DISCIPLINES AND IDEAS IN THE APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCES
SUBJECT DESCRIPTION: This course introduces some Applied Social Sciences, namely
Counselling, Social Work, and Communication, which draw their foundation from the theories and
principles of Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, and other Social Sciences. The course highlights
the seamless interconnectivity of the different applied social science disciplines while focusing on the
processes and applications of these applied disciplines in critical development areas.
At the end of the course, students shall demonstrate competencies in interacting and reacting with
other individuals, groups, and communities; apply social sciences principles, practices, and tools in
addressing the development areas identified by the class; and analyze how processes in these
applied disciplines work in specific life situations.
MODULE 1
CHAPTER 1 Course Introduction (Applied Social Sciences)
1.1 Definition of social sciences
1.2 Definition of applied social sciences
Social Sciences – is made of several disciplines and these include history, political science, sociology,
psychology, economics, geography, demography, anthropology and linguistics. As a body of scientific
knowledge, the social sciences provide diverse set of lens that help us understand and explain the different
facets of human society. The varieties of lens that social sciences study refer to the different fields of the social
sciences that investigate human society.
Branches of the Social Sciences
 Economics studies the allocation of scarce resources and the production and exchange of
goods and services in society.
Economics has different subfields:
 Environmental economics- studies the allocation of natural resources
 Labor economics-focuses on the study of the decision- making and behaviors of
employees and the relationships between employers and their employees.
 Business economics- examines the behavior of companies and firms by studying the
factors that result in profit maximization, price setting, production goals, and the role of
incentives.
 Monetary economics- on the other hand, studies the nation’s production, inflation,
income, interest rates, and monetary policies.
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Anthropology is the scientific study of humans and their cultures in the past and present
time.
Anthropologist are trained in the different areas:
 Cultural anthropology studies the development of human culture based on ethnologic,
linguistic, social, and psychological data analysis. It explains how people in other societies
live and affects their environments to their respective lives.
 Physical anthropology studies human biological nature, particularly its beginning ,
evolution, and variation in prehistory
 Archeology studies human life in the past through the examination of things left behind
by the people.
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History is systematic study of human past events in order to understand the meaning,
dynamics, and relationship of the cause and effects of events in the development of societies.
History has several subfields:
 Political history studies history of political institutions
 Economic history studies the development of economic institutions and other economic
factors.
 Social history studies the history of ordinary lives of people like women, children, ethnic
groups, and the different sectors of society from historical point of view.
 Environmental history looks into the history of the interaction of humans with the
environment
 History of medicine and public health examines the history of public health and human
medicine
 Business history studies the history of the development of businesses, companies, and
industries
 Biographies studies the history of great persons in history
Political Science primarily studies human behavior in relation to political systems,
governments, laws, and international relations.
Political has several fields of study:
 Domestic politics studies public opinion, elections, national and local governments.
 Comparative politics studies politics within countries and analyzes the similarities and
differences between among countries
 International Relations focuses on the study of political relationship and interaction
between and among countries
 Public administration studies national and local governance and bureaucracy
 Public law examines legal systems, civil rights , and criminal justice
Psychology studies how the human mind works in consonance with the body to produce
thoughts that lead to individual actions.
Psychology subfields:
 Experimental psychology studies of humans and animals examines how and why
learning takes place
 Developmental psychology studies the ways people change and behave as they go
through their life
 Personality psychology studies human nature and differences among people
 Environmental psychology studies the effects of surroundings on a person’s attitude
and behavior
Sociology a systematic study of people’s behavior in groups
Sociology subfields:
 Applied sociology focus on the use and proper application of sociological theories,
methods and skills to examine data, solve problems and communicate research to the
public.
 Urban sociology studies societal life interactions in urban areas through the application
of sociological methods like statistical analysis and ethnographies
