with someone who is courageous or
someone who is fearless, choose the courageous person. Anyone who is without fear can be a danger to
you because they will take risks that could get you hurt. The person with courage is willing to do what it
takes and will most likely be more careful about it because they do experience fear. They are not
paralyzed by fear; they are empowered by it.Seeking help and making changes in your life requires
courage If you are willing to be different you are about a quarter of the way to having a better life.

Motivation

Some individuals will relate that they are willing to make changes in their life but lack the drive or energy
to actually do so. They will begin the process by seeking therapy and they will express a desire for
change but will not make the effort necessary to actually carry out the process. The initial reason they are
in counseling is that their life may have deteriorated to the point of being in a state of crisis. They may
have become entangled in the legal system; been threatened with loss of their marriage or family; or in
danger of losing their jobs. In addition, they may also be in emotional pain over such a length time that
their health has become an issue.A crisis situation may be hurtful but it may also be helpful. In many
situations things may have to get worse before it gets better for the change process to take place. The
Chinese have a written character in their language that has two meanings. This character represents both
the concept of danger and opportunity. Therefore, a crisis can be a life disaster or calamity but it can also
be a means to making life better because it provides a motivation for personal growth and
development.Without a strong drive for change, it is less likely to happen. When an individual has both
the willingness to improve and the motivation to do so, they have half of what it takes to succeed in the
counseling process.

Commitment

The old adage "quitters never win and winner never quit" basically says it all.Nevertheless, people tend to
be impatient with the personal growth process. Many of us want things and we want them right now. At
least those of us who lack the maturity to suffer delayed gratification will express this urgency along with
those who are experiencing enormous distress in their life. However, we who believe that "anything worth
having is worth waiting for", will persist in the pursuit of change, and are the ones who will prevail over
adversity. The counseling process requires such commitment and patience. Without these two
characteristics, many will rush into what they think is a viable solution but eventually find the problem has
not really been resolved at all.What is the true purpose of time? The answer is "so that everything doesn't
have to happen all at once". Therefore, we must remind ourselves to stay the course and allow the
sequence of events to occur so that we can make positive changes over the course of time.A formula for
success I use in my practice is also the definition of "learning" as we use it in therapy. That formula is: L=
c/t x E [or learning is any change that occurs over time as a result of experience]. The "over time" part of
this formula is crucial to the learning process and is required because real and lasting change rarely
occurs instantaneously.The key to success in counseling, or in any task in life, aside from having the
willingness and the motivation to change [adapt or learn] is to stay the course of therapy and realize that
interpersonal problems develop over many years and it will take time to resolve them. If you possess or
develop these attributes in the initial phase of counseling you will be three quarters on the way to
success.

Faith

Faith is the final and most critical step in creating success. If a person does not believe in themselves or
in what they are doing, it becomes almost impossible to accomplish any project or task. In other words,
the more you believe in something, the more you increase your chances of being successful at it.The
concept of belief in oneself or belief in a process seems simple and we can usually agree about the
necessity of it, but there are still those who fail because they do not possess the strength of faith to
accomplish their goals.One of the reasons people will suffer great and enduring emotional distress is that
they do not believe counseling or psychotherapy can help them. They have seen multi-media programs
that disparage individuals who seek counseling, or portray counselors and psychotherapists in an
unflattering manner. Some may view counseling as for the weak and cowardly. Each person fails when
they have little or no faith in the healing process of change.The successful individual understands that it
takes believing in yourself and in others to accomplish a goal or task. They realize that a certain amount
of trust needs to be placed in a well-trained, well-educated health care provider or at least explore their
lack of trust issues with the therapist in the beginning phase of counseling. This lack of trust in others may
stem from early childhood issues and be a primary source of a person's pain.For those of us who are
believers and possess a faith in God, we have a means outside ourselves to succeed. Harvard University
and the National Institute of Mental Health both undertook a research project to disprove the power of
prayer and both studies resulted in seeing a significant influence that prayer has in healing. It is
encouraging that two secular institutions could inadvertently support the power of faith.Overcoming
adversity and gaining achievement is a culmination of all four attributes of willingness, motivation,
commitment, and faith, and with them you can have a complete opportunity of success in therapy as well
as any reasonable goals you set in life.

http://www.athealth.com/Practitioner/particles/guest_KerseyNH.html

The Counseling Process

Effective leaders use the four stage counseling process
Posted Friday, June 2, 2006
Effective leaders use the counseling process. It consists of four stages:

 Identify the need for counseling.

 Prepare for counseling.
 Conduct counseling.
 Follow up.

IDENTIFY THE NEED FOR COUNSELING

Quite often organizational policies, such as counseling associated with an evaluation or counseling required by the
command, focus a counseling session. However, you may conduct developmental counseling whenever the need arises
for focused, two-way communication aimed at subordinate development. Developing subordinates consists of observing
the subordinate’s performance, comparing it to the standard, and then providing feedback to the subordinate in the form
of counseling.
PREPARE FOR COUNSELING
Successful counseling requires preparation. To prepare for counseling, do the following:

 Select a suitable place.

