COUNSELING

DEFINITION OF THE COUNSELING

The American Counseling Association [ACA] defines counseling as a professional relationship that can include
various groups, families, and individuals with the purpose of achieving “mental health, well-being, education, and
occupational goals” (ACA, 2010 cited in Rosado 2018, p . 122).

To do this, counselors must stimulate people's development, promoting their well-being and the formation of
healthy relationships.

For Cenfa (2014), counseling is understood as a helping profession, which through training and professional
practice, is constituted as a discipline that provides the counselor with a “set of knowledge and professional
tools” (p. 2), which train you in the facilitation of processes that allow people to resolve conflicts that hinder their
interpersonal and individual development and the passage of their life cycles.

The Ministry of Health [MINSAL] has several definitions of counseling depending on the objective to which the
process is oriented. In 2011, the MINSAL published the Practical Guide to Counseling for Adolescents and Young
People, in which it defines counseling as a process in which a professional trained in counseling listens, informs
and guides users to make personal decisions related to consulted topic.

In Mexico, the National Center for the Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS [CENSIDA] describes counseling as a
meeting between people, in which the user exposes their needs and the counselor allows them to resolve them,
without putting their concerns first. own desires, guaranteeing warmth and respect in the service it delivers
(2006).

Both MINSAL (2011) and CENSIDA (2006) include in their manuals clarifications about what counseling is not to
help understand the concept. For both entities, counseling is not about giving advice, recommendations or trying
to influence people's beliefs, nor is it about disciplining, manipulating or forcing them in any way to change their
behaviors. Furthermore, the counseling space should not be a simple interview or transfer of information,
although this can be provided as part of the process.

In addition to the above, González (s/f) adds that, above all, counseling is not psychotherapy, however, it is a
space in which the patient can talk about their problems, identify what causes them and which ones they can
solve with their resources. . As well as analyze your relationships and look at them from a different perspective. It
is the place where the person can meet and, if necessary, receive psychological support through the network in
which the counseling is inserted.

Family counseling is not very different from the definitions that have already been mentioned.

According to Salazar de la Cruz and Jurado-Vega (2013), this type of intervention is aimed at families who are
having difficulties adapting to their environment, this after a stressful event or the accumulation of harmful
circumstances or situations. In these cases, it

It will try to motivate consensual decision-making and facilitate the family's functionality, encouraging them to
take actions and persist in behavioral changes that are convenient for the family. This helps the family regain
perspective of their problem and focus on the present.

The focus of counseling extends to all the factors that influence the well-being of people, the bio-psycho-social, it
deals with “discomfort and/or obstacles to overcome in the personal and social development of the consultants”
(Guzmán , 2013, p. Its form of intervention varies depending on the theoretical model to which it ascribes, being
a discipline that has a broad theoretical and empirical base, which is supported by several theoretical models
(Corsini & Wedding, 2008, in Rosado, 2018). All of them have the objective of providing a broad theoretical base,
with a focus on various aspects of human existence and thus constitute a guide for understanding the
consultants and their situations (Rosado, 2018).

ORIGIN

Psychological Counseling was born in the second half of the 20th century, with many specialties of psychology
contributing to its development, including vocational counseling that appeared a few decades earlier (Leong &
Leach, 2007 cited in Rivera, 2011). Since its appearance, a person who is dedicated to counseling, guidance or
consulting has been known as a counselor.

According to Whiteley (1984, cited in Rivera, 2011), there were five conditions that allowed the birth of
Counseling: “the so-called Social Reform movement, the emergence of vocational guidance, the development of
psychometrics, the development of new theories. , psychological approaches and rapid social changes” (Guzmán,
2013, p. 3). In addition, there are social factors of the 20th century that led to the emergence of professions of
assistance to people, such as the increase in poverty and social stigmatization, increase in exclusion phenomena,
notification of seropositivity, loss of employment, expulsion from territories. Since there is no minimum time for
psychic elaboration in these situations, due to their urgency, the emergence of spaces of help for individuals and
families becomes necessary (Tourette-Turgis, 1996; González and Arriagada, 2004 cited in Guzmán, 2013 ).

Counseling as a helping profession began in 1908 with Parsons (1909; Briddick, n.d. cited in Rosado, 2018) and
vocational counseling, currently known as occupational counseling. In 1930, in the United States, an event
occurred that would mean a great advance in counseling; Congress created the Division of Vocational Education
and, along with this, state supervisors in counseling (Gladding, 2009, cited in Rosado, 2018).