 Cultural sociology analyzes the development of social institutions, norms and practices.
 Rural sociology studies the social life of people in rural areas
 Medical sociology examines the societal aspects of health and medicine of people
 Sociology of education analyzes how social forces and institutions like politics,
economic systems, and culture affects school and educational systems.
 Political sociology examines how social structure affects and influences politics.
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Military sociology is a sociological study of the military organization, the different civilian
and military relationships, war experiences, and the use and control of force
Geography is the study of interaction between people and their environments.
Geography subfields:
 Physical geography studies the natural features of the earth , including land, water , and
atmosphere
 Human geography studies how people create cultures in their natural environments.
Demography according to the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (2016)
demography is the scientific study of human populations across time.
Major subfield:
 Population studies or social demography analyze demographic data to define, explain,
and foresee social phenomena. It also studies social – status composition and population
distribution.
Defining the Applied Social Sciences-branch of study that applies the different concepts,
theoretical models, and theories of the social science disciplines to help understand society and the
different problems and issues. The applied social sciences is utilized to provide alternative solutions
to the diverse problem of the society.
Three main career tracks for applied social scientist:
 Counseling is one of the fields of applied social sciences as an application of the social
sciences, counseling provides guidance, help, and support to individuals who are distraught
by a diverse set of problems in their lives.
 Counseling can be done by the following:
Guidance counselor and life coaching are applications of the social sciences and
these professions, expert help are given to individuals who needed guidance or advice
pertaining to their business successes, general conditions and personal life transitions,
relationships and career.
Life coach analyzes the present condition of the client, discovers different obstacles or
challenges that a client faces, and provides a certain course of action to make the client’s
life better.
Career counseling is needed by people who are in the process of entering the job
market, searching for possible career change, or those wanting career advancements.
Personal growth counseling concentrates on the evaluation of different aspects of a
client’s life.
 Social work practitioners help individuals, families, and groups, communities to improve
their individual and collective well-being.
 Communication Studies- Applied social science provide adequate training for careers in
the field of journalism and mass communication because of multidisciplinary knowledge
and skills that graduates learn from social sciences.
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CHAPTER 2 Discipline of Counseling
1.1 Counseling
1.1.1
1.1.2
1.1.3
1.1.4
1.1.5
Definitions
Goals
Scope
Core Values
Principles
Counseling – For Nystul (2003) defined it as basically an art and a science wherein you endeavor to weigh
the objective and subjective facets of the counseling process.
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As an art is the subjective dimension of counseling. It upholds a flexible and creative
process whereby the counselor modifies the approach to meet the developing needs of the
clients.
As a science, on the other hand, is the objective dimension of the counseling process.
In practical terms, counseling happens when a person who is distressed asks for help and
permit another person to enter into a kind of connection with him/her. It is indicative with
formal of someone in search of counseling requests for time and attention from person who
will listen, who will allow him/her to speak and who will not condemn and criticize him/her.
Informal helping- is a kin with formal helping in some ways such as presence of good
listening skills, empathy, and caring capacity.
Based on Guidance and Counseling Act of 2004, guidance and counseling is the
profession that implicates the application of “ an integrated approach to the development of
a well-functioning individual “ through the provision of support that aids an individual to use
his/her potential to the fullest in accord with his/her interest , needs and abilities. (University
of Queensland, 2015).
At the American Counseling Association (ACA) Conference in Pittsburgh in March 2010,
the representatives come to an agreement on a mutual definition of counseling. They
agreed that counseling is a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals,
families and group to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals
(Kaplan, Tarvydas, and Gladding, 2014).
Goals of Counseling – the key component of individual, group, organizational and community success
-Detailed and expansive counseling goals have been identified by Gibson and Mitchell (2003), which are as
follows:
1. Development Goals – assist in meeting or advancing the clients human growth and development including
social, personal, emotional, cognitive, and physical wellness.