 Schedule the time.
 Notify the subordinate well in advance.
 Organize information.
 Outline the counseling session components.
 Plan your counseling strategy.
 Establish the right atmosphere.

Select a Suitable Place: Schedule counseling in an environment that minimizes interruptions and
is free from distracting sights and sounds.

Schedule the Time: When possible, counsel a subordinate during the duty day. Counseling after
duty hours may be rushed or perceived as unfavorable. The length of time required for counseling
depends on the complexity of the issue. Generally a counseling session should last less than an
hour. If you need more time, schedule a second session. Additionally, select a time free from
competition with other activities and consider what has been planned after the counseling session.
Important events can distract a subordinate from concentrating on the counseling.

Notify the Subordinate Well in Advance: For a counseling session to be a subordinate-centered,

two-person effort, the subordinate must have time to prepare for it. The subordinate should know
why, where, and when the counseling will take place. Counseling following a specific event should
happen as close to the event as possible. However, for performance or professional development
counseling, subordinates may need a week or more to prepare or review specific products, such as
support forms or counseling records.

Organize Information: Solid preparation is essential to effective counseling. Review all pertinent
information. This includes the purpose of the counseling, facts and observations about the
subordinate, identification of possible problems, main points of discussion, and the development of a
plan of action. Focus on specific and objective behaviors that the subordinate must maintain or
improve as well as a plan of action with clear, obtainable goals.

Outline the Components of the Counseling Session: Using the information obtained, determine
what to discuss during the counseling session. Note what prompted the counseling, what you aim to
achieve, and what your role as a counselor is. Identify possible comments or questions to help you
keep the counseling session subordinate-centered and help the subordinate progress through its
stages. Although you never know what a subordinate will say or do during counseling, a written
outline helps organize the session and enhances the chance of positive results.

Plan Counseling Strategy: As many approaches to counseling exist as there are leaders. The
directive, nondirective, and combined approaches to counseling were addressed earlier. Use a
strategy that suits your subordinates and the situation.

Establish the Right Atmosphere: The right atmosphere promotes two-way communication
between a leader and subordinate. To establish a relaxed atmosphere, you may offer the
subordinate a seat or a cup of coffee. You may want to sit in a chair facing the subordinate since a
desk can act as a barrier.

Some situations make an informal atmosphere inappropriate. For example, during counseling to
correct substandard performance, you may direct the subordinate to remain standing while you
remain seated behind a desk. This formal atmosphere,normally used to give specific guidance,
reinforces the leader’s rank, position in the chain of command, and authority.
CONDUCT THE COUNSELING SESSION

Be flexible when conducting a counseling session. Often counseling for a specific incident occurs spontaneously as
leaders encounter subordinates in their daily activities. Such counseling can occur in the field, motor pool, barracks—
wherever subordinates perform their duties. Good leaders take advantage of naturally occurring events to provide
subordinates with feedback.
Even when you haven’t prepared for formal counseling, you should address the four basic components of a counseling
session. Their purpose is to guide effective counseling rather than mandate a series of rigid steps. Counseling sessions
consist of:

 Opening the session.

 Discussing the issues.
 Developing the plan of action.
 Recording and closing the session.

Ideally, a counseling session results in a subordinate’s commitment to a plan of action. Assessment

of the plan of action (discussed below) becomes the starting point for follow-up counseling.
Open the Session: In the session opening, state the purpose of the session and establish a
subordinatecentered setting. Establish the preferred setting early in the session by inviting the
subordinate to speak. The best way to open a counseling session is to clearly state its purpose. For
example, an appropriate purpose statement might be: “The purpose of this counseling is to discuss
your duty performance over the past month and to create a plan to enhance performance and attain
performance goals.” If applicable, start the counseling session by reviewing the status of the
previous plan of action.

You and the subordinate should attempt to develop a mutual understanding of the issues. You can
best develop this by letting the subordinate do most of the talking. Use active listening; respond,
and question without dominating the conversation. Aim to help the subordinate better understand
the subject of the counseling, for example, duty performance, a problem situation and its impact, or
potential areas for growth.

Both you and the subordinate should provide examples or cite specific observations to reduce the
perception that either is unnecessarily biased or judgmental. However, when the issue is
substandard performance, you should make clear how the performance didn’t meet the standard.
The conversation, which should be two-way, then addresses what the subordinate needs to do to
meet the standard. It’s important that you define the issue as substandard performance and don’t
allow the subordinate to define the issue as an unreasonable standard—unless you consider the
standard negotiable or are willing to alter the conditions under which the subordinate must meet the
standard.

Develop a Plan of Action: A plan of action identifies a method for achieving a desired result. It
specifies what the subordinate must do to reach the goals set during the counseling session. The
plan of action must be specific: it should show the subordinate how to modify or maintain his
behavior. It should avoid vague intentions such as “Next month I want you to improve your land
navigation skills.” The plan must use concrete and direct terms. For example, you might say: “Next
week you’ll attend the map reading class with 1st Platoon. After the class, SGT Dixon will coach you
through the land navigation course. He will help you develop your skill with the compass. I will
observe you going through the course with SGT Dixon, and then I will talk to you again and
determine where and if you still need additional training.” A specific and achievable plan of action
sets the stage for successful development.
 Record and Close the Session: Although requirements to record counseling sessions vary, a
leader always benefits by documenting the main points of a counseling session. Documentation
serves as a reference to the agreed upon plan of action and the subordinate’s accomplishments,
improvements, personal preferences, or problems. A complete record of counseling aids in making
recommendations for professional development, schools, promotions, and evaluation reports.

Additionally, Army regulations require written records of counseling for certain personnel actions,
such as a barring a soldier from reenlisting, processing a soldier for administrative separation, or
placing a soldier in the overweight program. When a soldier faces involuntary separation, the leader
must take special care to maintain accurate counseling records. Documentation of substandard
actions conveys a strong corrective message to subordinates.

To close the session, summarize its key points and ask if the subordinate understands the plan of
action. Invite the subordinate to review the plan of action and what’s expected of you, the leader.
With the subordinate, establish any follow-up measures necessary to support the successful
implementation of the plan of action. These may include providing the subordinate with resources
and time, periodically assessing the plan, and following through on referrals. Schedule any future
meetings, at least tentatively, before dismissing the subordinate.

FOLLOW UP

Leader’s Responsibilities: The counseling process doesn’t end with the counseling session. It
continues through implementation of the plan of action and evaluation of results. After
counseling, you must support subordinates as they implement their plans of action. Support
may include teaching, coaching, or providing time and resources. You must observe and assess
this process and possibly modify the plan to meet its goals. Appropriate measures after
counseling include follow-up counseling, making referrals, informing the chain of command,
and taking corrective measures.

Assess the Plan of Action: The purpose of counseling is to develop subordinates who are
better able to achieve personal, professional, and organizational goals. During the assessment,
review the plan of action with the subordinate to determine if the desired results were achieved.
You and the subordinate should determine the date for this assessment during the initial
counseling session. The assessment of the plan of action provides useful information for future
follow-up counseling sessions.
http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/army_board_study_guide_topics/counseling/the-
counseling-process.shtml
An educational process that seeks to assist affected individuals and other individuals at risk of
getting an inherited condition to understand the nature of the genetic disorder, its transmission
and the options open to them in management and family planning - ( Kelly, 1998).

Sheldon Reed proposed the terminology, ' Genetic counseling ' in 1947, In the response to the
increasing knowledge of the role of genetics in health and disease. Genetic counseling aims to
facilitate the exchange of Information regarding a person's genetic legacy.

It attempts to : Accurately diagnose a disorder

Assess the risk of recurrence in the concerned family member and relatives.

Provides alternatives for decision - making.

Provide support groups that will help family members cope with the recurrence of a disorder.

PURPOSE

With approximately 2,000 genes identified and about 5, 000 disorders caused by genetic defects,
genetic counseling is important in the medical discipline of obstetrics. Genetic counselors
educated in the medical and psycho social aspects of genetic disease, can simplify and convey
complex information to help people make important life decisions.

Currently there are no cures for genetic disease conditions. However this is likely to Change in
the next few years.

Genetic counselors work with people concerned about the risk of an inherited disease. (eg.
Huntington's disease ). The counselor does not prevent the incidence of a disease in a family, but
can assess the risk for certain hereditary disease and offer guidance.

Many couples seek genetic counseling because of a family history of Known genetic disorders,
infertility, miscarriage , still births or early infant Mortality. Other reasons for participations may
be occupational hazards, factors that expose a potential parent to health risks. Such as radiation,
Chemicals / drugs. Any family history of mental retardation can be of concern as is a strong
family history of heart disease at an early age.

Recent statistics show a 3% chance of delivering a baby with birth defects. An additional 2%
chance of having a baby with Down syndrome is present for women over 35 years and older
women getting pregnant .

Medical history / family pedigree and investigations

An important aspect of genetic counseling sessions is the compilation of family Pedigree or

medical history. To accurately assess the risk of inherited disease, Information on three
successive generations including health status or cause of death is usually needed. Before or after
this pedigree is completed, certain genetic tests are performed using DNA analysis. X - ray,
ultrasound scans, urine analysis , skin biopsy and physical evaluation.

For a pregnant woman, prenatal diagnosis can be made using amniocenteris and Chorionic villi
sampling. For lethal recessive disorders, preliminary screening tests for metabolic diseases, as
well as alpha - fetoprotein ( AFP ) can be done to screen certain birth defects such as neural -
tube defects (spina bifida, anencephaly).
Read more: Genetic Counseling
http://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/geneticcounselling.htm#ixzz12FV0zhrg

http://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/geneticcounselling.htm#ixzz12FUg8Lec