Counseling Skills and Stress Management
Unit 1
Syllabus
Unit 1: Counseling Concept: Emergence and historical Development of the Counseling Profession, Types of
counseling: goals and expectation, Counseling process,5D Model of counselling process. Counseling and related
fields: Psychotherapy, Clinical Psychology, Hygiology. Modern trends in counseling.
Unit 2: Managerial Counseling at Work Place: Self-Development of Managers as Counselors, Assertiveness and
Interpersonal Skills for Counselors, Counseling Relationship, counseling outcomes
Unit 3: Development of Counseling Skill: Introduction to the Important Schools of Counseling, Psychoanalytic
Foundations, Transactional Analysis, Gestalt Therapy, Rational Emotive Therapy,Ethics in counselling:Discussion and
presentation on ethics in counselling with case studies
What is counseling ?
• Counselling refers to the process of helping a person face their problem and overcome it.
• The people who carry out the counselling process are known as counsellors or therapists. There are
various types of counsellors depending on their field of specialization. They spend years studying the
specific field and practicing their therapy. Counsellors can be found everywhere from a school to
hospitals and from rehabilitation facilities to workplaces. Some also maintain a private practice.
Emergence and development of counselling
Counselling history can be traced back to tribal times where people would came together in a group
and share their experiences and sometimes their dreams. As civilisation developed, religion offered a
type of counselling, usually by priests who would listen and advise parishioners on their problems (they
still do).
In the 1890’s, German neurologist Sigmund Freud developed a theory later to be called psychoanalysis,
which allowed individuals to tell their problems to a ‘psychoanalyst,’ an individual trained in
interpreting the ‘subconscious’ , that part of our psyche that we are not aware of but influences what
we do. Freud played an important part in the history of counselling, but the actual word “counselling”
did not come into everyday language until the 1960’s.
Emergence and development of counselling
Below are significant milestones in the history of Counselling and psychotherapy
1886 – Sigmund Freud started practising in Vienna. He went on to develop Psychoanalysis
1951 – Carl Rogers outlined his person-centred approach in his book, Client-Centered Therapy.
1951 – Fritz Perls, Paul Goodman, and Ralph [Link] Gestalt therapy in the book Excitement and Growth in
the Human Personality
1954 – Abraham Maslow helped to found Humanistic psychology and later developed his famous Hierarchy of Needs.
1955 – Albert Ellis began the first form of cognitive behavioural therapy which he called
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy ( REBT)
1959 –Viktor Frankl published the English edition of his book Man's Search for Meaning, which provided an existential
account of his experiences as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps during World War II. The book also outlines an
existential approach to counselling known as Logotherapy
1967 Aaron Beck developed Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) suggesting that in terms of depression the way we
think contributes to our emotional well being.
Types of counseling
The following are the most common types of counselling:
1) Marriage and Family Counselling: People often face a lot of problems in their marriage and family life.
Sometimes, these troubled people find it hard to cope up with their life. This results in constant fights with their
partners or family members. Marriage and family counselling comes in here.
2) Educational Counselling: Educational counselling helps these people in choosing their career path. They conduct
seminars and orientations or private sessions where they discuss the interest of their client and offer solutions
accordingly.
3) Rehabilitation Counselling: This type of counselling refers to a practice where the counsellor helps people with
their emotional and physical disabilities. Furthermore, these counsellors teach these people ways to live
independently and maintain gainful employment. It evaluates the strength and limitations of their patients.
Types of counseling
4) Mental Health Counselling: Mental illnesses have become very common these days. Awareness has helped
people identify the symptoms of it and visit mental health counsellors. Mental health counselling helps people deal
with issues that impact their mental health and well-being. Some of the mental illnesses are depression, PTSD,
ADHD, Bipolar disorder, and more. This counselling focuses on these issues and helps in resolving them for a
healthier life.
5) Substance Abuse Counselling : Substance abuse counselling is a form of counselling which helps people in
treating them and supporting them from breaking free from their drug and alcohol addiction. It helps people
discuss the cause of this addiction and reach to the root of it. The counsellor thereby suggests coping strategies
which make a positive impact on their lives. Moreover, they also provide them with practicing skills and behaviors
which helps in their recovery.
Goals and expectations in counselling
The five most common goals of counseling include:
a) Facilitating behavioral change.
b) Helping improve the client’s ability to both establish and maintain relationships.
c) Helping enhance the client’s effectiveness and their ability to cope.
d) Helping promote the decision-making process while facilitating client potential.
e) Development.
These goals are guidelines when it comes to helping your clients make positive changes. A big part of
the counseling process involves enhancing your client’s ability to cope.
5D Counselling Process
The counseling process is a planned and structured dialogue between client and counselor. The
counselor is a trained and qualified professional who helps the client identify the source of their
concerns or difficulties; then, together, they find counseling approaches to help deal with the problems
faced.
Hackney and Cormier (2005) propose a five-stage model for defining the counseling process through
which both counselor and client move
5D Counselling Process
Stage one: (Initial disclosure) Relationship building
The counseling process begins with relationship building. This stage focuses on the counselor
engaging with the client to explore the issues that directly affect them.
The vital first interview can set the scene for what is to come, with the client reading the counselor’s
verbal and nonverbal signals to draw inferences about the counselor and the process. The counselor
focuses on using good listening skills and building a positive relationship.