2. Preventive Goals – helps the client avoid some undesired outcome.
3. Enhancement Goals- enhance special skills and abilities.
4. Remedial Goals – assisting a client to overcome and treat an undesirable development
5. Exploratory Goals- examining options, testing of skills, trying new and different activities, etc.
6. Reinforcement Goals- helps client in recognizing, that what they are doing, thinking, and feeling is fine
7. Cognitive Goals-involves acquiring the basic foundation of learning and cognitive skills
8. Physiological Goals – involves acquiring the basic understanding and habits for good health
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9. Psychological Goals – aids in developing good social interaction skills, learning emotional control, and
developing positive self – concept.
The presented list of counseling goals, some of which are enhancement of the above goals.
Goal
Insight
Relating with others
Self- awareness
Self- acceptance
Self – actualization
Enlightenment
Problem- Solving
Psychological education
Acquisition of Social Skills
Cognitive change
Behavior change
Systematic change
Empowerment
Restitution
Generality
Description
Understanding of the origins and development of
emotional difficulties , leading to an increased
capacity to take rational control over feelings and
actions
Becoming better able to form and maintain
meaningful and satisfying relationships with other
people : for example , within the family or workplace
Becoming more aware of thoughts and feelings that
had been blocked off or denied, or developing a
more accurate sense of how self is perceived by
others.
The development of a positive attitude toward self,
marked by an ability to acknowledge areas of
experience that had been the subject of selfcriticism and rejection
Moving in the direction of fulfilling potential or
achieving an integration of previously conflicting
parts of self.
Assisting the client to arrive at a higher state of
spiritual awakening
Finding a solution to a specific problem that the client
had not been able to resolve alone. Acquiring a
general competence in problem – solving
Enabling the client to acquire ideas and techniques
with which to understand and control behavior
Learning and mastering social and interpersonal
skills such as maintenance of eye contact , turn
taking in conversations, assertive, or anger control
The modification or replacement of irrational beliefs
or mal adaptive thought patterns associated with
self- destructive behavior
The modification or replacement of maladaptive or
self- destructive patterns of behavior.
Introducing change into the way in that social
systems operate
Working on skills , awareness, and knowledge that
will enable to client to take control of his or her own
life
Helping the client to make amends for previous
destructive behavior
Inspiring in the person a desire and capacity to care
for others and pass on knowledge and to contribute
to the collective good through political engagement
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Scope of Counseling
The wide ranges of human problems create a widened scope and field of counseling. Broadly, the
scope of counseling includes individual counseling, marital and premarital counseling, family
counseling, and community counseling. A more focused subject matter related to scope of counseling
is the 4757-15 Scope of Practice foe Licensed Professional Counselors. It contains the rights and
responsibilities of licensed counselors including the following:
Licensed Professional Counselors may for a fee, salary, or other considerations
1. Afford counseling services to individuals, groups, organizations, or the general public
compromising of: application of clinical counseling principles, methods, or procedures
to assist individuals in realizing effective personal, social, educational, or career
development and adjustment.
2. “apply clinical counseling principles, methods , and procedures “, means an approach
to counseling that emphasizes the counselor’s role in systematically assisting clients
through all of the following: assessing and analyzing emotional conditions , exploring
possible solutions, and developing and providing treatment plan for mental and
emotional adjustment or development. It may include counseling, appraisal,
consulting, supervision, administration, and referral.
3. Engage in the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders when under
the supervision of a professional clinical counselor, psychologist, psychiatrists,
independent marriage and family therapist, or independent social worker.
4. Provide training supervision for students and registered counselor trainees when
services are within their scope of practice, which does not include supervision of the
diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders.
Source:
http:codes.ohio.gov/oac/4757-15
Core Values- is a key component of an organization. It has significant influence on other
organizational components, more specifically, to its members. It serves as standards that shape the
members behavior in their interaction with their clients and other people.
According to Mcleod (2003) ,the founders of humanistic psychology, including Maslows and Rogers
,highlighted the importance of values.
Ethical Principles of counseling which are follows:
Ethical Principles
These are the ideas that underpin both personal
