Give account of the various methods of counseling

Counseling is an integral part of the school program in general. If the education system has the desire to achieve its comprehensive goals, it will have to establish a high definition counseling set-up in the educational institutions. The fundamental aim of the process of counseling is to enable the students solve the problems of life by themselves. The counselor employs various methods of counseling for the solution of various problems of the students. These approaches and methodologies are primarily concerned with the nature of the problems.
Following are the salient kinds of counseling as per methodology :-

Individual Counseling :- 

The individual counseling is concerned with the solution of educational, psychological, and social problems of the individual. A direct chain of dialogue between the counselor and counselee is established for the solution of a particular uneasiness and complexity of a counselor in this approach of counseling. Primarily, this Counseling is an individualized one. It deals all the affairs of an individual personally and confidentially. This is a process of self-finding which aims at making the individual aware of himself/herself. It enables the individual to adopt such a course of action which leads him/her to a prosperous and balanced life. This approach of counseling opens new ways of progression and strength which ultimately pave the way to national prosperity and integrity.

• Individual counseling refers to a problem-solving process in which a counselor provides help after studying the personality of the individual by means of individualistic contact.
• Individual counseling facilitates the exploration and resolution of personal problems and issues according to the needs of the individual. 
•  Individual counseling refers to the series of formal meetings between the counselor and a counselee which aims at solution of problems and behavior modification. 

Following are the salient features associated with the individual counseling :-

• The counselor individually visits the counselee by himself.
• One individual is counseled at a time in this method of counseling.
• This counseling methodology is based on face to face and one to one contact.
• This method of counseling can be conducted both formally and informally.
• A counselor can select a particular method according to the nature of the problem.
• The counselor employs various techniques like tests, questionnaires, observations and interviews for the collection of date about the counselee.
• This method of counseling is highly organized and purposeful and a clear strategy is adopted for the execution of individual counseling.

Group counseling :-

For the solution of some problems of life, the method of group counseling seems to be appropriate. This method of counseling can find out the solution of many social problems. Through this counseling approach, an individual can be realized that he/she is not the only one who is confronted with this sort of problem but there are many others who are facing this problem too. In this commonly faced situation, all the individuals of the group equally attempt to solve the problems. These collective efforts become more effective. That is why; the experts give priority group counseling over individual counseling. 

• Group counseling is concerned with the solution of problems and modification in behavior of a group of individuals by a counselor. 
• Group counseling refers to such a methodology of counseling in which the counselor provides his/her services to a group of individuals with the view to solution of the problem. 
• Group counseling is characterized by the help for the solutions of mental health and adjustment problems by a counselor or a group of counselors to the group of individuals.
• Group counseling is concerned with the provision of counseling services by a counselor or a group of counselor to a group of individuals simultaneously. 

Following are the significant characteristics of group counseling :-

• One or more than one counselors provide counseling services to a group of individuals simultaneously.
• This methodology is concerned with the group of individuals.
• All the individuals of a group make collective efforts to solve the problems.
• Group counseling is based on the fact that the mechanized life has become the man of toady alone.  He feels alone even in the community centre.
• Group counseling is a process of socialization which aims at teaching the socially desirable attitudes and behaviors to the individuals.
• Through this counseling, an individual learns his/her social role which leads to stability and firmness in the group life. 
• Group counseling is an integral part of the total program of an institution. This plays a significant role in the acquisition of the institutional objectives.
• The aim of this counseling is to make the individuals aware of the new environment and situations so that they may cope with the new group situations.
• All the students require group counseling. It is generally concerned with those problems which the students come across occasionally, during their academic sessions.
• Group counseling is an evolutionary process. This process is developed with the problems and complexities of the individuals and thereby shapes the personality of the individuals into a particular mould.

Discuss 'counseling’ as a tri-dimensional process

The need for seeking and receiving counseling has been one of the basic urges of mankind. The need for counseling has much increased in this techno-industrial age. In a science-based world, the method for identifying needs and assisting the individual ,to optimally meet them also require a scientific approach. I
believe in the fact the every individual should be assisted to understand his worth so that he may able to make contributions to the development of the nation. Making the individuals know their worth is the main concern of counseling.
Counseling is a collaborative process in which a unique and confidential helping relationship. is developed between a counselor and willing client. In this relationship, the professional counselor acts as  a facilitator to help the client to understand more accurately him/herself and the world around him/her. The counselor and the client explore the client’s feelings, behaviors, relationships, choices and decisions, as well as the client’s current situation.
The process of counseling consists of the counselor, the counselee and the problem. That is why; this process is called a tri-dimensional process. These three components of counseling mould the process of counseling, into a meaningful and productive unit. These components are also termed as the ‘clements of counseling’. Let us discuss these elements of counseling in detail so as to prove counseling as ‘a tri-dimensional process’.

The counselee :- 

The counselee is an individual who is confronted with a problem and is interested in its solution. The counselee is also termed as ‘subject’ in the terminology of psychology. The program of guidance and counseling in the schools is conducted for the welfare of the counselees. During the academic life, a student has to face Various problems belonging to the psychological, social, emotional, and physical aspects of his/her life. For the solutions of these problems, the student seeks some sort of help from a senior and trained person. Seeking guidance and counseling shifts the status of a student into a counselee one. Here emerges the concept of counselee for whom the counseling program is carried out.

The counselor :-

The counselor is an experience, qualified and professionally trained person who provide necessary assistance and guidance in connection with the solution of the problems faced by the counselee. To me, the counselor is the king-pin of the counseling process. The success of the counseling process largely depends on the vision and insight of the counselor. The success in the counseling process spells the beginning of a new day and a new chapter of life. I highly praise the person who is to shoulder the responsibilities of a counselor. At the same time, we should not forget that a counselor is a human-being with a humane touch, not a Divine attribution. The counselor belongs to the world in which other human-being live. As the word ‘teacher’ points to the verbal noun ‘teaching’ and means ‘one who teaches’, the word ‘counselor’ is derived from ‘counseling" and means ‘one who counsels’. This is the fundamental responsibility of the counselor to understand the needs and aspirations of the counselee.

The problem :- 

In the perspective of counseling, the problem refers to such emotional disturbance, psychological stress or anxiety as is faced by a counselee. For the solution of this very problem, the counselee approaches to the counselor. Problem is the essence of the process of counseling. When a counselee is confronted to a problem, he feels some sort of psychological disturbance and uneasiness. For the removal of this disturbance and making his life normal, he turns to the counselor. The counselor rightly and timely takes up the problem and employs all of his/her material and non-material sources for the solution of the problem. In fact, the problem is the binding force between the counselee and the counselor. It brings about an active interaction between the both.