Counselling

Ms. Sumina Susan Kochitty

 Contents
What is counselling?
The Need for Counselling
What counselling can do (or functions of
counselling)
The Role of Managers in Counselling
Types of counselling
 Counselling

Discussion with an employee of a problem

that usually has emotional content in order
to help the employee cope with it better.
 Characteristics
An act of communication
It should improve organizational
performance
Counselling may be performed by both
professionals and non professionals
Counselling is confidential
 Functions of Counselling

Advice – Telling a person what you think

should be done
Reassurance – Giving a person courage and
confidence to face a problem
Communication – Providing information
and understanding
 Contd..
• Release of emotional tension – Helping a
person feel more free of frustrations and
stress
• Clarified thinking – encouraging more
coherent, rational and mature thought
• Reorientation – encouraging an internal
change in goals, values and mental models
 The Role of Managers

When counselling services are established,

managers must not conclude that all their
counselling responsibilities have been
transferred to the counselling staff
Managers need training to help them
understand problems of employees and
counsel them effectively.
 Types of Counselling

Directive Counselling / Prescriptive

Counselling
Participative Counselling / Cooperative
Counselling / Eclectic Counselling
Non Directive Counselling / Permissive
Counselling
Ethical Decision making in
counselling
What is ethics?
– Moral principles that govern a person’s
behaviour or conduct of an activity
When faced with challenges or dilemmas
practitioners need to make decisions and
take actions based on their professional
obligation to their client
Identifying and dealing with ethical
challenges / dilemmas
‘What if my client decides they want to
commit suicide and refuses to give me
permission to break confidence?’
‘what if my client wants me to hug
him/her?’
Ethical dilemma – a state of uncertainity
between two favourable / unfavourable
options
 Ethical Guidelines for
Counsellors
Autonomy – encouraging clients to make
their own decisions and act on their own
values
Justice

Beneficence – responsibility to contribute to

the welfare of the client
Nonmaleficence – ‘above all, do no harm’
Fidelity – loyalty, faithfulness, honouring
commitments
Process of Ethical Decision making

1 – Identify the situation / problem

2 – Construct a description
3 – Whose problem is it?
4 – Review in terms of ethical framework
or legal requirements
5 – Consider moral principles and values
6 – Identify the support that is available
7 – Identify the courses of action
8 – Select course of action
9 – Evaluate the outcome
10 – Regularly check the personal impact of
these events