When successful, it ensures a strong foundation for future dialogue and the continuing counseling
process.
5D Counseling Process
Stage two: (In-depth exploration) Problem assessment
While the counselor and client continue to build a beneficial, collaborative relationship, another
process is underway: problem assessment.
The counselor carefully listens and draws out information regarding the client’s situation (life, work,
home, education, etc.) and the reason they have engaged in counseling.
Information crucial to subsequent stages of counseling includes identifying triggers, timing,
environmental factors, stress levels, and other contributing factors.
5D Counseling Process
Stage three: (Commitment to action) Goal setting
Effective counseling relies on setting appropriate and realistic goals, building on the previous stages.
The goals must be identified and developed collaboratively, with the client committing to a set of
steps leading to a particular outcome.
Stage four: Counseling intervention
This stage varies depending on the counselor and the theories they are familiar with, as well as the
situation the client faces.
For example, a behavioral approach may suggest engaging in activities designed to help the client
alter their behavior. In comparison, a person-centered approach seeks to engage the client’s self-
actualizing tendency.
5D Counseling Process
Stage five: Evaluation, termination, or referral
Termination may not seem like a stage, but the art of ending the counseling is critical.
Drawing counseling to a close must be planned well in advance to ensure a positive conclusion is
reached while avoiding anger, sadness, or anxiety (Fragkiadaki & Strauss, 2012).
Part of the process is to reach an early agreement on how the therapy will end and what success looks
like. This may lead to a referral if required.
Relationship between Counseling and Psychotherapy
Counselling It helps the individual to know their problems, issues, crises and it inspires them to go for the
positive steps in order to overcome those issues. It is the best type of therapeutic treatment for the
individual who have an early understanding of the well being and for the one who is capable enough of
solving those issues and problems. Counselling is a short term method that inspires the modification of the
behaviour. Psychotherapy It helps the individual with the psychological problems that have been created
over a long period of the time. It shall also helps to well understand the thought processes, desires, wishes
and the actions more efficiently. Psychotherapy is a long term method of the treatment which recognises
the emotional problems and the history and reason to those issues and difficulties.
Relationship between Counseling and Clinical Psychology
While clinical psychologists and counseling psychologists differ in their areas of focus, they do have a
bit of overlap. To paint a key difference between clinical and counseling psychology, the clinical branch
focuses on psychopathology — the study of mental disorders. On the flipside, counseling psychologists
help patients or clients address emotional, social, and physical stressors in their lives.
Ultimately, clinical and counseling psychologists share more in common than they differ.
Modern Trends in Counseling
1. Spiritual breakthroughs
This concept will be the highlighting trend for 2022, under mental wellness! Emotional
breakthrough has been a well-known term and phenomenon, but with the current
advancements what we will experience in 2022 is ‘Spiritual Breakthrough’. This is a connection
of the physical reality with the spiritual world. The connection of the mind and body. This holds
tremendous power to further the human journey. Spiritual Breakthrough leads to progress and
growth without causing excessive damage.
Modern Trends in Counseling
2. Normalize visiting a mental wellness professional:
The times have gone, when one could help themselves out or simply find a solution by talking to
friends, travelling, immersing in work or continuing to bury their emotions deep down. The pandemic
has played a critical role in bringing out all your buried feelings. Thereby, creating a dire need to visit
qualified mental wellness professionals. They will help you with easy transitions, adapting to change
and experiencing advancements with changing times.
Modern Trends in Counseling
3. Customized approach
Technology will play an important role here, as one size fits all approach is a failed model in mental
wellness. Technology can allow customization and give out a plan of action that best suits you.
Tracking heart rate variability, pulse, sleep, food, and exercise, among other parameters, is now easily
possible with the help of smart devices that give accurate results.
4. Identifying triggers
There has been a surge in unexpected, unknown and sudden panic attacks as well as stomach
conditions. These are developing due to two main reasons – one, the pressures of the pandemic are
resulting in too many upsetting emotions and two, your body is unable to break down emotions and
process the same, just like we do with food. This can cause sudden and unknown alarming symptoms
but all are psychosomatic. Hence, the key would be learning how to identify your triggers!
Modern Trends in Counseling
5. Discovering trauma bonded relationships
Having spent a lot more time together, with years of relationships/marriage or even budding ones are
discovering trauma bonds. Trauma bonded relationships are the ones that may look and feel very
aligned with likes/dislikes or life goals on the surface level. However, due to emotional traumas being
exploded on one another (which may involve gaslighting), it might lead to feelings of emotional toxicity
that comes along with control and authority issues.
6. Courses introduced at school levels
Mindfulness practices will make us more actively aware of ourselves and our environment. Schools
need to modify their education system and start focusing on the mental health of the students as well.
Practices that ensure Mental Wellness should be promoted and taught to young minds.
Modern Trends in Counseling
7. Holistic approach
The mind, body and soul concept is ancient but still finds its true form and relevance this year
onwards. They make the agents of change. Adapting to change is the biggest challenge and only one
aspect is not enough to build health and immunity. A holistic approach will open doors to reversing dis-
ease, ageing, stuck situations and much more. Nutrition, food and fitness are not enough because the
root cause lies in the mind and soul and now requires an entire spectrum of the mind, body, soul
holistic approach.
