Effective Guidance Counsellor
A guidance counselor is one who emphatically listens and helps people solve their problems socially, academically and emotionally. Their role is to work with both students and parents to help guide students’ academic, behavioural and social growth. It is important for each guidance counselor to have certain academic qualifications, but this is not actually enough. An effective guidance counselor has a variety of specific personal qualities that allows him to do his best in helping others.
To be an effective guidance counselor one must be attentive. In doing so, one will listen keenly to what is being said and also observe the non-verbal behaviours and manners to address internalized thoughts and feelings, such as abuse at home. According to B.F. Skinner, a famous behaviourist, he reasoned that we should focus on observable behavior and not only the internal state. In some cases, clients might be unable to share certain problem verbally, but if being observed carefully, an effective counselor should be able to identify that there is a problem.
Secondly, effective counselors are trustworthy and confidential. When talking to others about their problems, they need to be secure in the knowledge that you are not going to broadcast their personal details. If they cannot trust you, they will be reluctant to talk to you, which will make it harder for you to help them, as Fong and Cox note; many clients test the trustworthiness of the counselor, deprecating themselves or questioning the motives and dedication the counselor. As a counselor, one should be able to “keep a secret” or as the proverb says “don’t let the cat out of the bag.” Counsellor must be confidential in order for clients to confide in them and reveal their personal life issues to them.
It is also important to be self-aware and culturally aware to be an effective counselor. All our feelings and thoughts influence the way we handle certain things in the counseling relationship (Comier). You must be fully
To be an effective guidance counselor one must be attentive. In doing so, one will listen keenly to what is being said and also observe the non-verbal behaviours and manners to address internalized thoughts and feelings, such as abuse at home. According to B.F. Skinner, a famous behaviourist, he reasoned that we should focus on observable behavior and not only the internal state. In some cases, clients might be unable to share certain problem verbally, but if being observed carefully, an effective counselor should be able to identify that there is a problem.
Secondly, effective counselors are trustworthy and confidential. When talking to others about their problems, they need to be secure in the knowledge that you are not going to broadcast their personal details. If they cannot trust you, they will be reluctant to talk to you, which will make it harder for you to help them, as Fong and Cox note; many clients test the trustworthiness of the counselor, deprecating themselves or questioning the motives and dedication the counselor. As a counselor, one should be able to “keep a secret” or as the proverb says “don’t let the cat out of the bag.” Counsellor must be confidential in order for clients to confide in them and reveal their personal life issues to them.
It is also important to be self-aware and culturally aware to be an effective counselor. All our feelings and thoughts influence the way we handle certain things in the counseling relationship (Comier). You must be fully
References: Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Guidance and Counselling, Indore Madhukar. http://www.thecounsellorsguide.co.uk/ Ponton, L. (2012). Characteristics of Effective Counseling. Psych Central.