The Purpose of Counseling
The basic purpose of counselling is to help people use their existing problem-solving skills more effectively or to develop new or better coping skills. Counsellors can’t ‘fix’ other people’s problems. Their job is to provide an opportunity for the person to describe their feelings and problems for themselves and then to reach decisions and actions that are based on informed choices.
Good counselling helps people build skills they can use in solving their problems. For example, if people learn good communications skills in dealing with their spouses, they can also use those communication skills with children, friends, or co-workers.
Counselling is a process…
Counselling is a process that usually has a beginning, middle, and end. There are certain things a counsellor should do in each part. This process can take place over just a few sessions or over a longer period. Effective counselling does not necessarily take a long time. In fact, research shows that many times, clients feel they have received the help they need in just three or four meetings.
Sometimes one meeting is all someone needs. The chance to explain a problem may make it clearer or talking it out may relieve anxiety and other problem feelings.
Whether the process is short or longer, counsellors must have the necessary skills to truly help clients.
The beginning: The counsellor starts to build a trusting relationship with the client and finds out important information about the client’s problem.
The middle: the counsellor helps the client set goals — make decisions about what the client wants. Once goals are decided, the counsellor and client develop ideas about how the client can reach those goals. During this period, the client will try certain things. Then the counsellor and client discuss what happened and whether the method is working.
The end: When the client feels she has achieved what she wanted, the client and counsellor prepare for the end of counselling.