and professional codes.
1. Autonomy of individuals
 Is based on the right to freedom of
action and freedom of choice in so
far as the pursuit of these freedom
does not interfere with the freedom
of others ; counseling cannot
happen unless the client has made
a free choice to participate
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2. Principle of Non maleficence
 This refers to instruction to all
helpers or healers that they must
,above all, do no harm;
 Beneficence refers to the order to
promote human welfare
3. Principle of Justice
 Concerned with the fair distribution
of resources and services , unless
there is some acceptable reason for
treating them differently
 For counseling , the principle has
particular relevance to the question
access
General Moral Theories
 The BACP Ethical Framework for Good
Practice , drawing on virtues perspective
also identified a set of personal qualities
that all practitioners should possess:
empathy, sincerity, integrity, resilience,
respect, humility, competence, fairness,
wisdom and courage
CHAPTER 3 Discipline of Counseling
2. Professionals and Practitioners in Counseling
2.1 Roles, functions, and competencies of counselors
2.2 Areas of specialization where counselors work
2.3 Career opportunities of counselors
2.4 Rights, Responsibilities, Accountabilities, and Code of Ethics
Roles and Functions of Counselors
According to Gibson and Mitchell (2003) a helping profession is composed of members “who are
especially trained and licensed to perform a unique and service for fellow human beings”.
Roles / Functions
Individual Assessment
Individual Counseling
Group Counseling and Guidance
Career Assistance
Description
Seeks to identify the characteristics and potential of
every client ; promotes the client’s self-understanding
and assisting counselors to understand the client
better
Considers as the core activity through which other
activities become meaningful. It is a client –centered
process that demand confidentiality. Relationship is
established between counselor and client.
Groups are means of providing organized and
planned assistance to individuals for an array of
needs. Counselor provides assistance through group
counseling and group guidance.
Counselors are called on to provide career planning
and adjustment assistance to clients.
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Placements and Follow –Up
Referral
Consultation
Research
Evaluation and Accountability
Prevention
A service of school counseling programs with
emphasis on educational placements in course and
programs.
It is the practice of helping the clients find needed
expert assistance that the referring counselor cannot
provide.
It is the process of helping a client through a third
party or helping system improve its service to its
clientele.
It is necessary to advance the profession of
counseling; it can provide empirically based data
relevant to the ultimate goal of implementing
effective counseling.
Evaluation is a means of assessing the effectiveness
of counselor’s activities.
Accountability is an outgrowth of demand that
schools and other tax-supported institutions be held
accountable for their actions.
This includes promotion of mental health through
primary prevention using a social – psychological
perspective.
Competencies of Counselors
Seven distinct competence areas of counselors. There might be other areas but we will focus on the input of
McLeod (2003).
1. Interpersonal Skills –counselors who are competent display ability to listen, communicate ; empathize ; be
present ; aware of nonverbal communication; sensitive to voice quality , responsive to expressions of emotion,
turn taking, structure of time and use of language .
2. Personal beliefs and Attitude- counselors have the capacity to accept others, belief in potential of change,
awareness of ethical and moral choices and sensitive to values held by client and self.
3. Conceptual ability – counselors have the ability to understand and assess client’s problem; to anticipate
future problems; make sense of immediate process in terms of wider conceptual scheme to remember
information about the client.
4. Personal Soundness – counselors must have no irrational beliefs that are destructive to counseling
relationships, self-confidence ,capacity to tolerate strong of uncomfortable feelings in relation to the clients,
secure personal boundaries, ability to be a client ; must carry no social prejudice, ethnocentrism and
authoritarianism.
5. Mastery of Techniques – counselors must have a knowledge of when and how to carry out specific
interventions, ability to assess effectiveness of the interventions, understanding the rationale behind
techniques, possession of wide repertoire of intervention
6. Ability to understand and work within social system – this would be compromise of awareness of family and
work relationships of client the impact of agency on the clients, the capacity to use support networks and
supervision ; sensitivity to client from different gender, ethnicity , sexual orientation, or age group.
7. Openness to learning and inquiry – counselors must have the capacity to be curious about client’s
backgrounds and problems; being open to new knowledge
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Career Opportunities and Areas of Specialization of Counselors
1. Marriage and Family Counseling – refers to the efforts to establish an encouraging relationship with
