INTRODUCTION

Counselling is often referred to as the heart of any guidance program.   It is a process of assistance extended by an expert to a needy person in an individual situation. According to English H.B. (1958) counselling is "a relationship in which one person endeavors to help another to understand and solve his adjustment problems".

According to Hahn and McLean "Counselling is a process which takes place in a one-to-one relationship between an individual troubled by problems with which he cannot cope alone and a professional worker whose training and experience have qualified him to help others reach solutions to various type of personal problems".

There are  many more definitions of counselling.  To  summarize, counselling is aimed at :

·        bringing  about desired changes in the individual  for  self  realization.

·        providing  help  to  solve  problems  through  an   intimate relationship.

·        personality development.

·        prevention of serious emotional difficulties.

·        helping  an  individual  to  gain  self-understanding,  self acceptance and self      realization.

·        achieving positive mental health.

·        improving personal effectiveness.

AREAS OF COUNSELLING

1.     Educational Counselling

A term first coined by Truman Kelley in 1914, educational counselling is a process of rendering services to pupils who need assistance in making decisions about important aspects of their education, such as the choice of courses and studies, decisions regarding interests and ability, and choices of college and high school. Educational counselling increases a pupil's knowledge of educational opportunities.

2.     Personal/Social Counselling

Personal counselling deals with emotional distress and behavioral difficulties, which arise when individuals struggle to deal with developmental stages and tasks. Any aspect of development can be turned into an adjustment problem, and it is inevitable that everyone encounters, at some time, exceptional difficulty in meeting an ordinary challenge. Some common personal issues include:

• Stress: Sometimes work, relationships, money and/or health concerns can cause people to feel under a lot of pressure.
• Depression: People often feel very alone and isolated, and as though no one fully understands what they are going through.
• Addictions: People often become addicted to something as a way of trying to get some kind of control in their lives.  Whether it is exercise, drugs, gambling, shopping or sex, people turn to focusing on one area as a diversion from what they are experiencing.
• Relationship difficulties: Couple’s come for counselling because they are struggling to communicate, or because they are having issues with intimacy or their sex life is being affected.
• Low self-esteem: This means that they lack confidence and that their self-esteem is very fragile.
• Anger: Anger management counselling is about teaching people that anger can be expressed in a healthy way and that it is possible to be angry without being destructive.
• Sexual assault or abuse: People often only think of physical or sexual abuse, however emotional and mental abuse can also leave very deep scars.  Counselling can help people to work through the trauma of the experience that they have gone through and help them to re build their self-belief and confidence.
• Grief and loss: People feel under great stress and strain when someone they love dies, and no matter what the circumstances, grief can include a wide range of emotions from sadness to anger.
• Trauma: As a result of either experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event an individual can be left questioning their beliefs and with their trust destroyed.
• Eating disorders: Eating disorders can really take over people’s lives and identities, and often they find themselves consumed with issues around food, body size, shape and obsessive thoughts begin around these areas.

3.     Vocational Counselling

Vocational counselling is defined as individual contacts with those counselled, in order to facilitate career development. This definition and category encompasses counselling situations such as these:

• Helping students become aware of the many occupations to consider

• Interpreting an occupational interest inventory to a student

• Assisting a teenager to decide what to do after school

• Role-playing a job interview in preparation for the real thing

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