Arellano University

College of Arts and Sciences

School of Psychology

Legarda, Manila

Eduarte, Ian Carlo Prof. Ma. Lihra Daza, RGC, RPm

BS Psychology Output #1

Introduction to Counselling

Answer the following items and sub-items in not less than 100 words and prepare your written
output in PDF form.

1. Choose at least five character traits and values that a counselor must have to be effective as a
helping professional and explain why they are essential.

In order for a counselor to be effective in helping people, they must have:

1. Patience
Patience is the capacity to stay composed and collected when faced with obstacles or
delays. This entails understanding that achieving transformation, whether on a personal or
organizational level, requires time. In the context of counseling, it involves being open to
"trusting the journey" instead of attempting to progress faster than the client is prepared
and capable of advancing. It also means that patience is the ability to wait patiently and
carefully with clients without getting impatient or rushing. It entails displaying
comprehension, empathy, and a readiness to allow clients the time they require to express
themselves, explore their ideas and feelings, and overcome their difficulties.
2. Resilience
Resilience is the ability to recover quickly from difficult situations. In the context of
counseling, it involves being able to not let difficult situations and disappointments drain
them of their resolve to succeed. Counselors who knows how to be resilient are capable of
reshaping challenging circumstances and setbacks into opportunities for growth and
education. While certain individuals might face difficulties in building resilience, they
remain undeterred in their commitment to aiding others. Resilience is necessary as it is a
key idea in therapy since it concentrates on helping clients to increase their capacity to
overcome challenges and thrive in the face of adversity.
3. Empathetic
While boundaries remain important, let your clients know your compassion and empathy
for their situation. Demonstrate your dedication to guiding them through their struggles so
that they can find their way to a healthier situation. Counselors can establish a solid
therapeutic relationship, offer emotional support, and encourage efficient communication
with clients thanks to the key talent of empathy. It entails being emotionally aware of the
client and displaying real concern and understanding. Counselors should not attempt to
solve the client's problems or give solutions when demonstrating empathy. Instead, the
focus should be on developing a sympathetic and understanding environment where clients
can feel heard, validated, and supported as they work through their difficulties.
4. Self-awareness
A counselor must be well aware of their own struggles and difficulties in life. In the role as
a counselor, possessing the required self-awareness is crucial. This awareness helps an
individual recognize the potential effects of the narratives of your client on yourself and
empowers you to distinguish your personal experiences, preventing them from influencing
the quality of care you deliver. In the context of counseling, it is the ability of the counselor
to identify and comprehend their own thoughts, feelings, prejudices, values, and behaviors
while working with clients is referred to as self-awareness in counseling. It entails a
continuous process of thought and introspection that aids counselors in upholding
objectivity, honesty, and moral conduct in their therapeutic interactions.
 5. Respect for Difference
As a counselor, one will encounter different types of people. May it be from a different
background, different culture, ethnic, and socioeconomic, and even the difference in gender
expression and identification. A counselor should embrace the variety of differences
present. Embracing this diversity will enable you to approach each client with an open and
accepting attitude, ensuring they receive the level of care they are entitled to. In the context
of counseling, it is how the client's different backgrounds, identities, cultures, ideas, and
viewpoints that the counselor acknowledges, accepts, and values in the therapeutic
partnership. It entails fostering a diverse and culturally sensitive workplace where clients
may express their individuality and feel heard, appreciated, and understood.

2. Enumerate top five skills that a counselor must develop and possess and provide an
explanation on why these are necessary in practice.

There are skills that are necessary for a counselor to possess and these are:

