What is the difference between guidance

counselor with informal helpers?

2. Professionals and Practitioners
in Counseling
 Counseling
• A profession that allows to help others manage
their responses to life’s challenges.
• Provides opportunity to assist others in
developing their potentials, encourage personal
growth and learning.
• Counselors are guided by rules and regulations or
Code of Ethics.
• Counselors are expected to perform their duties
and responsibilities according to the standards
set by this law.
• Counselor use strategies and techniques to
promote the client’s personal growth and
development

therefore, (1) counselors acquire body of

knowledge, skills competencies through formal and
specialized training. (2) Guided by standards of
professional practice and laws. (3) they are formally
identified as members of the helping profession,
competent in promoting growth and personal
change in their client.
2.1 Roles and Functions of Professional
Counselor
1. Providers of individual and group counseling
services.
– Ex. In School Setting – professional counselors are
equipped in helping individuals, provide evaluations
for behavioral and clinical problems a student may
have.
2. Developmental classroom guidance specialist.
– They prepare lessons and implement guidance
instructions to students. These are executed by
developing clear and measurable objectives to meet
the needs of the students.
3. Leaders and advocates of academic success.
– Professional school counselors have an ethical
responsibility of promoting academic success by
helping students identify barriers affecting school
performance. These barriers may be personal.
4. Career development Specialist
– they provide activities that will prepare the students
for the demand and requirements of their chosen
profession. It includes formal writing of resume,
having proper response to Job interviews and
knowing appropriate clothing fir job application.
5. Agents of Diversity and Multiculturalism
– Counselors are trained to deal and address the needs
of people from different cultural background. Ex.
ASEAN integration, accommodating foreign students.
6. Advocates of Students with special needs and
students-at-risk.
– Counselors who give attention to students with
special needs such as athletes, honor students,
students with absentee parents, those with learning
disabilities.
7. Advocates of a safe school environment.
– Counselors deals with conflicts that lead to
violence. Eg. Issues on bullying, physical, verbal,
cyber, psychological.
8. School and Community collaboration
Specialist.
– Counselors work with other school authorities and
with the parents of the students to ensure
development and success. They cooperate to
better assist the students with learning.
They also cooperate with mental health
professionals for referrals.
• Psychologist- provide counseling and
psychotherapy.
• Psychiatrist – Specialized on the treatment of
mental health disorders. They use
pharmacological interventions.
• Neurologist – a branch of medicine that study
and treat disorders of nervous system.
• Social Worker – they are professionals on specific
concerns related to housing emergencies, crisis
situations. eg. A pupil who experience sudden
loss of parents due to accident.
 Excursus: Characteristics of a
Professional Counselor
• Empathy – capacity to accurately sense the
feelings and understand
• Acceptance – unconditional positive response.
• Genuiness – authentic, real,
• Self-awareness – of one’s weakness and strength
• Cultural competence – must know how to
understand the background
• Open-mindedness -
• Integrity – demonstrate personal values
expressed in the ethical practice
• Competence – skillful and knowledgeable in
applying theories
• Problem-solving skills and creativity – see
problems as opportunity for psychological
growth.
• Embracing a perspective of Wellnessv-capacity
to take care of himself/herself and others.
2.2 Competencies of a transformative
Counselor
• Establish Rapport
– create and foster warm and accepting relationship
by empathy to increase counselee’s confidence.
• Basic Attending Skills
– Sitting across the counselee
– Open posture during counseling session
– Leaning at times toward the counselee
– Maintain Eye contact
– Relax or be composed during session.
• Observational skills – includes verbal and non-
verbal
– Physical appearance – manner of dressing or
grooming reveals how he/she takes care of herself.
– Personal Space – refers to the proximity or distance
between two persons. Cultural background may
account for personal space.
– Voice – pay attention to the tone of counselee’s vioce.
– Facial expression – reflects genuine feelings and
emotions.
– Body language – notice the non-verbal message that
suggests unconveyed emotions.
– Sudden change of behavior – sudden changes in
behavior during counseling sessions.
 Basic Responding Skills
• Listening skills – ability to accurately hear and
understand the counselee.
• Effective communication skills
– Use minimal encouragers – include verbal and
nonverbal behaviors of the counselor. Body position,
nodding of the head.
– Restatement and Paraphrasing –
– Reflection of Feelings – the capacity to reflect on
what emotions or feelings the counselee has a
particular event or experience.
– Summarization – attempts to bring all important
parts of discussion.
 2.3 Areas of Specialization
• School Counseling – typical in academe –
ensure students’ academic success and assist
those with various needs of individual.
• Mental Health or Clinical Counseling
– Focus on mental health counseling by providing
programs and services specifically designed to
address the needs of individuals with mental
health issues.
• Rehabilitation Counseling – responsible for
helping patients with physical, mental, or
emotional issues.
• Industrial Counseling – it seeks to respond
concerns of the employees in industrial
setting. Provide professional development
service or activities to help employees
develop soft skills.
• Marriage and Family Counseling – they
explore issues and concern that affect the
relationship of husband and wife, their roles
as parents.
• Private Practice – have their own wellness
center or clinic to accommodate children
and/or adults, depending on counselor’s
specialization.
• Community Counseling – provided to
members of society who encounter difficulties
in the community setting. Help the members
of the community improve their relationship.
 What are the career opportunity for
Professional Counselors?
2.4 Career Opportunity for Professional Counselors:
• Elementary and High School Counselors
• College Counselors
• Teaching in Academe
• Workshop Facilitator
• Career Counselors
• Community Counselors
• Marriage and Family Counselors
• Substance Abuse Counselors
• Rehabilitation Counselors
• Researchers
 2.5 Professional Ethical Principles in
Guidance and Counseling
This serves as a rule or guide in their practice:
• Confidentiality – all information shared by the
counselee as well as his/her identity will be
kept secret as well as all documents unless
there is threat or in danger of death.
• Client Welfare – It is counselor’s primary
concern, if it goes beyond his expertise then
he/she must be referred to another
professional.
• Consent – counselors are required to provide an
overview of what counseling is all about and
what the counseling process entails.
• Relationship with Clients – Counselor must
establish and maintain boundaries with the
clients.
• Professionalism – counselor should clarify the
types of activities other than counseling which
will be utilized as well as the expected payment,
 2.6 Valuing Rights of Individual, Professional
Responsibilities, and Accountabilities of Counselors.

To demonstrate it, it could be done by the

following:
1. Respecting the rights and dignity of every
human person.
– Everyone is unique no matter how unruly or
disruptive the behavior of an individual. He/she
deserves to be listened, on what he/ she thinks or
feels
2. Respecting client’s rights as self-governing
individual.
– The counselee is capable of helping and choosing,
therefore he/she must be encourage maturity and
sense of responsibility, even outside counseling
session.
3. Being committed to the Client’s well-being.
– Counselor must demonstrate dedication to their
during and even after their session.
4. Being fair to all clients by providing equal
opportunity to all who availed the counseling
service.
– They must accommodate people from all walks of life.
5. Enhancing the quality of professional knowledge
and application.
– Counselors provide quality service by keeping
themselves updated on issues and trends in their
profession.
6. Being Responsive to the society.
– Counselors collaborate with other members of the
community to provide the best services for their
clients. Eg. Collaborate with parents, teachers,
school administrators, or stake holders.