[HUMSS_DIASS / Disciplines and Ideas in the Applied Social Sciences]

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[Disciplines of Counseling]

Disciplines of Counseling

Counseling is considered as the heart of the guidance program. Counseling provide students with
opportunities to look objectively at their problems, gain insights from which
intelligent action may be taken, plan logically for the future, and make
personal gains in the self-actualization process. Problems become less
formidable as meaningful insights and functional courses of action occur to
the student. Self-confidence increases and doubts and apprehensions
dissipated as the student begin to see him in a more realistic perspective and
as he becomes better informed about his environment and his personal
resources and skill.
The topics on disciplines of counseling are definitions of counseling, goals of counseling, scope of
counseling, core values of counseling and principles of counseling.
At the end of the topic the students should be able to:
1. Define the counseling based on their knowledge and understanding from
the different sources,
2. Identify the goals of counseling,
3. Define the scope of counseling,
4. Enumerate the core values of counseling, and
5. State the principles of counseling.
Before start the lesson, read and analyze the adage below:
“Guidance is inseparable from counseling, just as we associate
pencil with paper, rice with fish, bread with butter, or St. Peter
with St. Paul”

Definitions of Counseling
Several concepts have been drawn in order to come up with a clear definition of counseling. Some of
these definitions are:
1. Glanz (1972) defines counseling as an “open-ended, face to face problem
solving situation within which a student, with professional assistance, can
focus and begin to solve a problem or problems”
2. Rogers (1965) speaks of counseling as the assistance which comes to a
child through face to face contact, with a professionally trained person in
a psychological relationship using eithertalk or counseling as a
relationship in which one of the parties has the intent of promoting the
growth, development, maturity and improved functioning of the other.

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 3. Shostrom and Brammer (1962) reinforced by defining counseling as “a
purposeful, reciprocal relationship between two people in which one, a
trained person, helps the other to change himself for his environment”
4. Brewer (1993) describing counseling more in the language of counselors
today when he said: “Counseling is talking over, a conference, a friendly
discussion, upon as equal terms as may be, with no attempt to impose a
decision, and with every effort to stimulate the thought of the student to
find or generate such technical knowledge and wisdom as will lead him to
a right decision.
5. Webster dictionary defines counseling as “consultation, mutual
interchange of opinions; deliberating together”
6. Clarence Dunsmoor considers counseling as an interview or conference
between a pupil and a member of the school staff with whom he has a
guidance relationship, for the purpose of considering some of his
problems and a desirable course of action.
7. Arthur Coombs referred counseling as “an attempt to aid the individual
assisting him to a reorganization of attitudes, feelings, and emotions, such
that he can make optional use of his abilities and physical endowments”
8. Williamson defines counseling as “a means of helping people to learn how
to solve their own problems”
9. Jones believes that counseling is an activity in which all facts are gathered
and focused on the particular problem of the counselee, who is then given
direct and personal help.

Goals of Counseling
Counseling, as it is known, is geared toward the attainment of the
individual for self-knowledge, self-realization and self-development.
Counseling is also a process of assisting the individual to solve his own
problems. According to Dunsmoor and Miller (1955), the goals of
counseling are:
1. To give the student information on matters important to his
adjustment and growth;
2. To get information about the student which will be help to him in
solving his problems;
3. To establish a feeling of mutual understanding between pupil and
teacher;
4. To help the pupil work out a plan for solving his difficulties;
5. To help the pupil know himself better, his interest, abilities, aptitudes
and available opportunities;
6. To encourage special talents and develop right attitudes;
7. To inspire successful endeavor toward the attainment or realization
of objectives; and
8. To assist the pupil in planning for his educational and vocational
choices – formulating plans for vocations, making surveys of
employment opportunities, administering vocational or aptitude test,
gathering cumulative occupational information, following-up pupils
for placement, and sponsoring convocations, programs, and career
day seminars.
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[Disciplines of Counseling]

