PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN COUNSELING

THE ROLE & QUALITIES OF A SCHOOL

COUNSELOR
SKILLS FOR THE COUNSELING
PROCESS
ETHICAL ISSUES

IQRA ASLAM & MEHAK

SALEEM
GROUP NO. 6
Content List:
1. Introduction.
2. Guidance.
3. Counseling.
4. Guidance & Counseling.
5. Eight Attributes of an effective Counselor.
6. Personnel involved in Counseling.
7. Role of Personnel in Guidance & Counseling.
8. Role of School Counselor.
9. Qualities of a Good Counselor.
10. Qualities of a School Counselor.
11. Counseling Skills.
12. Ethical Issues.
13. Ethical issues in Counseling in Education.
14. Ethical issues School Counseling.
15. Conclusion.
16. References.
 Introduction:
The personal and professional qualities of counselors are very important
in facilitating any helping relationship. A counselor must be well
equipped to assist individuals to make adjustments and live a
happy and harmonious life. The adjustment can be with regard to the sch
ool and curriculum, vocation and personality. For effective counseling,
the counselor must be equipped with two kinds of data. First he must
have data relating to the counselee's background aptitudes, achievements,
interests, plans etc. Further, he must have the skill to interpret this data.
Secondly, the counselor must have information about the areas in which
the counselee may seek his assistance. These areas may be educational or
personal. With these two kinds of information he assists the counselee to
match his individual patterns of potentiality with appropriate opportunity.
 As the process of counseling develops, both the counselor and counselee
must arrive at a common ground.
 Cont….
 Counselor's who continually develop their self awareness skills are
in touch with their value, thoughts and feelings. They are likely to
have a clear perception of their own and their client’s needs and
accurately assess both. Such awareness can help them be honest with
themselves and other. They are able to be more congruent and build
trust simultaneously. Counselors who possess this type of knowledge
are most likely to communicate clearly accurately

 All the counselors are not alike. They differ in various ways.
Their personal characteristics, as well as, their personality differ
quite substantially. A number of research organizations have tried to
ascertain the personal qualities of a counselor, which are essential to
bring about therapeutically transformation in another person
 Guidance:
 “Guidance is process of helping individual through
their own efforts to develop and discover their
potentialities for personal happiness and social
usefulness.” -Ben Monero

 “Helping John to see through himself in order that he

may see himself through -Shirley Hamrin

 “Guidance is found mentally an effort to conserve the

priceless native capacities of youth and costly training
provided for youth in school.” —John Myers
 Counseling:
Counseling is a process in which clients learn how to
make decisions and formulate new ways of behaving,
feeling, and thinking. Counselors focus on the goals
their clients wish to achieve. Clients explore their
present levels of functioning and the changes that must
be made to achieve personal objectives. Thus, counseling
involves both choice and change, evolving through
distinct stages such as exploration, goal setting, and
action (Brammer, 1993; Egan, 1990).
 Cont….
Counseling is a principled relationship characterized by
the application of one or more psychological theories and
a recognized set of communication skills, modified by
experience, intuition and other interpersonal factors, to
clients’ intimate concerns, problems or aspirations. Its
predominant ethos is one of facilitation rather than of
advice-giving or coercion. It may be of very brief or long
duration, take place in an organizational or private practice
setting and may or may not overlap with practical, medical
and other matters of personal welfare.
 Guidance & Counseling:
 Guidance and counseling, or guidance counseling,
refers to the services and programs that promote
personal, social, educational and career development.
The program should align with an organization or
institution’s mission. In a school setting, guidance and
counseling attends the needs of students, parents,
guardians, professional associates and the community.