Another important factor in the birth of counseling in the United States was the Industrial Revolution of the late
1800s. According to Aubrey (1983, cited in Rosado, 2018), at that time counseling had a role of humanitarian
concern to help people who were harmed in this process of social transformation. The problems of individuals
and families are beginning to be considered as social hygiene problems, which can be addressed with therapeutic
or preventive interventions. For this reason, Rosado (2018) indicates, several critics (Rieff, 1966: Gushman, 1995)
point out this social process as one of the causes of the emergence of the need for therapy. The prevention
interventions developed in the United States, unknown in Europe, gave rise to the birth of movements for social
mental hygiene or marital mental health, with non-therapeutic family interventions appearing, such as marriage
counseling (Bertrando and Toffanetti, 2004 ).

Marriage consulting began to develop around 1930 by Paul Poponoe and Emily Mudd. Shortly after, in 1942, the
American Association of Marriage Counselors (AAMC) was born (Bertrando and Toffanetti, 2004), which,
together with the appearance of new theoretical models of family and the rise of the group modality since 1960,
influenced the development of counseling that begins to include individual and group interventions (Rosado,
2018). Other authors, such as Rivera (2011, cited in Guzmán, 2013) attribute the beginning of counseling to Carl
Rogers and his works Counseling and Psychotherapy and Client Centered Therapy, in the second half of the 20th
century. In these works, Rogers presents the need to consider the client as a person, a total and unique
individual.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COUNSELING

The characteristics that have been found in the theory of counseling will be explained, in order to delimit the role
and work of the counselors. Firstly, Cenfa (2014) mentions that counseling does not deal with mental pathology,
but rather deals with the subjective discomfort of the human being, with their suffering, with the aim of
facilitating learning that serves the development of the person. , as well as for prevention and change. However,
the help provided by counseling not only points to internal psychological processes, but the person must
integrate them into the different dimensions of their life, allowing it to extend from the individual and
psychological to the social and collective. Then, according to the above, the help granted from counseling has a
psychosocial character (González and Arriagada, 2004, cited in Guzmán, 2013).

Censida (2006), within the characteristics of counseling mentioned, states that it must be focused, that it
provides information according to the need and knowledge of the user, with a limited duration, not being
directive, but rather must facilitate dialogue between both, not judging or labeling the user in order to generate
a space of respect, cordiality and understanding. Rivera (2011) states that the therapeutic frameworks of
counseling are related to preventive, remedial and psychoeducational aspects. Therefore, it emerges as a duty to
attend to “the needs that human beings face without pathological severity, but at the same time important to
improve their stability and proper functioning” (p.8, cited in Guzmán, 2013, p. 11 ).

González and Arriagada (2004) propose that the counseling process has a short duration, should not be reduced
to a single intervention and seeks to generate a change or improvement in those who consult (cited in Guzmán,
2013). Regarding the duration of the intervention, in studies that analyzed Bower, Knowles, Coventry and
Rowland (2011) the results demonstrated that counseling is more effective in reducing mental health symptoms
in the short term, while long-term interventions are not. provide no advantage.

On the other hand, the counselor does not give “advice,” but rather supports the other in seeking answers to
their problems, generating favorable conditions for reflexivity and creating a space for conversation (Gonzalez
and Arriagada, 2004, cited in Guzmán , 2013). To achieve this, the counselor needs, on the one hand, to know
and recognize the client's cultural context, consider and legitimize their cultural differences and expectations,
focusing interventions from multiculturalism, without leaving aside the client's own culture ( a) counselor, who
interacts in the counseling situation (Tatar, 2008), and on the other hand, the professional must have multiple
techniques and strategies, supported by models and the broad theoretical and empirical base with which
counseling has, to focus its work from various perspectives, allowing more effective work with the client who is
seeking help. Likewise, when the counselor works closely with the client, through a professional intervention, he
or she manages to enter the client's life to help him or her meet his or her goals and seek his or her well-being
(Rosado, 2018).

OBJECTIVES OF THE COUNSELING

Firstly, one of the objectives that we can refer to in counseling is to provide information regarding a topic and be
able to help the person solve the problem they pose, clarifying their emotions and/or thoughts (Censida, 2006).
At the same time, the help given by counseling is intended to enable the person to have a reflection process
based on their problem, for which they are asking for support, so that the decisions they make regarding that
situation are voluntary and informed. (Guzmán, 2013).

On the other hand, other objectives of counseling stand out, such as promoting people's autonomy with respect
to the environments in which they operate. According to the above, Lines (2002) suggests that counseling
emphasizes the importance of clients' search for individuation, reinforcing that clients are self-assertive and self-
expressive or also, reinforcing becoming individuals (cited in Tatar, 2008 ).

Likewise, another visible objective is to provide people with tools to face situations that produce alterations in
family dynamics (González, s/f). This is why, in family counseling, the action is focused on changing the family
system (Minsal, 2008).
RELEVANCE OF COUNSELING

The possibility of generating a paradigmatic change, from a psychopathological vision and mental illness to a
vision of prevention and problems in the clients' lives, allows us to understand that there is a high number of
clients who, by having preventive psychoeducational interventions, can avoid chronic levels, all this established
from a solid identity in counseling (Rivera, 2011). This is because initially only people with clinical diagnoses could
receive help from a professional, however, it is emphasized that undiagnosed people who are going through
difficult periods of development can go to a professional, in this case to a counselor.