couple or family and appreciate the complications in the family system.
2. Child and Adolescent Counseling – is a developing area of expertise in counseling profession. The
counseling strategies focus on helping children and adolescents acquire coping skills through promotion of
resiliency, positive attachment relationship, emotional and intellectual intelligence, and other qualities that
promote optional development.
3. Group Counseling – is the dynamic field in the counseling profession. Group counseling as a practice can
be located in most counseling programs and became the essential part of counselor’s system. Group
counseling offers the following : opportunities to members to learn from observing other group members ; can
functions as helpers and helps ; opportunities to discover that you others have similar concerns ; members are
encouraged to offer help to others ;opportunities to enhance interpersonal skills; the therapeutic climate
created similar as the client’s family origin.
4. Career Counseling –is an evolving and challenging counseling field. This type of counseling aids individual
on decisions and planning concerning their career. The counseling approach includes integrating theory and
practice. Adopted Savickas ( 1996 )as cited Nystul ( 20003 ) adopted the model of Wagner ( 1971) on
structural analysis of personality to the realm of vocational psychology. The model consist of vocational career
services, occupational placement , vocational guidance , career counseling , career education , career therapy,
and position coaching.
5. School Counseling- refers to the process of reaching out students with concerns on drugs, family and
peers or gang involvement. The job requires sensitivity to individual differences and considers diversity in
enhancing educational perspective. The job requires skills on consultation, counseling’s exceptional students
and with the ability to handle problems such as drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, divorced or single parents,
dropping out of school.
6. Mental Health Counseling - is manifested in the challenges posed by its clientele with mental disorders.
Mental disorders include serious depression, schizophrenia, and substance abuse. Mental health counselors
have to be inventive, and creative to address these problems. The job requires patience, humility, kindness
and compassion.
Rights and Responsibilities, and Accountabilities of Counselors
Code of ethics help counselors to remind them of their rights, responsibilities and accountabilities in the
counseling profession. The rights, responsibilities and accountabilities of the counselors are based on the
counselors associations of Code of Conduct.
The code of ethics of the counselors is divided into seven sections, namely , (a) counseling relationship,
(b) confidentiality (c) professional responsibility (d) relationships with other professionals , (e) evaluation,
assessment, and interpretation, (f) teaching ,training and supervision (g) research and publication.( Gladding ,
2000 ). We shall only presenting in details three of the seven areas, namely, counseling relationships,
confidentiality, and professional responsibility. The following three tables below provide a sample code of
ethics of the American Counseling Association.
Areas
The Counseling Relationships
1. Client welfare
Description
Counselor’s primary responsibility
is to respect the dignity and
promote the welfare of clients.
They are also expected to
encourage client’s growth.
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2. Respecting Diversity
3. Client Rights
4. Clients Served by others
5. Personal Needs and values
6. Dual Relationships
7. Sexual Intimacies with Clients
Counselors and clients are
expected to work together in
crafting individual counseling plans
consistent with the client’s
circumstances.
Counselors do not engage in
discrimination based on age, color,
culture, disability, ethnic group,
gender, race, religion, sexual
orientation, marital status and
socio economic status. Counselors
shall respect differences and
understand the diverse cultural
backgrounds of their clients.
Counselors shall disclose the
purposes, goals, techniques,
procedures, limitations, potential
risks, benefits of the services to be
performed and other pertinent
information to the client throughout
the counseling process.
Counselors offer clients the
freedom to choose whether to
enter into a counseling relationship
and determine which professional
will provide counseling, except
when the client is unable to give
consent.
In cases where the client is
receiving services from another
mental health professional, with
clients consent, inform the
professional person already
involved to develop an agreement.
Maintain the clients and avoid
actions that seek to meet their
personal needs at the expense of
the clients. Counselors shall be
aware of their values, attitudes,
beliefs, and behavior and how
these apply in a diverse society
and avoid imposing their values on
clients.
Counselors are aware of their
influential position over their clients
avoid the exploiting the trust and
dependency of the clients.
Counselors should not accept as
superiors or subordinates clients’.
Counselors should not have any
type of sexual intimacies with
clients and do not counsel persons
with whom they have sexual
relationship. Counselors should not