 Guidance and counseling is the process which helps

the students to know their skills, interests, personality
that will help students in further career selection. ...
Guidance is the process in which person able to know
their ability, interest, a capacity that will help in the
encounter of problems faced by them.
 Eight Attributes Of an
Effective Counselor:
Professional counselors are licensed mental health
therapists who provide assessment, diagnosis and
counseling to people facing a variety of life stresses and
psychological problems. They help people with
relationship issues, family problems, job stress, mental
health disorders such as depression and anxiety, and many
other challenging problems that can impact feelings of
well-being and happiness. To be effective in their roles,
counselors should enjoy helping others and possess
specific attributes and skills.
1. Communication Skills:
Effective counselors should have excellent
communication skills. Although some of these skills can
be honed during graduate school and are developed and
refined over the course of your career, you should
already possess certain communication skills before
embarking on a counseling career. Counselors need to
have a natural ability to listen and be able clearly
explain their ideas and thoughts to others.
2. Acceptance:
Being nonjudgmental and accepting are important
attributes in any of the helping professions. But
professional counselors must be able to "start where the
client is at." This phrase is often used in counseling to
describe the ability to relate to clients with an open,
nonjudgmental attitude accepting the client for who she
is and in her current situation. Counselors need to be
able to convey acceptance to their clients with warmth
and understanding.
3. Empathy:
Counselors help people through some of the most difficult
and stressful times of their lives. They must be able to
display empathy – the ability to feel what another person is
feeling. Empathy means that you are truly able to imagine
what it's like to stand in someone else's shoes. Compassion
and empathy help your clients feel understood and heard.

4. Problem-Solving Skills:
It's not up to a counselor to solve her clients' problems, no
matter how much she might want to help. But counselors
must have excellent problem-solving skills to be able to
help their clients identify and make changes to negative
thought patterns and other harmful behaviors that might be
contributing to their issues.
5. Rapport-Building Skills:
Counselors must possess a strong set of interpersonal skills
to help establish rapport quickly with clients and develop
strong relationships. They must give their undivided
attention to clients and be able to cultivate trust. Counselors
need to be able to place all of their focus on what their
clients are saying and avoid being distracted by their own
personal problems or concerns when they are in a session.

6. Flexibility:
Flexibility in counseling is defined as the ability to adapt
and change the way you respond to meet your clients' needs.
You don't stay rigid and stick to a predetermined treatment
path when your clients require a different approach. Being
flexible is one of the most important attributes of a
professional counselor.
7. Self-Awareness:
Self-awareness is the ability to look within and identify
your own unmet psychological needs and desires, such as
a need for intimacy or the desire to be professionally
competent. This ability prevents your issues from
affecting or conflicting with those of your clients. Self-
awareness has a major impact on a counselor's
effectiveness.

8. Multicultural Competency:
Counselors help people from all walks of life. They must
display multicultural competency and adopt a
multicultural worldview, says Hutchinson. Multicultural
competency means that you try to relate to and understand
your clients regardless of their race, ethnicity, religious or
political beliefs or socioeconomic background.
Personnel involved in counseling:

Personnel in guidance counseling means those who

provide guidance and counseling, it may be a trained
faculty, principal, school health personnel, administrative
staff, teachers, experts, psychologists, adults, peers etc.
 Role of personnel in guidance
and counseling:
Personnel’s in guidance and counseling cooperate to
provide quality education, reduce or solve educational,
vocational and socio-personal problems such as physical
health problems which could lead to emotional
disturbance and stress. Guidance and counseling are
integral components of educational system to provide an
opportunity for individual to see a variety of available
options and thereafter, assist the person in making a wise
choice. Both guidance and counseling aims to promote the
personal/social, educational, and career development of all
students.
 Cont…
 Personal exploration.
 Assigning students in their choice in and adjustment to
the curriculum and institutional life in general.
 Guiding students to pursue right type of education.
 Providing information on career possibilities and
stereotypes.
 Recognizing the talent of the students.
 Helping to develop life and employability skill.
 Helping students make a career plan.
 The process of helping students on how to behave with
consideration to other people.
 To understand students oneself, how to get along with
others.
 Help to achieve social relationship and social skills.
 The role of school counselor

 School counselors are certified/ licensed educators with a

minimum of a master’s degree in school counseling, making them
uniquely qualified to address all students’ academic, career and
social/emotional development needs by designing, implementing,
evaluating and enhancing a comprehensive school counseling
program that promotes and enhances student success. School
counselors are employed in elementary, middle/junior high and
high schools; in district supervisory positions; and counselor
education positions.