This is why a core aspect of professional counseling is recognized: “any person can need counseling,” the
dynamics of human relationships, the problems that people go through in their stages of life, added to the losses
and/or Any other unforeseen difficult situations generate a scenario that predicts the need for counseling
(Rosado, 2018).

In addition to the above, current evidence has shown that counseling can be a useful complement to primary
care services, in conjunction with other mental health treatments (Bower, Knowles, Coventry & Rowland, 2011).

From the American Counseling Association for the benefit of counseling, an organization called “20/20 Vision for
the Future of Counseling” was formed, which aims to unite and refocus this profession. Some principles of this
organization's vision can be visualized: Being able to establish and share a common identity within counseling. At
the same time, present it as a unified profession, improving public perception and strengthening this profession.
It also proposes being able to create an interstate licensing system, positioning counselors on a par with other
professionals who do have an accredited license for their practice. On the other hand, it is proposed to expand
research to demonstrate the effectiveness of counselors and to improve the perception of counseling as a
profession. In addition to this, it is proposed to have a body of knowledge and core competencies among all
directors. Finally, it is necessary to have preparation standards and have a single training model in training
programs (Rosado, 2018).

In other words, it should be counselors and professional associations who must educate and modify the beliefs
held regarding counseling as a helping profession (Rosado, 2018).

COUNSELING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY

The main difference that can be found in the literature about these concepts is that apparently, psychotherapy
takes care of psychopathologies or mental health problems (Guzmán, 2013). While guidance and counseling,
both individual and group, focuses on addressing cases with “normal or appropriate” behaviors, therefore,
psychotherapy would focus on working with “abnormal or maladaptive” behaviors that affect mental health
(Salazar et al. al., 2012 in Guzmán, 2013).

The Censida (2006) and the Minsal (2011) make the same clarification, proposing to differentiate both concepts,
since counseling, even if carried out by trained health professionals, would not be focused on solving mental
health problems. Therefore, counseling is not psychotherapy and only psychologist with specific training can do
psychotherapy.

Continuing with the previous idea, the American Psychological Association, in the 70's, established the difference
between Psychological Counseling and Clinical Psychology programs.

The first would work on vocational aspects and the life problems or difficulties that individuals may have.
Meanwhile, clinical psychology would take charge of the treatments of the medical model and psychopathology.
However, the history of these disciplines shows that both have developed in the same settings, both therapeutic
and work-related, and even using the same modalities of psychotherapeutic interventions (Rivera,2011).
THEORETICAL CURRENTS IN COUNSELING

Although it is Carl Rogers who is credited with the emergence of counseling, currently the theoretical currents
applied in counseling are different with a varied focus and/or meaning regarding the relationship between
counselor and consultant (González and Arriagada, 2004 ).

González and Arriagada (2004) explain that the differences between the theoretical aspects are based mainly on
their representations of the human being, what ails them, the nature of the relationship, the objectives of the
helping relationship, the techniques used and the types of clients to whom this help is adapted.

Below is a summary of the systematization proposed by these authors. Which is based on

Tourette-Tourgis and defines four approaches: cognitive behavioral, psychoanalytic current, existentialist
counseling and person-centered counseling.

0 COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL APPROACH:

Counseling would be focused on modifying the personal belief system where the main objective is “to
understand how the individual constructs his perception and knowledge of reality, how he makes decisions
based on multiple options and how he acts and behaves in the face of reality.” (Tourette-Tourgis, 1996 cited in
González and Arriagada, 2004, p. 5).

They explain that it has been developed in areas such as health, prevention and education in front of a public
that they call "who suffer, if we can say that, from a loss or deficit in their acquired capabilities" (González and
Arriagada, 2004). , p.5). Thus, the main fields of application refer to the treatment of anxieties, phobias, post-
traumatic reactions, sexual problems, drug addictions and dependencies.

Specifically in Anglo-Saxon countries where it has been developed as health psychology and behavioral medicine.

An applied example of this trend is adolescent counseling described by Millán, Morera and Vargas (2007), who
define it as an educational strategy that seeks voluntary changes in behavior that have an impact on health.

Likewise, it highlights how useful it is for actions linked to “performing examinations, providing diagnosis, as well
as supporting the need to incorporate self-care habits or behaviors, supporting adherence to treatments, among
many others” (p. 8).

2 PSYCHOANALYTICAL CURRENT IN COUNSELING:

According to González and Arriagada (2004), there would be no precise definition or manual for this. At the level
of practice it would be based on the treatment of the symptom and the discomfort.

