The Role of Counselling in the Helping Professions - Article Example

Social context of helping The role of counseling in the helping professions Name University Module Instructor Submission Date © 2012 INTRODUCTION Helping professions have become a fundamental inclusion in our modern-day problematic existence. Leading normal lives void of any upheavals has become the most challenging thing in our times. Many of us have been on the receiving end, struggling with some aspects of our lives that have proven to be somewhat problematic. To our reprieve, some professions have been developed whose core business is to help us solve both our personal and societal problems. These professions have variously come to be known as ‘helping professions’ as they ‘help’ individuals solve their particular problems. In regard to this, research has identified certain occupations as being part of the ‘helping professions’ in line with what they do to the society (Heather and Mark, 2008). David (2001) and Egan (2002) name social work, counselling, psychiatry, the clergy, homes for the aged and other ‘informal helpers’ as being among the renowned helping professions that assist us lead smooth lives. When the foregoing occupations are considered collectively, it is realised that their daily work involves supporting people who are in distress to overcome their gloom. The unifying factor in this realisation is that all the mentioned categories of helpers are found to apply the skills of counselling in their endevours. Unfortunately, research findings strongly point out that majority of the helping professions mentioned here lack substantial training in counselling that can further develop their helping skills (Bond and Sue, 2004). Based on this realisation therefore, the present essay attempts to explore the role played by counselling in the helping professions and the need for further training to sharpen their skills of counselling. The essay is presented in various sections as enumerated hereunder. THE ROLE OF COUNSELLING IN THE HELPING PROFESSIONS As it has already been established in the foregoing introductory section of this essay, majority of helping professions largely employ the skills of counselling. Coupled with this, it has also been noted by Julie (2004) that the use therapeutic approaches have taken centre stage in the helping professions’ practice. Both the counselling and therapeutic approaches have proved fundamental in the social context of helping, particularly as applied in social work which is considered a part of the helping professions. Before having an insight into the role played by counselling in the helping professions, it is important to first of all understand the social context in which the skills of counselling are applied. As highlighted by Purdam and colleague (2009) and Smith (2008), a big proportion of the helping professions named in this essay, particularly social work are known to encompass the aspect of social justice. In view of counselling, social justice is found to represent a multifaceted approach which mandates counsellors to promote human development as well as equitable distribution of justice (Corey et al, 2011). By applying this approach, individuals and the masses in the society are given power to fight injustice and inequality from their midst. To achieve this, counsellors have the principles of equity, access, participation and harmony at their disposal to guide their work (Faulk et al, 2007). According to Faulk and friends (2007), the principle of equity is illustrated to be the “fair distribution of resources, rights and responsibilities” to all members of society. During their noble duty of helping the distressed and deprived arrive at amicable solutions to their problems, Julie (2004) argues that counsellors must accord equitable attention to all in respect to “race, ethnicity, nationality, colour, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, political belief, religion and disability”. In line with this illustration therefore, equitable access to counselling for all without discrimination is critical to a socially just world (Purdam and Tranmer, 2009). The principle of access underscores the importance of fairness in allowing all individuals to access the resources, services, power, information and the common good of the society (Purdam and Tranmer). This in reality is geared towards creating individuals who are both confident and self-determined in their lives. When this happens, Buckner (2008) agrees that the principle of participation, which is also crucial to a socially just world is realised. As observed by Robert (2000), the principle of participation underlines every individual’s right to participate in making important decisions that impact on their lives as well as that of others in the society. After having fulfilled the foregoing three principles, Heather and associate (2008) contend that harmony remains the only unifying element of our definition of social justice. This principle professes of social adjustments that produce harmonious co-existence of members in the society as a whole (Heather and Mark, 2008). The role of counselling in the helping professions is as varied as are the reasons for which individuals enter into counselling. Purdam and partner (2009) argue that people find a number of excuses to seek counselling intervention most probably because they are “hurting, frustrated or feeling overwhelmed by a problem”. In line with this therefore, most victims are driven into counselling by wounded relationships like those between couples or filial in nature (Smith, 2008). Additionally, one or all of the participants in these relationships may be experiencing “intrapersonal difficulties driven by mood disorders like depression and anxiety, addictions or situational stressors like work or school” (Smith). But all in all, each person has his or her own reasons for seeking counselling intervention. For whatever reason is proffered, the purpose of counselling will often vary depending on the experience of the concerned counsellor. Highly experienced counsellors for instance will tailor their approaches to their clients’ needs as noted by Julie (2004). The bottom line in any therapeutic venture is to help the deprived individual adjust accordingly. Two main types of counselling prevail: Secular and Christian. Secular counselling on one hand is human-based and is aimed at helping a person adjust to difficult circumstances (Bond and Sue, 2004). Key among the processes used in secular counselling include but not limited to “client education, behavioural change and change of mind” in order to alleviate the felt pain (Robert, 2000). Christian counselling on the other hand is spiritual and uses the Bible to help the deprived person develop a close personal relationship with Jesus Christ and forget his painful experiences (Robert). The common denominator in the both types of counselling is to help the individual alleviate his or her sufferings. Additionally, the other role of counselling in the helping professions is to preserve the dignity of each client by understanding the uniqueness of every individual. This implies that clients have the right to choose their own treatment goals and their decisions must be respected (David, 2001). This guides the type of therapeutic approach to be adopted