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8. Multiple Clients
9. Group Work
10. Fees
also engage with sexual intimacies
with their former clients within a
minimum of two years.
In cases where counselors agree
to provide counseling services to
two or more persons who have a
relationship, counselors clarify at
the outset which person or persons
are clients and the nature of
relationship they will have with
each other involved person.
Counselors screen prospective
group counseling / therapy
participants to determine those
with compatible needs. In group
setting, counselors take
reasonable precautions to protect
clients from physical or
psychological trauma.
Prior to entering the counseling
relationship, the counselors clearly
explain the clients all financial
arrangements related to
professional fees.
Source:
Gladding, 2000
Areas
Confidentiality
1.Right to Privacy
 Counselors respect a client’s right to privacy
and avoid illegal and unwarranted disclosures
of unwarranted information.
 The right to privacy may be waived by the
clients or their legally recognized
representative.
 The general requirement that the counselors
keep the information confidential does not
apply when disclosure is required to prevent
clear and imminent danger to the client or
others or when legal requirements demand
that confidential information is be revealed.
 Counselors who received information
confirming that a client has a disease known to
be communicable and fatal is justified in
disclosing information to an identifiable third
party, who by his/her relationship with the
client is at high risk of contracting the disease.
 When court orders the counselors to release
confidential information without client’s permit,
counselors request to the court that the
disclosure should not be required due to
potential harm to client or counseling
relationship.
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2. Group and Families
3. Minor Incompetent client
4. Records
5. Research and Training
6. Consultation
 In group work, counselors clearly define
confidentiality and parameters for the specific
group being entered, explain its importance,
and discuss difficulties related to confidentiality
involved in group work.
 In family counseling, information about one
family cannot be disclosed to another member
without permission.
 When counseling clients who are minors or
individuals who are unable to give voluntary,
informed consent, parents or guardians may
be included in the counseling process as
appropriate.
 Counselors maintain necessary records for
rendering professional services to their clients
and as required by laws, regulations, or
agency or institution procedures.
 Counselors are responsible for securing safety
and confidentiality of any counseling record
they create, maintain, transfer, or destroy
whether the records are written, taped,
computerized, or stored in any other medium.
 Counselors recognized that counseling
records are kept for the benefits of the clients
therefore provide access to record and copies
of record when requested by competent clients
unless it contains information that may be
misleading or detrimental to the clients.
 Counselors obtain written permission from
clients to disclose or transfer records to
legitimate third parties unless exception to
confidentiality exists.
 Use of data derived from counseling
relationships for purposes of training ,research
, or publication is confined to content that is
disguised to ensure the anonymity of the
individuals involved. Identification of the client
involved is permissible only when the client
has reviewed the material and has agreed to
its presentation or publication.
 Information obtained in consulting relationship
is discussed for professional purposes only
with persons clearly concerned with the case.
Before sharing information, counselors make
efforts to ensure that there defined policies
that effectively protect the confidentiality of
information with other agencies serving the
counselors clients.
Source: Gladding, 2000
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Areas
Professional Responsibility
1. Standards Knowledge
2. Professional Competence
Description
 Counselors have a responsibility to read,
understand, and follow the Code of Ethics and
Standards of Practice
 Counselors practice only within the
boundaries of their competence based on their
education, training, supervised experience,
state and national professional credentials and
appropriate professional experience.
Counselors will demonstrate a commitment to
gain knowledge, personal awareness,
sensitivity, and skills pertinent to working with
diverse client population.
 Counselors practice specialty areas new with
to them only after appropriate education,
training, and supervised experience. While
developing skills in new specialty area,
counselors take step to ensure the
competence of their work and to protect other
from possible harm.
 Counselors accept employment only for
positions which they are qualified by
education, training, supervise experience,
state and national professional credentials,
and appropriate professional experience.
 Counselors continually monitor their
effectiveness as professionals and take steps
to improve their skills and knowledge.
 Counselors refrain from offering or accepting
professional services when their physical,
mental, or emotional problems are like to harm
clients or others.