Where the characteristics of the process (number, frequency and duration of interviews) would be determined
by the patient's momentary needs and their level of development. It is defined as:

The free and deliberate adaptation, carried out by a counseling practitioner, of psychoanalytic ideas and
techniques in order to help clients face difficult situations and make changes in the reality in which they live
(González and Arriagada, 2004, pp. . 6-7).

2 EXISTENTIALIST COUNSELING:

It is based on philosophy, psychiatry, psychology and theology. It seeks to understand the ways of being in the
world and the emotions of human beings, focusing on the subjective experience of each person. It then focuses
on the person's life rather than their personality (González and Arriagada, 2004).
It seeks to help develop and consolidate the personal capabilities of individuals to face life, motivating at the
same time the search for values and ideals that guide being and acting: For this approach, the human being is
responsible for his or her actions and can become happier confronting reality. The choice of your position in the
world belongs to you even if someone else helps you find it. The only reality that belongs to individuals is the
realization of their projects (González and Arriagada, 2004, p. 7)

From practice, they say that the focus of counseling is on the client's encounter with himself and not on the
helper-client encounter. That is, the client is not intended to reconstruct previous relationships or others in the
relationship established in counseling, but rather to confront himself and his life in order to seek to reveal the
broader set of phenomena that govern and define his life, going beyond learning new skills or eliminating a
symptom (González and Arriagada, 2004).

2 PERSON-CENTERED COUNSELING

The main author of reference is Carl Rogers, as mentioned above, who states that “counseling seeks to achieve a
reunion of the person with their abilities, their strengths and their existing potential” (González and Arriagada,
2004, p. 8).

This model conceives human beings as beings capable of developing and regulating their own behavior, tending
to growth, maturity, health and adaptation. Thus, counseling would seek to facilitate this process not by focusing
on the problems but rather through the emotional aspects and experiences of the person. An attempt is made to
work with the client's perception of the world through empathy as the main means, “renouncing all pretensions
to objective reality and making abstractions from their own universe of reference without losing contact with it”
(González and Arriagada, 2004, p. .8).

Charmichael, in the introduction to Counseling & Psychotherapy, refers to the person-centered model proposed
by Rogers (1981):

This new 'form of thinking' consists of abandoning not only any attitude of judgment, support, explanation or
investigation, to let what the client has experienced appear, but also of abandoning any 'psychological' or
'psychiatric' attitude that consists either in first searching for the gnoseological category of the patient or a
clinical label to apply to him, or in trying to find the way in which he has gone through historical stages
characterized and defined a priori (p. 10)

Empathy as a basis for the process allows the client to feel important enough, restoring self-esteem and
facilitating the reduction of defense mechanisms and acceptance of emotions. This opens up the possibility of
new levels of understanding, which, added to an expression of authentic feelings by the counselor, encourage
the client to get in touch with their own feelings (González and Arriagada, 2004).

In this way, the place of the counselor is endowed with humanity, showing himself as a being with his own
affections, feelings and senses. Neutrality is thus left aside and this is based on acceptance or unconditional
positive outlook, which implies a positive and receptive attitude towards the client (González and Arriagada,
2004).

Finally, we seek to give power back to the client:

Giving power back to the client is the true meaning of non-directive guidance that, in our authoritarian and
hierarchical culture, has been falsified and associated with “laisser-faire”. In fact, ensuring that the client comes
to consider himself as the main judge and arbiter of his life requires a set of activities and interventions on the
part of the helper. (González and Arriagada, 2004, p. 9)
COUNSELING AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS.

As already said, conceptions about counseling are varied, as are the focus and objective of the established
relationship. As a means to organize this diversity, two categories are presented below that group the revised
conceptions: a group that highlights the sole resolution of the problem as an objective and a group that focuses
on the relationship of counseling itself and the objectives resulting from it.

As examples of the first category, Bidwell and Champey define counseling as “a relationship in which one person
attempts to help another person understand and solve the problems they are facing” (1958 cited in González and
Arriagada, 2004, p . 3). The Ministry of Health, through CONASIDA (2006), understands counseling as a process of
supporting the person in making decisions through a set of practices that allow guiding, helping, informing and
supporting the needs in all their dimensions. of people.

In the Practical Guide to Counseling for Adolescents and Young People, the Ministry of Health (2011) specifies
the definition of counseling: “a process in which a trained professional listens, informs and guides adolescents or
young people, women and men, to make personal decisions related to the topic consulted, providing extensive
and truthful information, considering their needs and particular problems” (p. 23).