for treatment of the problem. The selected approach is agreed upon by both the therapist and the client as noted by David (2001). In counselling therefore, both the client and therapist need to be willing to grapple with the pain of life’s unanswered questions as opposed to the therapeutic process. ADDRESSING ISSUES OF DIVERSITY AND EQUALITY In the views of the majority, the term social diversity encompasses the differences that are found resident in the society based on age, class or sexual orientation among other aspects. Equity on the other hand implies to the fair distribution of resources, rights and responsibilities to all members found in a particular society. When helping professions are offering counselling services to members of the society, it is therefore very imperative for them to address the issues of social diversity and equality. Many counsellors and other help-providing agencies face the problem of ‘cultural tunnel vision’ as explained by Corey and associates (2011) to mean that they only tend to know of their own culture and assume that there is only one “normal” set of behaviours. This narrowness in the knowledge other cultural experiences may become very dangerous as it may act as a hindrance to effectively accessing help by individuals from diverse cultures. Counsellors are therefore advised to access further training in order to hone their skills for serving their diverse clientele better (Faulk et al, 2007). In so doing, they will be able to motivate their clients in becoming positively responsive to professional psychological intervention and avoid being considered ‘resistant’ to therapy. In a sense, the helping professions must learn to address cultural pluralism. According to highlights by Corey and associates (2011), cultural pluralism is a perspective that recognises the complexity of cultures as well as cherishing the diversity of beliefs and standards. In consideration of this, counsellors are thus warned against addressing all their clients collectively as if they are all the same, but instead consider each one of them as an independent entity. It is worthwhile to note that addressing the issue of diversity poses myriad challenges that the helping professions have to contend with. To address these challenges, the helping professions must overcome the problem of ‘cultural tunnel vision’ and ‘open up’ to the world. When counselling is considered in respect to diversity, research tends to depict a more Western orientation where the helping professions favour the establishment. On the contrary, study findings have strongly argued that a big proportion of clients do not trust helping agencies that are associated with the establishment because of a history of unequal treatment (Smith, 2008). These clients are said to be slow in forming trusting relationships with such counsellors. In addition to this, helpers from all walks of life need to honestly sacrifice their time and energies because helping is a most horrendous task. That is why it is aptly considered as a ‘calling’ in some quarters. The concept of diversity thus seeks to respect and maintain ethnic differences amongst individuals who must be allowed to express themselves without suffering discrimination or oppression, even when they are the minority (Buckner, 2008). PERSONAL REFLECTION ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF COUNSELLING AS A WHOLE Personally, I find counselling to be very significant in the helping professions as well as in the lives of individuals in general. Before a counsellor is able to help others, it is natural that he helps himself first. I personally agree with the findings that counselling has been lauded as the hallmark used for developing helping relationship between human beings. Smith (2008) concurs that forming helping relationships is inculcated in a human being’s sense of emotional bonding with others. I have experienced the same feelings on several occasions whenever I’m in counselling sessions with my peers. As a peer-counsellor, I have witnessed counselling doing marvelous things to fellow students who have come for help from me. Many are times when the students have always felt hesitant at the beginning but became more confident as we developed a rapport together. At the end of it all, the student leaves a contended and a changed being for the better. In my view, what I have just described above can be termed as a helping relationship as I usually end up developing one with majority of my clients. According to Smith (2008), a helping relationship is defined as one in which both of the participants believe that there should be more appreciation of each one of them. This is exactly the case in my situations: ‘educator-learner’ relationship as identified in research (Purdam and Tranmer, 2009). To achieve the best there is from a counselling service; helping professions should embrace the benefits of further training in order to improve their skills in counselling. CONCLUDING REMARKS Throughout this essay, the role of counselling in the helping professions has been addressed in details. The said role has been mentioned alongside the social context of helping, including the various types of counselling that are on offer. Moreover, some of the ethical and professional issues that one will most likely encounter in the counselling practice have also been raised. The essay has also tried to stimulate the readers as well as prospective counsellors to think most likely what will be about their own guidelines for professional practice (Corey et al, 2011). The reasons that cause people enter into counselling have been explored at length and found to include a selfless motive to help others while promoting social justice in the process (Egan, 2002). The issues of diversity and equality were also exclusively addressed and were both noted to be fundamental in shaping counselling in the helping professions. REFERENCES Bond, T & Sue, C. (2004). Integrative Counselling Skills in Action (2nd edition), London: Sage. Buckner, J. C. (2008). Understanding the impact of homelessness on children: Challenges and future research directions. American Behavioral Scientist, 51(6), 721-736. Corey, G., Marianne, S & Callanan, P., (2011). Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions, Eighth Edition. Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning David, E. (2001). Helping People Help Themselves: Towards a Theory of Autonomy- Compatible Help. World Bank, Policy Research Working Paper No. 2693 Egan, G. (2002). The Skilled Helper - A problem-management and opportunity-development approach to helping (7th edition), Wadsworth. Faulk, L., Dekker, P & Hart, J. (2007). Volunteering up to 2015: a forward study. SCP, The Hague, The Netherlands. Heather, S & Mark, K. (2008). The Art of Helping Others: Being around, being there, being wise. London: Jessica Kingsley. Julie, H. (2004). From Counselling Skills to Counsellor: A Psychodynamic Approach, London: Palgrave. Purdam, K & Tranmer, M. (2009). Helping in Context: A Multilevel, Multivariate Analysis of the European Social Survey. CCSR Working Paper No.9, Kingsley. Robert, R. (2000). The Art of Helping in the 21st Century (8th edition). Amherst, MA.: Human Resource Development Press. Smith, M. K. (2008). ‘Helping relationships’, the encyclopaedia of informal education Read More