GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING

Part-2
the process of helping individuals discover and develop their educational, vocational, and psychological potentialities and thereby to achieve an optimal level of personal happiness and social usefulness. The concept of counseling is essentially democratic in that the assumptions underlying its theory and practice are, first, that each individual has the right to shape his own destiny and, second, that the relatively mature and experienced members of the community are responsible for ensuring that each person’s choice shall serve both his own interests and those of society. It is implicit in the philosophy of counseling that these objectives are complementary rather than conflicting. The function of those who guide children and young people is not to effect a compromise between the requirements of individuals on the one hand and the demands of the community on the other. It is rather to orient the individual toward those opportunities afforded by his environment that can best guarantee the fulfillment of his personal needs and aspirations.

Q : What is the difference in meaning between 'guidance' and 'counselling'?
A : Answer
Both Guidance and Counseling are process used to solve problems of life. The basic difference is in the approach. In the process of guidance, the client's problems are listened carefully and readymade solutions are provided by the expert where as in the process of counseling the client's problems are discussed and relevant information are provided in-between. In the end of the counseling process, the client himself/herself have a insight to the problem and he/she become empowered to take own decision.
Since readymade solutions (taking decision for others) were provided in guidance, the client may or may not follow it but most often decision taken in the process of counseling are followed sincerely. The set of decisions comes out from guidance and counseling process may be same but in the first process the decision is taken by the guide where as the client take own his/her own decisions in the later process.