In addition to the above, it exposes as a means to clarify the concept what it is not, highlighting that the mere
delivery of information, advice, suggestions or recommendations does not correspond to a counseling process.
Thus, it highlights an attitude of the professional who should avoid simply conducting interviews, where beliefs
or behaviors should not be influenced or influenced through warnings, threats, discipline or other forms of
forcing (MINSAL, 2011).

The Pan American Health Organization [PAHO] (2005), in the context of sexual and reproductive health in
adolescents, conceptualizes counseling as an encounter between a provider and a young consultant in a
comprehensive atmosphere, where the former functions as a facilitator of changes in behavior for the second.

Finally, Gonzalez and Arriagada (2004) propose:

Counseling, a form of psychological and social support, designates a situation in which two people enter into a
relationship, one of whom turns to the other, requesting support in order to treat, resolve, assume one or the
problems that afflict them. The counselor, far from giving “advice,” supports the other in their search for answers
by creating a space for conversation with another or others (…) favorable conditions are generated to enhance
reflexivity. (p. 4)

González and Arriagada (2004) add that counselors and consultants seek to integrate reality into demand, which
is why the former is required to have complementary training according to the specific field in which they
intervene. With this, the position of informing, guiding and accompanying psychologically and socially would be
fulfilled:

The help situation not only points to internal psychological processes, but must ensure that the person integrates
into their different dimensions of life. The helping relationship is amplified from the individual and psychological
level to the social and collective level, that is, in the family, the community. From this perspective, help has a
psychosocial character. (González and Arriagada, 2004, p. 4)

As we observe from the previous statements, counseling is defined by focusing on the problem and the means to
reach its resolution. On the other hand, the second category focuses on the relationship itself that counseling
proposes and on results that go beyond just solving the problem.

González (sf) proposes from family counseling that its objectives are to promote the autonomy of people with
respect to their social, professional and cultural environment, thus providing tools to the person so that they can
face situations that produce alterations in family dynamics. through dialogue.

Lines (2002, cited in Tatar, 2008) points out that counseling seeks to emphasize the search for individuation
among clients, where this is perceived as reinforcing clients to be self-assertive, self-expressive or to become
individuals” ( p. 125).

Rivera (2011) defines counseling as a specialty that works with the life problems of clients, assuming that
conflicts are not obstacles but possibilities “through which maturity and psychological growth can be developed
in individuals” (p. 3).

Rogers (1981) in his work Counseling and Psychotherapy, understands counseling ('psychological guidance' is the
translation of the term counseling in the text) as:

Process aimed at causing a constructive change in attitude in the client through individual interviews, a series of
direct contacts with the individual whose purpose is to offer help to change their attitudes and behavior.

In short, psychological counseling is a structured and permissive relationship that allows the client to better
understand themselves, so that they can take positive steps in light of the new approach they want to give to
their life. (p. 354)

Finally, Faiver, Eisengart and Colonna (2000 cited in OPS, 2005) define counseling as “an interactive process that
involves a professionally trained counselor and a client, and has the purpose of improving the client's level of
functioning” (p. 12) and add:

The counselor and client work together as allies, helping the former to grow and change through goal setting,
developing new ways of interpreting and handling problematic situations, teaching them to use internal and
external resources in a more effective. (PAHO, 2005, p.

12)

González and Arriagada (2004) propose that despite the different definitions resulting from the various
theoretical orientations, three elements are common in them: it is a process which can have a short duration; it
cannot be reduced to a single intervention; and seeks to promote a change or improvement in the psychological
state of the applicant, whether this is a group or an individual.

MODALITIES OF COUNSELING

Taking this last idea raised, we observe another characteristic of counseling already exposed by González (sf):
counseling can be individual or group.

Salazar et al. (2012) define group counseling as “a collaborative process that facilitates the person's psycho-
educational progress toward common goals and objectives among the peer group” (p. 7).

Therefore, individual counseling is aimed at a single person with the objective of “directing him to accept himself
and use appropriate strategies to resolve conflicts that arise in daily life during a specific period of time” (Salazar
et al., 2012). , p. 10) while group counseling is aimed at a group of people and consists of a set of actions that
seek to guide “toward self-knowledge, self-understanding, the establishment of values within the group, the
development of social skills and facilitating the resolution of daily life problems, using interpersonal support and
skills learned in group living” (Salazar et al., p.10). With this, they emphasize that the individual characteristics of
the users are addressed by group counseling but at the same time the influence of areas that go beyond the
individual and that are inseparable from it is recognized, such as the sociocultural context and the influence of
significant others (Salazar et al., 2012).
COUNSELING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY

Another aspect used to define the term counseling is the comparison and common opposition between it and
psychotherapy. For example, González (sf) when defining counseling emphasizes that it is not psychotherapy. In
general, both concepts are presented as different, alluding to the fact that the second refers to mental health
problems or psychopathologies. Salazar et al. (2012), based on the definition of “normal or appropriate”
behaviors and “abnormal or inappropriate behaviors,” emphasize that guidance and counseling (individual and
group) focus on the first aspect while psychotherapy has its center of interest. in working on abnormal or
maladaptive behavior, which would affect mental health. Similarly, MINSAL (2011) proposes that it is
psychotherapy that would focus on problems in the mental health sphere and not counseling.

