by Idehen Peter

Created on: August 07, 2009   Last Updated: August 09, 2009

AN OVERVIEW OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING

Guidance and counselling provides the teacher the ability to define, explore and discover more resourceful and accomplished life within the circle he finds himself. It provides the gate way out of the existing numerous problems of ignorance, resolving social, education and vocational difficulties individuals have in the educational institution and the society. In this regard there is need to look at guidance and counselling.

What is Guidance

The term Guidance is derived from the word 'guide' which simply means to direct on a course, watch over, steer, and inform someone on alternative on what to do in situations that demand decision making.

Frank Miller defines guidance as the process of helping individuals achieve self-understanding and self direction.

Professor Durojaiye in his own definition sees guidance as a complex process, which encompasses the total needs of the individual students to be guided. It is applicable to his education, social, moral, emotional, health, vocational and leisurative needs, and to his preparation for a suitable occupation.

Makinde (2005) defined guidance as an educational construct which is established as an integral part of the school system to offer specialised assistance to students and others in the school community in order to develop into a wholesome personality. On this basis education and guidance have similar goals and objective as education is a big umbrella under which guidance can function effectively. Education is the process of exposing the individual to concepts and activities which will actually result in his self awareness through physical mental, moral and spiritual development and the knowledge of things around him.

From the above definitions of guidance, it is clear that guidance is a helping service designed to assist the individual concerned in his total development thus the individual understands himself as he discovers his strength and weakness and maximised his potentials to achieve his life goals.

The Meaning of Counselling

Carl Rogers sees counselling as a process by which the structure of the self is relaxed in the safety of the client's relationship with the therapist, and previously denied experiences are perceived and then integrated into an inner self.

Shertzer and Stone defined counselling as a learning process in which individuals learn about themselves, their interpersonal relationships and behaviour that advance the personal development.

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