 School counselors serve a vital role in maximizing student

success
 Cont…
 Through leadership, advocacy and collaboration, school
counselors promote equity and access to rigorous educational
experiences for all students. School counselors support a safe
learning environment and work to safeguard the human rights of all
members of the school community and address the needs of all
students through culturally relevant prevention and intervention
programs that are a part of a comprehensive school counseling
program.
 School counselors have a minimum of a master’s degree in
school counseling, meet the state certification/ licensure standards
and abide by the laws of the states in which they are employed.

 School counselors create comprehensive school counseling

programs that focus on student outcomes, teach student
competencies and are delivered with identified professional
competencies.
1. Program Focus:

To establish program focus, school counselors identify personal

beliefs that address how all students benefit from the school
counseling program. Building on these beliefs, school counselors
create a vision statement that defines what the future will look like in
terms of student outcomes. In addition, school counselors create a
mission statement that aligns with their school’s mission and develop
program goals that define how the vision and mission will be
measured.

2. Student competencies:
School counselors consider how other student standards that are
important to state and district initiatives complement and inform their
school counseling program.
3. Indirect Services for Students:
Indirect services are provided on behalf of students as a result of the
school counselors’ interactions with others including referrals for
additional assistance, consultation and collaboration with parents,
teachers, other educators and community organizations

4. Accountability:
School counselors use data to show the impact of the school
counseling program on student achievement, attendance and behavior
and analyze school counseling program assessments to guide future
action and improve future results for all students. The performance of
the school counselor is evaluated on basic standards of practice
expected of school counselors implementing a comprehensive school
counseling program.
5. MANAGEMENT:

School counselors incorporate organizational assessments and tools

that are concrete, clearly delineated and reflective of the school’s
needs. Assessments and tools include:

 school counselor competency and school counseling program

assessments to self-evaluate areas of strength and improvement for
individual skills and program activities.

 use of time assessment to determine the amount of time spent

toward the recommended 80 percent or more of the school counselor’s
time to direct and indirect services with students.

 annual agreements developed with and approved by administrators

at the beginning of the school year addressing how the school
counseling program is organized and what goals will be
accomplished.
 Cont…
 Advisory councils made up of students, parents, teachers, school
counselors, administrators and community members to review and
make recommendations about school counseling program activities
and results.

 Use of data to measure the results of the program as well as to

promote systemic change within the school system so every student
graduates college and career ready.

 Curriculum, small-group and closing the-gap action plans

including developmental, prevention and intervention activities and
services that measure the desired student competencies and measure
the impact on achievement, behavior and attendance.

 Annual and weekly calendars to keep students, parents, teachers

and administrators informed and to encourage active participation in
the school counseling program
6. Delivery:
Direct Services with Students Direct services are in-person
interactions between school counselors and students and include the
following:

School Counseling Core Curriculum:

This curriculum consists of structured lessons designed to help

students attain the desired competencies and to provide all students
with the knowledge, attitudes and skills appropriate for their
developmental level. The school counseling core curriculum is
delivered throughout the school’s overall curriculum and is
systematically presented by school counselors in collaboration with
other professional educators in K-12 classroom and group activities.
 Cont….
Individual Student Planning:
School counselors coordinate ongoing systemic activities designed to
assist students in establishing personal goals and developing future
plans.

 Responsive Services:
Responsive services are activities designed to meet students’
immediate needs and concerns. Responsive services may include
counseling in individual or small-group settings or crisis response.
 Qualities of a Good Counselor:
Counseling is the application of mental health, psychological or human
development principles, through cognitive, affective, behavioral or
systemic intervention strategies, that address wellness, personal growth,
or career development, as well as pathology. Thus counseling focuses on
helping people make changes unlike guidance that focuses on helping
individuals choose what they value most. Therefore a counselor is a
person who gives counsel or advice.