Likewise, according to PAHO (2005) counseling “focuses on specific behavioral problems or challenges in the
normal development of life rather than on personality changes or the management of mental illnesses or severe
pathologies” (p. 12).

Therefore, the difference between both practices would lie mainly in what was proposed by Rogers (1981)
regarding diagnoses and epistemological categories, where these would correspond to psychotherapy, since
counseling would not need them to achieve its objective of improving the consultants.

In summary, counseling is understood as a helping relationship that arises from the attempt to overcome pre-
written and standard diagnoses to respond to the needs of the subjects. Thus, its focus is on the general well-
being of the person (biopsycho-social) and its forms will vary depending on the theoretical model to which it
ascribes. In this way, its application extends to different areas by not worrying about the 'illness or non-illness' of
the subjects but rather about their discomfort and/or obstacles to overcome in the personal and social
development of the consultants. Giving them a fundamental place in the process which the counselor only
supports/accompanies.

SCHOOL COUNSELING

As seen from the previous chapter, counseling has various applications depending on the theoretical model, the
focus of the problem, the public with whom it works, the modalities, etc. Next, its application at school will be
specifically addressed through school counseling. To this end, general conceptualizations of the model, its history
and development in the United States (place where it emerged as an intervention model), the characteristics and
work areas of the counselor and some examples of application in educational settings will be presented.

CONCEPTIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS

A first approach to the conceptions of school counseling is provided by Salazar et al. (2012) who explain that
counseling in the educational field can be either individual or group, and are all actions carried out and previously
planned by a counselor or other specialist "with the purpose of stimulating the participating student's knowledge
and acceptance of themselves." same, the construction of values, social skills, attitudes and positive habits that
strengthen their school work and their comprehensive training” (p. 10).

As can be seen, there is a relationship of help raised in the concepts stated in the first chapter of this work, but
the objectives of this relationship now have their focus on the development of the student, both at the
comprehensive and school level.

Miller, Taha & Jensen (2013) explain that 21st century models of school counseling seek to consider the concerns
at the base of students' problems, which influence their experience in both personal and school settings.
Therefore, the counselor needs to be sensitive to the needs within the educational culture, to the emotional and
social development of students, as well as to cultural/racial issues.
The culture of counseling, the authors explain, focuses on individual or small group dynamics. The counselor is
interested in how circumstances affect individual feelings, emotions, and conflict resolution strategies.
Additionally, they examine how in small groups members interact, support each other, and develop through
counseling (Miller et al., 2013).

Thus, you can work on self-management, peer relationships, decision making and the development of
organizational skills, emphasizing the uniqueness of each student and highlighting their strengths. For all of the
above, the student-counselor relationship and confidentiality are basic (Miller et al., 2013).

Monereo (1985), when referring to guidance, consultation and advice systems, describes that it is from their
professionals that the characteristics and functioning of each one can be observed. Thus, the counselor being the
professional of the counseling model, explains that it mainly works on the personal and vocational conflicts of
the students, through a non-directive and personalistic model intricate in humanism and in procedures focused
on the interests and needs of the student. subject. For which it is necessary to interact with teachers in a
relationship of cooperation-collaboration but which positions the counselor in the same way in a relationship
closer to the students on whom he acts (Monereo, 1985).

Wright (2011) describes that it has been Rogers' psychoanalytic, behavioral, and person-centered theories that
have shaped the therapeutic interventions of counselors in schools. He also explains that a brief approach has
been adopted to provide student-focused interventions, which are more efficient and effective.

Monereo (1985) adds that although the non-directive Rogerian model continues to constitute the dominant line
of application in the school, there are other approaches that have gained prominence in which the counselor
takes a greater role: the directive or counselor-centered approach. Williamson; The behavioral approach, based
on behavioral theories; and Thorne's approach to personalized advice.

Truneckova and Viney (2012) state that for a counseling model to be useful to a school community, it must be
based on principles, processes and practices that allow it to encompass the diversity of the school population and
its psychological needs.

Likewise, Wright (2011) adds that for school counseling interventions to be effective, both the culture of the
school and the culture of the students must be known.

Finally, the Student Counseling is defined at the Universidad del Valle in Colombia as a “permanent two-way
process that involves the participation of teachers and students and leads to comprehensive training, allowing
the student's autonomy to be stimulated” (Burgos, Escobar and González, 2011, p. This interaction between
teachers and students has various benefits for the institution: comprehensive training, development of students
as people and professionals, stimulating their permanence and connection with the institution.

