COUNSELLING

What is counselling?

Counselling is a form of therapy in which an individual, a couple or a family meets with a

professional counsellor to discuss various issues. Counselling should always be professional,
confidential and non-judgemental.

Purpose of counselling

Counselling has many purposes, including the following:

 Giving people the opportunity to share their views, be listened to and gain new
perspectives
 Helping provide clarity around issues
 Helping people work towards a desired outcome
 Encouraging personal growth.

Reasons people seek out counselling

To help them deal with specific issues, concerns or circumstances like;

 Stress and anxiety

 Depression
 Grief and loss
 Parenting
 Addiction
 Abuse
 Trauma
 Relationship and communication issues
 Exploration of sexuality or gender identity
 Life transitions such as divorce, job changes, moving or the birth of a child.
Principles of counselling

To provide the very best support to clients, understanding the principles of counselling is
important. The principles provide an essential framework for counsellors to operate within,
and counsellors should practise them when interacting with clients.
  Cultural awareness
 Body language
 Observation
 Respect for the autonomy of others
 Propriety
 Integrity
 Ethics

Cultural awareness

At all times, a counsellor must be culturally conscious. This means that counsellors must be
actively aware of how their culture and the culture of their clients have shaped their values,
beliefs, biases and worldviews. They must be acutely aware of any cultural differences
between themselves and their clients and actively reflect on their responses at all times.
Body language

Listening attentively to a client is critical in counselling, and being cognizant of body

language is an essential principle of counselling. Counsellors must endeavour to maintain eye
contact and must also be conscious of their movements and the distance that they maintain
between themselves and their clients. In general, counsellors must maintain a professional
distance and demeanour and be aware that touching, staring, and sitting or standing close to
their clients may cause them considerable discomfort.

Observation

In counselling sessions, what’s not said can be as important as what is. Counsellors should
ensure that they not only actively listen to what their clients tell them but also take the time to
observe clients’ body language and other non-verbal cues, such as sadness, discomfort or
anxiety when talking about certain events or individuals.

Respect for the autonomy of others

One critical principle of counselling is respect for the client’s autonomy. A counsellor must
always respect that the client has choices, and they must not attempt to unduly influence what
a client does. The role of the counsellor is to make their clients aware of the choices available
to them and what the consequences of these choices might be, rather than forcing them to do
something they don’t want to do.

Integrity

As counsellors deal with a range of sensitive, personal and private issues, integrity is
essential. Counsellors must respect their clients’ privacy and live up to the high amount of
trust that is placed on them.

Different types of counselling

 Vocational and career counselling

 Relationship and marriage counselling
 Trauma counselling
 Student counselling
  Grief and loss counselling
 Depression and anxiety counselling
 Family therapy.

In what settings does counselling occur?

 Private practice – often delivering relationship, grief and loss or trauma counselling
 Schools – delivering career counselling or other types of counselling
 Hospital care facilities – delivering mental health or trauma-related counselling
 Education or legal system – offering services to those who may be struggling within
the legal system and advocating for change.
Approaches to counselling

There are many different approaches that a counsellor can take when working with a client.
Here are three approaches that a counsellor may elect to use;

Stages of counselling
To treat patients according to the principles of counselling, certain steps and processes must
be followed. The stages are as follows:

Stage 1: Building a relationship

Trust is absolutely essential in all counselling relationships. The counsellor establishes a
rapport by exploring the issues affecting the client. This relationship building typically starts
at the first interview in which a counsellor’s verbal and non-verbal signs demonstrate an
investment in the process.
Stage 2: Assessment and formulating the issue
While the counsellor and the client build rapport, the counsellor identifies the issues that the
client needs to address. To do this, the counsellor carefully listens and asks questions to
understand as much as possible about the client’s situation.
Stage 3: Formulating counselling goals
The counsellor and the client must develop these goals collaboratively, and the client must
commit to actively working towards accomplishing them.
Stage 4: Problem-solving
A counsellor’s approach to problem-solving depends on the counselling method and the
situation that the client faces. For example, a counsellor who has opted for a cognitive-
behavioural approach may suggest that the client engages in different activities to help alter
their behaviour. Alternatively, a counsellor who’s opted for a person-centred approach will
create an environment where the client can work towards better self-esteem.
Stage 5: Termination and follow-up
The counsellor must plan carefully with the client to ensure that termination can occur
without anger, anxiety or risk of on-going issues or relapses. Alternatively, a counsellor may
refer the client to another professional if further help is needed.
Communication
Empathy
Patience
Listening
Non judgemental
Acceptance
Awareness of diversity
Ethical consideration
Interpersonal skills
Problem solving skills
Trust