Counselors work in diverse community settings designed to provide a

variety of counseling, rehabilitation, and support ser-vices. Their duties
vary greatly, depending on their specialty, which is determined by the
setting in which they work and the population they serve. Although the
specific setting may have an implied scope of practice, counselors
frequently are challenged with children, adolescents, adults, or families
that have multiple issues, such as mental health disorders and addiction,
disability and employment needs, school problem or career counseling
needs, and trauma. Counselors must recognize these issues in order to
provide their clients with appropriate counseling and support.
 Qualities:
1. Patience:
You need to be very patient. Go to the next step of explanation only
when the patient/client has clearly understood the content of the
information you are giving. Thus you need to have ample time for the
client/patient.

2. Good Listening:
You need to be a good listener. Never interrupt what the patient/client
has /is to say. Give your inputs only when the client / patient has
finished talking.

3. Observant:
You need to be very observant and able to interpret non-verbal
communication e.g. if the patient/client looks angry, find out the
cause of his/her anger first.
4. Knowledgeable:

You should have good knowledge on the topic /problem e.g.

compliance to medication.  Some people do not take medication for
one reason or the other, while others demand drugs/medication.  For
example, Muslims do not take oral medication when they are fasting
while Jehovah’s witnesses do not take blood transfusion.
Understanding the factors why people may not do certain activities at
specific time will assist to assist them better.
5. Warm:

Provide non-possessive warmth in a counseling environment. Smile and

show concern and acceptance to the patient/client.
6. Having empathy with the patient/client:

Try to understand the feelings the patient/client is having in the

counseling process. In other words put yourself in his/her position.
 Cont…
7. Maintaining a therapeutic relationship with a patient:

Give the patient/client the opportunity to make his/her own decision from
your message.

8. Confidentiality:

Although confidentiality is important in health matters it does not

apply very much to all situations e.g. most people will openly say
what they feel/ the problem they are having. However, ensure that
you maintain confidentiality on what the patient/client tells you.  The
patient/client would feel greatly offended if you disclose any
information about him or her to other people.  This means that
counseling must be done individually and privately.

9. Personal integrity:

Maintain a high degree of personal integrity, credibility and mutual

trust as a counselor.
 Qualities of a School Counselor:
They don't lead classrooms, but guidance counselors affect student
success as much as any teacher. Guidance counselors, also known as
school counselors, help students survive difficult classes, peer pressure,
depression and other problems that hurt their odds for success.
Counselors need several qualities, including people smarts, math
abilities, observational skills, a good thinking cap and compassion.
Advanced education also helps counselors understand how to keep
students on the right path academically and socially.
 People Skills:

People skills are paramount. You’ll team up with teachers and parents
to help kids with different needs. You have to be a good listener, giving
all of your attention to what people say without interrupting them. You
also have to be able to relate to kids with honesty and an open mind. To
fill parents in on their kids’ case and tell students about options for help
with problems and important decisions, counselors have to know how
to speak and write well. Finally, counselors need interpersonal skills to
resolve conflicts and work with administrators to set program goals.

 Math Skills:
When counselors aren’t providing a shoulder to lean on, they’re often
crunching data. Like any teacher or administrator, counselors have to
back up their work with concrete results, such as statistics from
grades, test scores and attendance records. They turn those numbers
into databases that guide decisions about counseling programs. Plus,
counselors compile research on student population traits, such as how
many kids use drugs on campus. According to the Princeton Review,
school counselors spend about a quarter of their day giving and
evaluating tests, and math skills are essential to the task.
 Observational Skills:

Kids don’t always say what they mean, or mean what they say. And
sometimes, they’re not up front about their problems. Counselors have
to look beyond words to help students. That means spotting subtle signs
of domestic abuse or family problems. It also requires knowing how to
determine students’ abilities, interests and personality traits with tests or
interviews. Counselors even work in the classroom, where they observe
student behaviors and relationships. They use what they learn to give
feedback to kids and parents, or to qualify students for programs that
could help them.

 Thinking Skills:
Guidance counselors are problem-solvers at heart. They need critical
thinking skills, including judgment, logic and reasoning, to see a
problem, find solutions and choose the fix that’s likeliest to work.
Problem-solving skills also help counselors plan programs to prevent
bullying, cut dropout rates, educate students on health issues and help
them maneuver difficult relationships with peers.
 Compassion:

School counselors have to enjoy helping people. They need compassion

and empathy to understand problems and work with people in stressful
situations. Counselors should always be looking for ways to help, and
know how to intervene in a crisis with sensitivity. The job can be
emotionally draining: According to The Princeton Review, 60 percent of
counselors quit within the first two years.

