Discipline and Ideas in the Applied Social Sciences - Goals of Counseling.pptx

Discipline and Ideas in the Applied Social Sciences - Goals of Counseling

1. Goals of Counseling

2. Counseling is a deliberate and carefully thought-out process. No client goes into counseling and no counselor conducts counseling just because it strikes their fancy. Goals are very important in counseling. Establishing clear goals means that a positive outcome is expected after the counseling relationship is terminated.

3. FIVE MAJOR GOALS OF COUNSELING (According to George and Cristiani (1995 as cited by Nystul, 2016))

4. Facilitating behavior change

5. Improving the client's ability to establish and maintain relationships

6. Enhancing the client's effectiveness and ability to cope

7. Promoting the decision-making proces Counseling helps clients make decisions. Counselors assist clients in exploring the different aspects of the self (namely physical, social, emotional, mental, moral, and spiritual), which can influence decision-making. Clients are also guided in identifying options and their respective consequences to help them make informed decisions. A high school student from a poor family, for example, may consult with a counselor to explore the possibility of supporting his family without having to drop out of school

8. Facilitating client potential and development Counseling aims to maximize clients’ potentials and ensure clients’ growth. Counseling helps clients discover what they are capable of doing and helps them actualize their goals. For instance, a junior high school student who is intelligent but is not performing well in class may undergo counseling to help him determine reasons for his low performance and discover ways of overcoming perceived obstacles.

9. Three general potential outcomes of counseling (McLeod (2013, 9)) : resolution of the original problem in living, learning, and social inclusion.

10. 15 specific ways in which counseling may help (McLeod, 2013)

11. Insight Clients gain knowledge about people, processes, and events, which can further heighten their understanding of themselves and their world.

12. Relating with others Clients learn how to establish “meaningful and satisfying relationships” with the people around them.

13. Self-awareness Clients become more aware of their thoughts, feelings, and actions.

14. Self-acceptance Clients gain a positive view of themselves.

15. Self-actualization or individuation Clients maximize their full potential and develop themselves as individuals rather than just part of a group.

16. Enlightenment Clients reach a higher state of spirituality.

17. Problem-solving Clients develop problem-solving skills.

18. Psychological education Clients attain an understanding of people’s behaviors.

19. Acquisition of social skills Clients develop and enhance social and interpersonal skills.

20. Cognitive change Clients modify irrational beliefs or self-defeating thoughts that hinder their development.

21. Behavior change Clients replace maladaptive behaviors that impede them from maximizing their potentials and hinder them from building and maintaining interpersonal relationships.

22. Systemic change Clients realize that problems are also rooted in social institutions and processes; thus, initiating changes in these areas is also important.

23. Empowerment Clients develop knowledge, skills, and attitudes that can help them take better control of their lives.

24. Clients make peace with themselves for their past mistakes. Restitution

25. Generativity and social action Clients are to think and do something for others.

26. Goal setting in counseling is a shared responsibility of both counselors and clients. This clients can stake ownership on their counseling goals and would not feel that the counselors themselves decided on what the goals should be.