In conclusion, the role of the counselor is essential to understanding and defining school counseling. Therefore,
the historical development of this will be addressed below to then deepen the conceptions about the school
counselor and his tasks.

ORIGIN AND HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOOL COUNSELING IN THE USA.

Miller et al. (2013) explain that the role and responsibilities of the school counselor have changed considerably
between the 20th century and the 21st century along with the role and demands of both the student and
responses to the needs of a changing society (Schimmel, 2008). ).

The origin of school counseling dates back to 1889 with the establishment of the guidance model (Miller et al.,
2013), thus giving rise to the first school counselor (Schimmel, 2008). As explained by Miller et al., the specific
function of the guidance counselor was to help students determine the vocational field they would like to pursue
and the steps to follow to achieve it, placing emphasis on the transition from school to work.

In this way, counseling was seen only as a tool for the counselor to support the student's vocational process and
work was done to a minimum with the emotions or social and personal development of the students, issues that
later emerged as important. Another characteristic of the guidence counselor is that it required experience as a
teacher to fulfill this role (Miller et al., 2013; Schimmel, 2008).

In the '30s and with the Great Depression, the functions of the counselor expanded, focusing and supporting
young people and adults in finding and developing new skills and work vocations. During the following decades it
remains in the same focus, focusing on identifying in which areas students could be better according to the needs
of the nation (Miller et al., 2013).

Rogers (1981) mentions that the use of school counseling techniques by school tutors occurred “almost only
when they have to deal with personal or emotional adaptation problems” (p. 21) of the students. Furthermore,
topics such as pedagogical and professional orientation were addressed through psychometric tests, with the
interview being only a complement. In this way, guidance was assimilated as the delivery of information without
questioning its value for the person receiving it, which is why they were not effective as they did not cover the
diversity of individuals (Rogers, 1981).

By the '70s, the movements for social justice and civil rights began to impact students and their lives, a situation
that influenced the change from the exclusively vocational focus of counseling to one that integrated all the
needs of students: their emotional, social and personal development. A global school counseling plan is proposed
that addresses the aforementioned aspects, which is revised in the '90s at the request of the American School
Counselor Association (ASCA), and in 1997 The National Standards for School Counseling Programs appears,
which specifies the three areas of competencies that students should acquire when being part of a global
counseling program: academic, career development, and personal/social (Miller et al., 2013).

In 2003, the ASCA created a national counseling model with the objective of helping professionals develop and
carry out programs with the necessary characteristics as well as to clarify the role of the counselor and the tasks
they should perform. In addition to the above, students begin to turn to the counselor with reasons that expand
the range of tasks and topics covered. Thus integrating topics such as bullying, multiculturalism, education and
prevention of drug and alcohol abuse, among others. Work begins with the modality of small counseling groups
or regular sessions in classrooms to address the above topics according to the needs of each school (Miller et al.,
2013).

A transition from the purely vocational to a focus on the integral development of the student is then observed in
the development of the counselor's functions (Miller et al., 2013; Schimmel, 2008). These are the current basis
for demarcating the tasks of the school counselor.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL COUNSEL

In general, the role of the school counselor has been and is to improve the educational experience of students,
acting so that they develop successfully in emotional, social and academic areas. This, through recognizing the
aspects of the student's life and how they intervene with the academic setting (Miller et al., 2013).

Likewise, the ASCA (2003 cited in Schimmel, 2008) points out that it is the counselor's duty to take care of the
needs of all students, working to remove any barrier that could prevent the student's success, taking help from
anyone interested in this as well as of every professional, both inside and outside of school. Dahir and Stone
(2009) propose that the school counselor is in a position to articulate social justice to all students, reducing
achievement gaps between them. According to the authors, the concern in addition to what the student needs
to learn should be what he or she will become. Thus, through initiating, developing, directing and coordinating
programs that contribute to systematic changes in the school, they can act, progress and reform the injustices
that the educational model presents.

The International Standard Classification of Occupations of the International Labor Office (1958 cited in Ucha,
1964) defines the services of the student counselor based on a consultation with governments, organizations and
experts from different countries:

It organizes career guidance services in schools aimed at helping students, individually or collectively, to
determine their preferences, aptitudes, gifts and personal characteristics, as well as to prepare and implement
school, professional and personal training programs (…) helps individuals to understand and overcome their
social, educational, professional and personal problems; It is dedicated to observing subsequent developments
to evaluate the effectiveness of guidance techniques. Perhaps you will carry out scientific research on the career
guidance of schoolchildren and students. Sometimes it places students who have finished their degree. (p. 2)

Therefore, he mentions that due to his multiple functions, data he handles and techniques necessary to perform
his duties, the student counselor must be a psychologist and must work as a team (Ucha, 1964).