 Credentials:

Expect at least six years of college to become a guidance counselor.

Numbers from the U.S. Department of Labor show that 97 percent of
counselors had a master’s degree as of 2012. Typically, you need an
advanced degree in school counseling or a related major, such as career
development. Master’s programs include courses in human development,
counseling theory, testing and assessment, research and program
evaluation and social and cultural issues. Math and statistics classes help
counselors learn to evaluate tests. On top of education, counselors need a
license or certificate to practice. Requirements vary by state
 Counseling Skills
 Active Listening:

As a health worker, you should listen to what your patient/client says.

Show the patient/client that you are paying attention. For example, rather
than looking through papers on your desk as the patient/client is talking to
you, you should look at his/her face as you listen.
 Attending Behavior:

You should greet your patient/client politely and make him/her feel
comfortable and relaxed.  With facial expression, eye contact, gestures,
and posture, show him/her that you are interested in what he/she is telling
you.
 Interviewing/Asking Questions:

As a good counselor, you should ask open-ended questions as opposed to

close-ended questions.  You should also ask probing questions. 
We have used three expressions i.e. close ended, open-ended and probing
questions.  Before we proceed to learn about the other skills
 Cont…
 Praise appropriate practices:

You should praise a patient/client for any good practice he/she may
mention.
 Giving Information and negotiating changes:

After the patient/client has told you his/her problem, you should give
her/him relevant information and negotiate changes. You should use
words that the patient/client understands. Check whether the
patient/client understands you by asking him/her to repeat the
information and instructions you have given. If the feedback shows that
the patient/client did not understand the information or cannot remember,
explain again.
 Use of local language:

Whenever possible use a local language that the client understands best.
It is important for both you and the patient to understand each other very
well.
 Cont…
 Remain neutral and non- Judgmental:

Whenever possible give advice but do not judge.

 Be consistent in giving advice:

If you are sure of the facts be consistent.

 Summarizing and Paraphrasing:

By re-stating in your own words what the patient/client says, you

show that you are listening and that you have understood what the
patient/client has said.  For example, “What you are saying is that
you have no problem with the drug so far…”
It is important to develop skills in counseling so that you can
effectively help your patients/clients. Having discussed skills in
counseling, let us now discuss the counseling process.
 Ethical Issues:

Ethical issue. A problem or situation that requires a person

or organization to choose between alternatives that must be
evaluated as right (ethical) or wrong (unethical).

Ethical issues in business is a situation where a moral

conflict arises and must be addressed. In other words, it is
an occasion where a moral standard is questioned.
 What does ethical issue means?
Ethical issues occur when a given decision, scenario or activity creates a
conflict with a society’s moral principles. Both individuals and
businesses can be involved in these conflicts, since any of their activities
might be put to question from an ethical standpoint. Individuals are
subject to these issues in their relationships with other individuals or in
their relationships with organizations and same goes for organizations.

These conflicts are sometimes legally dangerous, since some of the

alternatives to solve the issue might breach a particular law. In other
occasions, the issue might not have legal consequences but it might
generate a negative reaction from third parties. Ethical issues are
challenging because they are difficult to deal with if no guidelines or
precedents are known. For this reason, many professional and industry
associations have ethical codes that are discussed and approved by key
participants to provide a useful framework for companies and
individuals to make adequate decisions whenever they face one of these
conflicts
 Ethical issues in counseling
in education:

It is suggested that there are two quite distinct Systems of ethics and
practice in use by counselors in education: the integrated model,
which emphasizes viewing the counselor-institution relationship as the
primary ethical perspective; and the differentiated model, which
emphasizes the counselor-client relationship as the starting point for
an ethical understanding of the counselor's role. The implications of
these two perspectives for ethical issues relating to sources of referral,
issues of confidentiality, accountability for resources, the implications
of role diffusion, and the outcomes of counseling, are examined. The
ethical consequences of viewing the two Systems as reconcilable or
incompatible are explored.
 Ethical issues in school counseling

School counselors must always be aware of ethical standards in their

work. Any type of counseling profession involves ethics, but the fact
that school counselors are working with minors and during crucial
stages in their emotional and mental development makes being aware
of ethical standards and issues even more important.