Chapter 3. Clientele and Audiences in Counseling
3.1 Characteristics and needs of various types of clientele and audiences
3.1.1 Individuals
3.1.2 Groups and Organizations
3.1.3 Communities
Counseling and Its Clientele and Audience
The clientele and audiences of the counseling profession come from different settings. Counselors
deal with a mixture of people with different concerns and issues.
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People who abuse drugs – drug abuse is not just harmful to our physical health but to our
mental health as well. It cannot be denied that the drug addiction create more social
problems and contribute to social disintegration. Consequently, more youth victims cry for
help and seek for counselors’ attention.
People who use Tobacco – slowly our population recognizes the bad effects of tobacco to
our health. However, many people still use and continue use tobacco even if it is deadly.
Users find it difficult to stop smoking. Hence, smokers who desire to quit tobacco were
added to the list of the counselor’s audiences.
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People who abuse alcohol – alcoholism is seen as a disease alcoholics find it difficult to
stop drinking on their own. This requires help from a professional as it requires appropriate
treatment. However, an equally important paradigm is to look at alcoholism as a weakness
of self – control and self –discipline .therefore this requires intervention other than treatment.
Women – most men still have less participation in household responsibilities and child care.
In this case, women’s advancement is constrained. What complicates this situation is the
women’s perception about themselves and the society’s expectations. Counselors are
responsible in helping women appreciate their own values, abilities, aptitudes, and interests
and to utilize these to develop their full potential. ( Gibson and Mitchel ,2003 )
Older Adults – a transition from a busy life to retirement stage must be instituted. This is a
challenge to the counseling profession. other issues that require attention of counseling
include loss of a partner ,decline of mental capacity and mobility, increased loneliness
,decline in financial security etc.
People with AIDS –acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) has been labeled as the
most feared disease due to its incurability. Victims of this disease are seeking help to
improve their quality of life and to handle their emotional stress and low self-esteem.
Counseling’s approach requires sensitivity and appreciation of the intricacies of the disease.
Counselors may also help in assisting and educating the victims’ support system.
Victims of Abuse – this population represents victims of domestic violence characterized
by spouse and child abuses. Spouse abuse is often associated with poverty, drug abuse
and career disappointments. The abuse has also become rampant and has caused
psychological damage to the victims. The counselors are increasingly utilized to help the
victims.
Gay Men and Lesbian Women- they are usually the victims of harassment, violence,
discrimination, and isolation. Gays and lesbians, like other sectors of the society, suffer from
peer denial, family clash, health uncertainties and prejudgment. Counseling will focus on
self-awareness, self- acceptance and understanding.
Lesson 4 COUNSELING AND ITS WORK SETTINGS
Counseling and Its Work settings
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Counselors in Schools – has grown rapidly. According to Gibson and Mitchell (2003),
counselors are recognized especially in the preventive interventions and developmental
stage. There are elementary school counselors, junior high school counselors, secondary
school counselors, counselors in vocational schools, counselors in higher education, and
counselors in community and junior colleges. The counseling service in the schools is
usually located under the student affairs program. It is under the supervision of the Dean of
Students Affairs.
Counselors in the Community Setting – refers to employment in community, agency, and
other non-school professional situations. Counselors can be found in community and
mental health agencies, employment and rehabilitation agencies, correctional settings, and
marriage and family practice. ( Gibson and Mitchell , 2003 )
Counselors in the Private Sector – refers to counselors who decided to do full time work
as private practitioners or engage in part – time private practice while employed by
community agencies. This is feasible if the counselors expertise and specialization matches
or relevant to an adequate client population in the geographic area. ( Gibson and Mitchell ,
2003 )
Counselors in the Government - counselors are also present in various agencies of
government or institutions supported by the government that are into social welfare, health,
and education. Relevant agencies or institutions include public schools, public social welfare
agencies such as that for the youth, children, and the aging.
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LESSON 5 COUNSELING AND ITS PROCESSES, METHODS, AND TOOLS
There are six stages of the counseling process, namely, relationship building, assessment and diagnosis,
formulation of the counseling goals, intervention and problem solving, termination and follow –up, and research
and evaluation.
1. Stage One: Relationship Building