Monereo (1985), within the framework of the integrated school, mentions about the school counselor that he
can be a psychologist or a specialized teacher and describes his work: he serves both students with and without
handicap and does so at their request or through teachers; His work is indicated for older students (mainly from
adolescence) and he usually does his work in small groups; It usually deals with topics related to self-esteem,
self-esteem, behavioral control, motivation and academic performance, as well as promoting topics related to
school integration. Counseling sessions involve a structure based on an orientation of the discussions, a defined
time and a determination of who makes up the group (the above to provide security to the members). Finally,
the content of the sessions is confidential.

Miller et al. (2013) describe that it is the duty of the school counselor to respond to difficulties that students
present regarding their school performance, provide a guide with social situations that promote their positive
interpersonal relationships, offer a space for students to express their emotions without being judged, help them
plan their future and help them achieve a better understanding of who they are and how they relate to others
and the world around them.

In the case of Australia, the role of the school counselor includes the functions of individual and group counseling
for students, psycho-educational evaluation of students with a report, providing advice regarding behavioral
programs, liaising with external health services, implementing intervention and prevention programs, and
evaluation and management of critical incidents (Truneckova and Viney, 2012). They also explain that the school
counselor must be a psychologist and pass the postgraduate qualification in school counseling. In addition to
completing the equivalent of 2 years full-time teaching experience.

DIFFICULTIES AND PROJECTIONS

Regarding the difficulties that the counselor encounters in his practice, for example, the number of students he
must attend to is observed. The ASCA recommends a ratio of 100 students per counselor, a situation that
doubles in US public schools (Miller at al., 2013), reaching a national average of 460:1. This overload of students
would reduce the effectiveness of the work (Anctil, Smith, Schenck & Dahir, 2012).

Johnson & Rochkind (2010 cited in Anctil et al., 2012) report that in a national survey in the USA regarding the
perception of effectiveness of counselors at the high school level, it showed that the majority were overworked
and underworked. prepared to assist in post-secondary decision making.
Another challenge posed for the future delivery of school counseling services is the application of evidence-
based models in a school intervention setting (Truneckova & Viney, 2012). Zoellner (2009 cited in Truneckova &
Viney, 2012) suggests that schools do not easily adapt to mental health models and how they are applied. Often,
school counseling interventions have to fight against the daily environment of the school: changes in school
routines, absence of teachers, replacement of teachers, conflicts between classmates and/or with teachers
within the classroom such as outside of it (Truneckova & Viney, 2012).

Likewise, there is a cultural clash between counseling and school culture, often requiring tasks that go beyond
the recommended tasks (Miller et al., 2013). They thus propose that constant collaboration between teachers,
administrators and counselors is required to effectively carry out the purposes of each part and of the joint work:
the overall development of the students.

Dahir & Tyson (2010 cited in Anctil et. al., 2012) state that although the proposed school counseling models
provide guiding content for working with students, counselors still have problems defining what a student should
know and be able to do as a result of participating in one. Thus, although 36 states in the US adhere to one of the
models, more research is needed regarding the impact of adhering to these on their practices and role (Anctil et
al.).

Source of the above is explained by the lack of definition of the counselor's role (Scarborough & Culbreth, 2008).
Mustaine et al. (1996 in cited Scarborough & Culbreth, 2008) observe in their study that 15% of the participants
stated that there would be no clear definition of the activities, functions and activities associated with the role,
which would explain the discrepancy in practices.

Scarborough & Culbreth (2008) observe that the practice of elementary school counselors is more attached to
guide programs versus the practice in high school. At the same point, the number of years of experience was also
shown to be a variable associated with the diversity of practices: professionals with more years of experience
moved further away from the plans and programs than their younger colleagues.

Barker & Satcher (2000 cited in Anctil et al., 2012) state that most counselors consider work skills and career
development topics to be valuable components of counseling programs. However, it has been observed that
most of the time is spent on tasks related to academic and social-personal development (Osborn & Baggerly,
2004 cited in Anctil et al.).

In the study by Anctil et al. (2012), 70% of the participants expressed that the topic of career development had
moderate or low priority in their schools. Thus, it was observed that about 16% reported using less than 20% of
their time in activities related to academic and social-personal development while approximately 40% spent less
than 20% of their time in services related to career development.

In general, there is a need to continue researching the impact of counseling (Hanley et al., 2011; McElearny et al.,
2013; Miller et al., 2013). Dahir and Stone (2009) propose that it is necessary to expand traditional methods of
evaluating school counseling programs since the impact of interventions, both individual and group, is generally
evaluated, and not the direct relationship of the work of school counselors with the improving schools, for
example. Finally, as a result of the differences in practices regarding years of experience, the need for continuing
education for school counselors arises (Anctil et al., 2012).