Ethical issues in school counseling can be complex. The American

School Counselor Association provides a detailed explanation of
ethical standards on its web site. This overview of ethical issues in
school counseling explores some common situations school
counselors might face.
1. Confidentiality and Its Limits:
 School counselors need to develop trusting relationships with
students, and an understanding of confidentiality in communications
and discussions helps built that trust. However, school counselors are
sometimes obligated to break that confidentiality under circumstances
where the law or professional ethics require it. They may also breach
confidentiality to parents or appropriate third parties in instances where
it would ultimately be in the best interests of the student or when they
are required to do so by law. For instance, if a student is threatening to
harm him- or herself, the parents and/or medical authorities may have
to be notified.
 School counselors can use informed consent to set guidelines with
their students. They can discuss their legal and ethical obligations and
help the student and their parents understand the limits of
confidentiality in their relationship.
2. Keep a Professional Distance:
School counselors’ relationships with students should always remain
within the context of the counselor’s professional abilities. Since
students are minors who may not always understand relationship
boundaries, the burden is on counselors to act professionally and
ethically, and explain those boundaries where necessary.

Romantic relationships with students are a serious breach of ethical

standards, regardless of whether they are illegal according to state law
and/or the student’s age.

3. Respect Differences in Cultural Values and

Traditions:
An increasingly diverse U.S. population equals an increasingly
diverse student population. School counselors need to be aware of
their own cultural biases and values to avoid imposing them on their
students. They should develop an understanding of how social and
economic inequalities as well as gender, cultural and racial biases
impact students and their families.
4. Provide Equal Access to Opportunities and
Support:
School counselors should ensure that each student in their charge has
equal access to the counseling services they need. Some students will
require greater attention, but counselors should not use the needs of
others or their personal preferences for certain students to prevent them
from serving all students at their level of need.

5. Be Aware of Dual Relationships:

School counselors should be mindful of relationships that could
compromise their objectivity and impair their ability to serve students
fairly — such as counseling children of close friends or romantic
partners. If such relationships are unavoidable, counselors should take
extra steps to maintain their objectivity. Documenting their work or
even agreeing to supervision are two examples of the extras steps a
counselor may take.
Conclusion:
An important quality of a counselor is that he like and
respects himself, but he does not use the counselee to
satisfy his own needs. Every normal human being has a
desire to be respected, recognized and accepted. Then the
counselor must qualities of good personality, good
character and whole
some philosophy, health, emotional stability, approachabilit
y, sympathic understanding of youth, intelligence, social
culture, broad knowledge and interest in guidance
and personal working conditions and understanding of
social economic conditions. They above given qualities
must be possessed by a counselor.
 References:
 https://work.chron.com/top-eight-attributes-effective-counselor-22250.
html

https://www.oerafrica.org/FTPFolder/Website%20Materials/Heal
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https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/job-s
ectors/social-care/essential-skills-for-a-career-in-counselling

https://www.icieducation.co.uk/blog/14-skills-needed-to-be-a
-counsellor/

https://www.slideshare.net/amjadfrance/qualities-of-counsel
or

https://www.academia.edu/4564964/Qualities_of_Good_Coun
sellor
 http://www.thecounsellorsguide.co.uk/using-your-personal-quali
ties-skills-knowledge.html

 https://www.saap.za.net/resources/26-counsellingskills/93-atti
tudesandqualitiesofagoodcounsellor

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325844422_ETHICS_IN
_COUNSELING

 http://www.iosrjournals.org/iosr-jhss/papers/Vol19-
issue5/Version-5/C019551222.pdf

https://www.bacp.co.uk/events-and-resources/ethics-and-standar
ds/ethical-framework-for-the-counselling-professions/
Video Time