Psychology is a discipline, that studies human behavior and mind. It attempts to ask questions about the reason behind an individual’s behavior and thinking. Two important concepts of psychology, which people do not easily discern are guidance and counseling, because both seeks to find out the solutions for problems and works for human development. While in guidance the focus is made on listening problem, on which ready made solution is given by the expert. Counseling aims at discussing and understanding the problem, advising and empowering him to take a decision. Learning the differences between guidance and counseling might help you in choosing the right method for you.
Content: Guidance Vs Counseling
Comparison Chart
| Basis for Comparison | Guidance | Counseling |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Guidance refers to an advice or a relevant piece of information provided by a superior, to resolve a problem or overcome from difficulty. | Counseling refers to a professional advice given by a counselor to an individual to help him in overcoming from personal or psychological problems. |
| Nature | Preventive | Remedial and Curative |
| Approach | Comprehensive and Extroverted | In-depth and Introverted |
| What it does? | It assists the person in choosing the best alternative. | It tends to change the perspective, to help him get the solution by himself or herself. |
| Deals with | Education and career related issues. | Personal and socio-psychoological issues. |
| Provided by | Any person superior or expert | A person who possesses high level of skill and professional training. |
| Privacy | Open and less private. | Confidential |
| Mode | One to one or one to many | One to one |
| Decision making | By guide. | By the client. |
Definition of Guidance
Guidance is a kind of advice or help given to the individual’s especially students, on matters like choosing course of study or career, work or preparing for vocation, from a person who is superior in the respective field or an expert. It is the process of guiding, supervising or directing a person for a particular course of action.
The process aims at making students or individuals aware of the rightness or wrongness of their choices and importance of their decision, on which their future depends. It is a service, that assist students in selecting the most appropriate course for them, in order to discover and develop their psychological and educational abilities and ambitions. Guidance results in self-development and helps a person to plan his present and future wisely.
Definition of Counseling
The term counseling is defined as a talking therapy, in which a person (client) discusses freely about his/her problems and share feelings, with the counselor, who advises or helps the client in dealing with the problems. It aims at discussing those problems which are related to personal or socio- psychological issues, causing emotional pain or mental instability that makes you feel uneasy. The counselor listens the problems of client with empathy and discuss it, in a confidential environment. It is not a one day process, but there are many sessions.
Counseling is not just giving advice or making a judgement, but helping the client to see clearly the root of problems and identify the potential solutions to the issues. The counselor also changes the viewpoint of the client, to help him take the right decision or choose a course of action. It will also help the client to remain intuitive and positive in the future.
Key Differences Between Guidance and Counseling
The significant differences between guidance and counseling are given in the following points:
- An advice or a relevant piece of information given by a superior, to resolve a problem or overcome from difficulty, is known as guidance. Counseling refers to a professional advice given by a counselor to an individual to help him in overcoming from personal or psychological problems.
- Guidance is preventive in nature, whereas counseling tends to be healing, curative or remedial.
- Guidance assists the person in choosing the best alternative. But counseling, tends to change the perspective, to help him get the solution by himself or herself.
- Guidance is a comprehensive process, that has an external approach. On the other hand, counseling focuses on in-depth and inward analysis of the problem, until client understand and overcome from it completely.
- Guidance is taken on education and career related issues whereas counseling is taken when the problem is related to personal and socio-psychological issues.
- Guidance is given by a guide who can be any person superior or an expert in a particular field. As opposed to counseling, which is provided by counselors, who possess high level of skill and undergone through professional training.
- Guidance can be open and so the level of privacy is less. Unlike counseling, wherein complete secrecy is maintained.
- Guidance can be given to an individual or group of individuals at a time. On the contrary, counseling is always one to one.
- In the guidance, the guide takes the decision for the client. In contrast to counseling, where the counselor empowers the client to take decisions on his own.
Conclusion
Therefore, after reviewing the above given points, it is clear that guidance and counseling are two different terms. The guidance aims at giving solutions while counseling aims at finding problems, working over it and then resolving it. However, both the process attempts to solve the problems of the client whereby the participation of both client and the expert should be there.
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