This is the heart of counselling process because it provides the force and foundation for the
counselling to succeed.

This stage involves establishing rapport,

promote acceptance of the client as a person with worth,

establishing genuine interaction,

promote direct mutual communication

helping clients understand themselves,

helping client focus and

Slowly promote counselling relevant communication, from the client.
2. Stage Two: Assessment and Diagnosis

One of the most crucial stages.

This serves as the window for the counsellor to have a thorough appreciation of the client’s condition.

It entails analysis of the root causes of problems.

The data that will be gathered in diagnosis will be utilized in the formulation of goals.
3. Stage Three: Formulation of Counseling Goals

Goals are important as it sets the direction of the counselling process.

It shall serve as the parameter of work and the client-counsellor relationship.

Counselling goals may be treated as a process goal or outcome goal.

The client and counsellor must agree on the counselling goals.
4. Stage Four: Intervention and Problem Solving

Guidelines:

A. The counselor has to provide a mapping of the different approaches offered.
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
B. Describe the role of the counselor and client for each procedure.

C. Identify possible risks and benefits that may come.

D. Estimate the time and cost of each procedure.
Kafner and Busemeyer identified the six-stage model for problem solving

Problem detection

Problem definition

Identification of alternative solutions

Decision-making

Execution

Verification
5. Stage Five: Termination and Follow –up

The essential goal in counselling is to witness a client progress on his/her own without the assistance of
the counselor.

There are four components of termination which were identified by Quintan and Holahan:

1. Discussion of the end of counselling

2. Review of the course of counselling

3. Closure of the counsellor-client relationship

4. Discussion of the client’s future and post-counselling plan
6. Stage Six: Research and Evaluation

This stage can be undertaken at any point in the counselling stage.

Research and evaluation are fundamental part of the evaluation.

Results of the research provide a scientific appreciation of the counselling situation.
Lesson 5 Counseling and Its Methods
Methods in Counseling

a. FREUD’S PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY -The approach of Freud in counselling and psychotherapy is
popularly known as psychoanalysis which is an analysis of the mind. Its objective is to restructure the
personality by resolution of intrapsychic conflict, which focuses in the internal forces such as
unconscious processes .It focuses on personal adjustment through reorganization of internal forces within the
person to help him/her become aware of the unconscious aspect of his/her personality. It focuses on personal
adjustment through reorganization of internal forces within the person to help him/her become aware of the
unconscious aspect of his/her personality.
Psychoanalysis has three goals:
1. to help clients gain insights about themselves
2. to help clients work unstuck issues
3. to help clients cope with the stresses of the society.
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b. ADLER’S INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOLOGY
The approach of Adler in counseling and psychotherapy focuses on the role of cognition is
psychological functioning.
Its objective is to gain an understanding of the clients and assess why clients behave and think in
certain ways.

Adlerian counseling focuses on four goals:
1. establishment and maintenance of egalitarian relationship
2. analysis of client’s lifestyle
3. interpretation of client’s lifestyle in a way that promotes insight
4. reorientation and reeducation of the client with accompanying behavior change.
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