TYPES OF COUNSELING APPROACH

DIRECTIVE COUNSELING APPROACH

- Advocated by Edmund Griffith Williamson (he developed the first ever comprehensive
theory in counseling)
- Prescriptive counseling or counselor-centered approach of counseling. The counselor
actively helps the client in solving their problems
- The counselor believes in the limited capacity of the client/patient

The counselor tries to direct the patient’s thinking by:

- Informing
- Explaining
- Interpreting

Advantages of Directive counseling approach:

- Time saver - the counselor is leading
- direct, persuasive, explanatory
- It emphasizes the problem and not the individual
- The counselor can see the patient more objectively and not the patient himself

Limitations of Directive Counseling:

- There is no learning from the client’s side
- It makes the counselee over-dependent on the counselor
- Problems with emotional maladjustment may be better solved by non-directive.

NONDIRECTIVE COUNSELING APPROACH

- Permissive counseling approach
- It is a counselee-centered or patient-centered humanistic approach
- Individuals have the full right to make final decisions for the self and solve their problems.

Advantages of nondirective counseling approach

- It is a slow but sure process to make an individual capable of making adjustments
- No tests needed
- It removes emotional block

Limitations of nondirective counseling approach

- It is slow and time-consuming
- One cannot rely upon one’s resources, judgment, and wisdom
- It depends too much on the ability and initiative of the patient
- It requires a high degree of motivation in the patient

ECLECTIC COUNSELING APPROACH

- This approach is based on the fact that all individuals are different from one another
- The techniques are elective in nature
- This approach is based on selecting the best and leaving out what is least required.
- The principle of low expenditure
- The counselor makes use of all the tools and methods
- The counselor enjoys the freedom
- The counseling relationship is built during the counseling interview.

Advantages of eclectic approach

- practical approach
- flexible
- It is more objective and coordinated
Disadvantages of eclectic approach
- No predetermined role
- It requires more skilled counselors