1. Communication Skills
Proficiency in verbal communication is vital for effectively engaging with diverse
individuals. Counselors frequently engage in client interviews and questioning, requiring
adeptness in these areas to prevent exacerbating distress or inducing stress in clients.
Because they lay the groundwork for establishing a solid therapeutic relationship, fostering
effective comprehension, and facilitating positive change in clients, communication skills
are essential in counseling. Successful counseling encounters revolve around excellent
communication, which also makes a significant contribution to the process' overall
efficacy. Counselors must be able to connect with their clients, comprehend their individual
experiences, and lead them toward positive change and personal development. They form
the foundation for an effective counseling process, enhancing the outcomes and wellbeing
of clients.
2. Interpersonal Skills
Counselors must demonstrate the capacity to collaborate proficiently with diverse sets of
individuals, encompassing both clients and peers. A collection of skills and traits known as
 interpersonal skills are used by counselors to engage with clients successfully and build
strong relationships. Building rapport, promoting open communication, and fostering a
secure and encouraging atmosphere for clients to explore their thoughts, emotions, and
issues all depend on these abilities. The therapeutic process and the overall effectiveness
of counseling outcomes both heavily rely on interpersonal skills. The core of the counselor-
client relationship is interpersonal competence. Counselors can establish a setting where
clients feel understood, encouraged, and empowered to overcome their difficulties by
employing these abilities effectively. Counselors with strong interpersonal skills can help
clients toward positive changes and personal growth, foster meaningful interactions, and
encourage self-awareness.
3. Understanding of Ethics
You must have a solid ethical code and keep sessions with your clients confidential to
ensure their safety and well-being. You should also be aware that your work can have
significant effects on people, and you need to keep this in mind when dealing with others.
Understanding ethics entails knowing and putting into practice a set of norms, values, and
principles that direct moral conduct and judgment in diverse situations. Ethics offer a
framework for determining what is ethically just or unjust, as well as for directing people's
behavior and interactions with others. Ethics act as a guide to upholding responsibility,
expertise, and integrity in a variety of disciplines, including counseling.
4. Knowledge of Laws and Regulations
Being familiar and knowing the industry's governing laws and regulations is essential. It's
equally important to operate within legal confines while practicing your profession.
Understanding and being informed about the legal requirements, rules, and regulations that
control the practice of counseling in a certain jurisdiction is referred to as having
knowledge of law and regulations in counseling. By having this knowledge, counselors can
provide clients with services while staying within the bounds of the law and upholding
moral and ethical principles. Counselors who are knowledgeable about legal standards may
make moral judgements, deliver excellent care, and confidently deal with potential legal
concerns. It's crucial to be informed on changes to rules and regulations that may have an
impact on how counseling is practiced.
 5. Research Skills
You must know how and where to find the information you need and evaluate it effectively.
This applies when you’re trying to help a client by seeing what other solutions have been
tested. Research abilities enable counselors to keep up with the most recent advancements
in the profession, make selections based on the best available research, and offer clients
cutting-edge solutions. By enabling counselors to deliver therapies based on the best
available evidence, make wise decisions, and continuously improve their practice, research
skills improve the quality of counseling services. Counselors are better equipped to provide
the finest treatment to their clients and make a good impact on the counseling field when
they are knowledgeable about research findings.

3. Read on the Code of Ethics for Philippine Guidance Counselors and Psychologists and explain
in summary what they say about:

a. Respect for Human Dignity

Under the Respect for Human Dignity, it is said that every counselor must practice with
compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and uniqueness of every
individual, unresttricted by considerations of social or economic status and personal
attributes. Everyone deserves dignity, compassion, and attention regardless of their
circumstances, traits, or past. A person's autonomy, wellbeing, and rights should be
respected and protected by respecting and valuing them as individuals. It is a
foundational principle in ethics that guides interactions, relationships, and decisions
across a wide range of fields, including healthcare, law, education, and counseling.
Counselors uphold human dignity by creating a safe, respectful environment in which
clients are valued, their perspectives are respected, and their autonomy is respected.
Counselors follow this principle in order to provide ethical and client-centered care
rooted in empathy, compassion, and respect for each client's dignity.
b. Human Relations
Under the Human Relations, it is said that every counselor must maintain a confidential
client-practitioner relationship only and should refrain from engaging in dual
relationships with clients except those already existing prior to the establishment of the
 counseling relationships. It is how individuals interact, communicate, and build
relationships with one another while adhering to ethical principles and values. Human
relations emphasize respectful, honest, and considerate behavior in all interactions,
both within and outside the profession, as well as with clients, colleagues, and the
general public. In all aspects of a practitioner's work, the focus on human relations
reflects his or her commitment to ethical behavior and respectful interactions. Human
relations principles ensure that clients receive the best care, trust is maintained, and the
profession as a whole is upheld with integrity.
c. Confidentiality
Under the Confidentiality, it is said that every counselor must possess the quality of
being confidential because whatever is discussed should be kept as a private matter.
The counsellor undertakes to refrain from passing on what they have learned from the
person to any others in the person’s life world. In a code of ethics, confidentiality refers
to the obligation and commitment of professionals to protect the privacy and
confidentiality of their clients' personal information, disclosures, and interactions.
Building trust and ensuring that clients feel secure and comfortable discussing their
thoughts, feelings, and experiences during counseling sessions depend heavily on
maintaining confidentiality.
d. Assessment
Under the Assessment, it is said that every counser should take responsibility for
informing the clients about the purpose of any evaluation and assessment instruments
and procedures and the meaning of the results that will be produced by the said
assessment instruments and evaluation. It refers to the moral principles and rules that
professionals adhere to when performing evaluations or assessments of the people
under their care. Information is gathered through assessment in order to comprehend a
person's requirements, capabilities, difficulties, and potential interventions.
Assessments are conducted in a fair, courteous, and responsible manner while
preserving the rights and well-being of the people being assessed thanks to ethical
concerns associated to assessment.
e. Boundaries of Competence
Under the Boundaries of Competence, it is said that every counselor must maintain and
update their professional skills. They acknowledge the boundaries of their expertise,
prioritize self-care, and actively seek guidance and supervision to uphold the quality of
their work. They exclusively provide services aligned with their qualifications derived
from education, training, and practical experience. It basically refers to the moral
principles and rules that professionals follow to guarantee that they only offer services
and interventions that are consistent with their education, training, and area of
expertise. It underlines the importance of professionals only delivering services that
they are competent to offer and not engaging in interventions or activities that are
outside of their scope of practice. The wellbeing and safety of those receiving services
depend on this ethical concept.