Scope of Counseling
The core, the most intimate and vital part of the entire guidance program, is counseling. Counseling
maybe defined by telling first what it is not. It is not lecturing, which is
one-sided; counseling is much more than talking to a pupil. Neither is it
merely giving advice, although advice may be given. The counselor gives
advice only when it is impossible not to give it. Counseling is not just teaching
carries with it the element of indoctrination and counseling does not resort
to compulsion.
Ford and Urban in their book entitled Systems of Psychotherapy (1963); they cited nature of counseling.
These are as follows:
1. Counseling involves two people in interaction, a generic term for the
exchange of meanings between people which includes the direct
communication of talking and listening as well as gestures, glances, nods
or shakes of the head, frowns, and other non-verbal features by which
meaning is transmitted from one person to another. The interaction is
highly confidential, and since counselee discuss themselves in an intimate
fashion, it is highly private and unobserved by others.
2. The mode of interaction is usually limited to the verbal realm; the
counselor and counselee talk with one another. Counselees talk about
themselves, their thoughts feelings, and actions. They describe events in
life and the way they respond to these events. The counselor listens and
responds in some fashion to what the counselee says to provoke further
response. The two think, talk, and share their ideas.
3. The interaction is relatively prolonged since alteration of behavior takes
time. In contrast to a brief conversation with friend in which distortions
or unconscious desires are usually maintained and usually only
temporary relief is gained, counseling has its goal, the change of behavior.
It is assumed that through the counseling interaction, the counselee will
in time revise his distortions and alter his behavior.
4. The purpose of the relationship is change in the behavior of the
counselee. The counselor focuses the interaction upon the counselee.
Counselees need not be concerned about the happiness of the counselor
but must devote their energies to changing themselves.

Core Values of Counseling

The following are the core values of counseling according to Appalachian

University:
1. The potential of every human being to change and to continue learning
throughout their lifespan, in formal and informal settings, and especially
in the environment of counseling and psychological services.
2. Strong relationships as the primary vehicle in helping others to learn new
ways of thinking, feeling and behaving, including collaboration within the
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 university community and partnering with other offices to provide
comprehensive mental health services to studentsan emphasis on
prevention of mental health problems via education, intervention and
outreach into the University community.
3. Training new professionals and support for on-going training of staff
4. Respect for diversity of individuals, their cultures, languages, lifestyles,
identities, ideologies, intellectual capacities, personalities, and
capabilities to expand our learning opportunities and understanding of
global connections

Principles of Counseling
When counseling is effective, it cause changes in the thinking and behavior of the counselee. These
changes are accomplished through the learning process as stressed in the
following statement:
“…counseling is basically a learning function, subject in large measure to the
same laws of learning which are applicable in the classroom. This view of
counseling will remove much f the vagueness and mystery from counseling
activities and will naturally and inevitably lead to the integration of these
activities with the instructional program of the institution”
The article describes some of the learning accomplishments that may occur during counseling. These
include clarification of the counselee’s self-concepts through objective
information he is given about his aptitudes, achievements, and personal
traits, learning ways of reaching sound decisions by weighing evidence; and
acquisition of new attitudes that will improve his efficiency, happiness, and
relations with others.

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Glossary
Core Values of Counseling – this refers to the basic values of counseling its importance and significance.
Counseling – this refers to the way how to advise the students or person with problems in life.
Goals of Counseling – this refers to aims and objectives of counseling
Scope of Counseling – this refers to the extent of study of counseling.
Principles of Counseling – this refers to ideologies or beleifs of counseling.
Include list of words (arranged alphabetically) with their corresponding meaning as used or referred to
in the module. You need to include this if you have not discussed
terminologies within the content of the module.
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[Disciplines of Counseling]

References
Dela Cruz, A. et al. (2017), Disciplines and ideas in Social Sciences (Padayon) Series) Rex Book Store, Inc.
Sampa, E.M. (2017) Discipline and Ideas in Applied Social Science, Rex Bookstore, Inc. First Edtion.
Tatel, C.P. (2017) Discipline and Ideas in Applied Social Sciences, Rex Book Store, Inc. First Edition.

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