The counseling profession has not developed as an official field of psychology until recently. However, helping people deal with difficulties and conflict was an important part of human interactions since times immemorial.
Three basic philosophies define the aims of counseling. Wellness is the state of being in which a human is not only physically healthy but also has the ability to fully realize their potential. The holistic model of wellness is the most comprehensive one. It includes physical, occupational, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual aspects of human wellbeing. For the counselor, this approach is extremely important since it allows him to view the client as a comprehensive personality and assess the huge variety of factors that affect them. It calls for the specialist to analyze all of the aspects of the client’s life and develop interventions based on the issues identified in each of them (Conyne, 2015). It requires a comprehensive approach but allows the counselor to identify the root causes of each problem affecting the patient. Resilience refers to the person’s ability to thrive in spite of adversity (Thomas, 2009). It means being able to overcome difficulties while maintaining a positive outlook on life. This aspect of counseling is crucial for both the clients and the practitioners since providing support for others can expose anybody to severe pressure and stress. Prevention is the last of the key aspects of counseling. It means giving the client the tools to cope with possible problems in the future. Teaching the person how to avoid possible issues, how to lessen their impact, and where to seek help are all parts of prevention.
The counseling has developed from the wish of some people to help others. In ancient times, the family and friends of a troubled individual would act as counselors. It started to take form as a profession with the development of humanism in 17-18th centuries. The views and values of this philosophy have laid the foundation for the basic philosophies of counseling mentioned above. By focusing on the human as a partner and individual, the counseling developed a comprehensive view of the patient. Sigmund Freud invented psychoanalysis contributing to the counseling discipline. He was one of the first people to search the mind for the sources of some common issues. The final formative step for counseling was the adoption of psychologists by the US military during the Second World War. After that point, it has developed into a full-scale discipline. The Department of Veteran Affairs also hired psychologists to help the soldiers adapt to the peaceful life (Brown & Lent, 2008). The concepts of resilience and prevention became crucial during that period since it was necessary to help the recruits deal with the stress of combat and stop them from developing the associated disorders. The National Institute of Mental Health was also founded during that period, and the specialists recognized the importance of preventing and alleviating the psychological disorders on a wide scale (Romano & Hage, 2000).
The school counseling specialization developed during the 20th century. During the 1900s, first counselors focused on helping the students find appropriate jobs and lead their transition into the adult life. In the 1920s, the counselors became guides for moral, social, and personal development. After the Second World War, the school counselors became widespread. They helped analyze the needs of the students. During that time, the profession also transitioned from guidance to a more person-centric approach which emphasized the general wellness of the learners. After that point, there were little changes in the school counseling until it faced a major crisis in 1992. The studies have indicated that the counselors paid little attention to the specific needs of disadvantaged students (Hart & Jacobi, 1992). After the issue was identified, the new education programs have emphasized equality as one of the key values in the profession.
The most obvious field of counseling which complements a school counselor’s work is career counseling. It is, in fact, almost inseparable from school counseling since a school counselor is responsible for providing career guidance for the students. Originally, school counselors focused primarily on career advice and only started providing other types of guidance later. Thus, ever since its emergence in the early 1900s, the career counseling is an important aspect of school councilor’s work. The first major work in that field was “Choosing a Vocation” by Frank Parson released in 1909. Until the 1970s, the principles of that counseling field remained largely unchanged. It focused on matching people to the right jobs and helping them maintain a linear career. However, after that point, the career counseling started taking other factors into consideration to help people switch vocations and adapt to the new fields of work efficiently. The concept of transferable skills is extremely important to the career counseling. It can also be used in school counseling as it can help analyze the students’ outcomes as they progress through the curriculum or seek future employment.
The school counseling is a specialization which focuses on providing the most productive and satisfying experience for the learners while providing them with the toolkit to deal with the pressures of the academic life, as well as any other psychological issues they may encounter in the future. It is an essential part of the school system which supports education and proper development.
References
Brown, S.D. & Lent, R.W. (2008). Handbook of Counseling Psychology. New York, NY: Wiley.
Conyne, R. K. (2015). Counseling for Wellness and Prevention. New York, NY: Routledge.
Hart, P. J., & Jacobi, M. (1992). From gatekeeper to advocate: Transforming the role of the school counselor. New York, NY: College Entrance Examination Board.
Romano, J. & Hage, S. (2000). Prevention and Counseling Psychology: Revitalizing Commitments for the 21st Century. The Counseling Psychologist, 28(6), 733-763.
Thomas, D. A. (2009). Reaching Resilience: A Multiple Case Study of the Experience of Resilience and Protective Factors in Adult Children of Divorce. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee.