Professionals and Practitioners in

Counseling
Learning Objectives:
• At the end of the topic the students should be able to:
• Define the roles of counselors,
• Describe the functions of counselors,
• Explain competencies of counselors,
• Identify the areas of specialization where counselors
work,
• Identify the rights of counselors,
• List the responsibilities of the counselor,
• Know the accountabilities of the counselor, and
• Be familiar with the code of ethics of counselor
 Roles, Functions and Competencies of Counselors
According to Micheal J. Martirano, the State Superintendent Schools, West
Virginia Board of Education the following are the roles of professional
counselor:
• The professional school counselor is a certified/licensed educator trained
in school counseling with unique qualifications and skills to address all
students’ academic, personal/social and career development needs.
• Professional school counselors implement a comprehensive school
counseling program that promotes and enhances student achievement
• Professional school counselors are employed in elementary, middle/junior
high and high schools and in district supervisory, counselor education and
post-secondary settings. Their work is differentiated by attention to
developmental stages of student growth, including the needs, tasks and
student interests related to those stages.
• Professional school counselors serve a vital role in maximizing student
achievement. Incorporating leadership, advocacy and collaboration,
professional school counselors promote equity and access to opportunities
and rigorous educational experiences for all students.
• Professional school counselors support a safe learning environment
and work to safeguard the human rights of all members of the school
community. Collaborating with other stakeholders to promote student
achievement, professional school counselors address the needs of
all students through prevention and intervention programs that are a
part of a comprehensive school counseling program. To achieve
maximum program effectiveness, the American School Counselor
Association recommends a counselor-to-student ratio of 1:250.
• Professional school counselors have a master’s degree or higher in
school counseling or the substantial equivalent, meet the state
certification/licensure standards and abide by the laws of the states
in which they are employed. They uphold the ethical and
professional standards of professional counseling associations and
promote the development of the school counseling program based
on the following areas of the ASCA National Model: foundation,
delivery, management and accountability.
 Roles, Functions and Competencies of Counselors
According to Roman D. Leano, in order to be effective in its undertakings the
following should be carried out or functions of the counselor
• Provide a relationship between counselor and counselee, the most
prominent quality of which is that of mutual trust with each other;
• Provide alternatives in self-understanding and in the courses of action
open to the client;
• Provide for some degree of intervention of the situation in which the client
finds himself and with “important other” in the client’s immediate life;
• Provide leadership in developing a healthy psychological environment for
his clients; and
• Provide for improvement of the counseling process through constant
individual criticism and extensive attention to improvement of process
through research.
 Roles, Functions and Competencies of Counselors
According to Cormier and Cormier (1985), the most effective helper is one
who has successfully integrated the personal and scientific parts of himself –
in other words, a person who has achieved a balance of interpersonal and
technical competence. The following are the competence of counselor:
• Intellectual competence
• Energy
• Flexibility
• Support
• Goodwill
• Self-awareness
 Areas of Specialization where Counselors Work
According to Calvin College (2017), within the field of psychology
itself, there are several professional specializations that apply the
principles of psychology to solving human problems.
The greatest opportunities to engage in counseling and psychotherapy
and the greatest flexibility in job opportunities in applied areas of
psychology are available for someone who is a licensed psychologist,
which can be obtained with either a Ph.D. or Psy.D., depending on the
field of study. The following areas of specialization:
• Clinical psychology
• Counseling psychology
• School psychology
• Organizational psychology
• Social work
 Career Opportunities of Counselors
Psychology is truly a very diverse field that provides a plethora of
career opportunities for qualified professionals. Psychologists perform
a large variety of duties in a number of diverse industries. For
example, psychologists working in the field of health services may
provide mental evaluation and healthcare services in clinics, hospitals,
schools, or in the private sector. They may also be employed in
applied settings, including industry, business, nonprofit organizations,
or government, providing training, conducting research, designing
organizational systems, or acting as advocates for psychology.
The following are the career opportunities for counselors:
• Psychologist career specialization
• Counseling career specialization
• Social work career specialization
• Therapist career specialization
 Rights, Responsibilities, Accountabilities, and Code
of Ethics
According to Roman D. Leano Jr., hereunder are some of the
major responsibilities of the guidance counselor based on broad
principles that can serve as guides irrespective of the size of the
school or district:
• Stimulates the interests of other staff members.
• Solicits the participation of students.