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Memoirs of a Guidance Counselor

           Most people think that counseling is as simple as giving and receiving advice. While this is not false, it is not the whole truth – it is simply the tip of the iceberg. Truly, counseling provides aid to those in need of mental or emotional help; but this is only informal counseling. The real definition, or rather the real essence of counseling (or formal counseling) – as discussed by Mrs. Mary Joy 󠇓Teruel, the head of Benedictine Institute of Learning's guidance office — is that it is the application of theories, concepts, and methods, in the process of providing aid to those in need.

           Two of the seven concepts she discussed are Fritz Perls’s Gestalt Theory and Aaron Beck’s Cognitive Theory. The Gestalt Theory, as discussed and suggested by the speaker, is best used for medium to large group counseling. In this concept, the key objective is to let or help the counselee acknowledge his or her responsibility – both for himself or herself, and society. It makes use of methods like role playing, open chair, body language, dialogue, and discussing dreams.

           On the other hand, the Cognitive Theory focuses more on those in psychological distress. It uses strategies such as regulating routine, minimizing avoidance, emphasizing on the “here and now”, and completing a “thought log”. Likewise, these are its aims for the counselee. Furthermore, it uses common techniques such as journal writing, guided discovery, systematic positive reinforcement, and self-instructional methods. Compared to the Gestalt Theory, Cognitive Theory focuses more on motivating an individual’s mind.

           During the discussion of the seven different concepts, we delved deeper into new knowledge (for us) as well. One of the top things I learned was the difference between the terms advice and counseling. Before the seminar, I always thought that these two terms were synonymous; to reiterate, counseling consists of theory, method, and concept application, whereas giving someone a simple advice does not. I also understood why counselors often ask about past experiences when counseling. They associate it with the present time’s happenings, in attempt to explain why a counselee may be feeling a certain or may have acted a certain way. Lastly, I also learned when it is appropriate to not assure confidentiality – we already know that a counselor must protect a counselee’s confidentiality, but there are cases involving the court, violence, suicide, and abuse, that actually requires a counselor to disclose the confidentiality to whom it should be disclosed.

           By the end of our fruitful seminar, Mrs. Mary Joy reminded us of several things we should always remember when counseling – be it formal or informal. A counselor should always listen and understand, not just hear. He or she must also observe every gesture, every reaction; every move of the counselee is meant to be interpreted. Building trust is also a task that every counselor must do before a counselee is able to freely connect with him or her. Above all, a counselor must always accept and respect his counselee – this is the key to unlocking and achieving a productive counseling session.