Difference between Guidance and Counselling

Meaning, Similarities and Difference between guidance and counselling: The services and programs that encourage personal, social, educational, and vocational development are referred to as guidance and counseling or guidance counseling.

The mission of an organization or institution should be reflected in the program. Individual student planning, guiding curriculum instruction, system support, and response services are all part of it. Individual consultations, small group sessions, and classroom instruction are among ways that school counselors help students succeed. Through inclusive and evidence-based techniques, counselors devote their passion, time, and talents to give both direct and indirect support to kids.

Table of Contents

Meaning of Guidance

In its simple terms, guidance entails directing or assisting someone who requires assistance. Individuals require assistance throughout their lives; thus, it is fair to conclude that guidance is required from birth to death. Guidance can assist someone in solving a personal, vocational, educational, or other difficulty for which they are unable to discover a solution on their own.

Difference between guidance and counselling in education

Types of Guidance

a. Educational Guidance

b. Vocational or Career Guidance

c. Personal-Social Guidance

Educational Guidance: This is a method of assisting an individual in maintaining the most suitable setting or atmosphere for his or her education.

Vocational/Career Guidance: This is the process of aiding an individual in selecting a career path, preparing for it, beginning it, and progressing in it.

Personal-social guidance: Social, emotional, and leisure time advice are all examples of personal-social guidance. It deals with issues such as health, emotional adjustment, and social adjustment, among others.

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Aims of guidance

Exploration of Self
Determination of Values
Goal Setting
Improving Efficiency
Relationship Building
Acceptance of Future Responsibility

Nature of guidance

a. Guidance is a form of education in and of itself: Guidance strives to educate the person in order for him to better understand himself and realize his full potential so that he may finally prove himself to be a well-adjusted and pragmatic member of society. As a result, guidance is an important educational procedure. It is, in a nutshell, education.

b. Guidance is a method: Guidance is a method for a person to find oneself in the most fulfilling and beneficial way possible. It gives guidance to help an individual realize his or her full potential, talents, interests, and aptitudes.

Meaning, Similarities and Differences Between Guidance and Counseling

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c. Guidance self-direction: Guidance’s nature is not to impose itself on an individual. It doesn’t make his decisions for him. The ultimate objective of mentoring is to help the person find his or her own path, make his or her own decisions, set his or her own life goals, and bear his or her own load.

d. Guidance is centered on individual: All guidance programs, whether offered individually or in groups, focus on the person, who must manage himself for a happy present and a happy tomorrow through a healthy alignment of individual desires and aspirations with socially desired good.

e. Guidance is a highly trained, intricate, and well-organized service: Qualified and trained professionals provide guidance. As a result, guiding is a skill-based approach. The diverse and complicated character of human existence leaves an indelible mark on guiding programs, which are a collection of experiences. Guidance is a difficult process since it is based on the individual’s earlier research, evaluation, first counseling, interview, case study, and a slew of other tasks.

f. Individual peculiarities are taken into account while giving advice: Guidance is founded on individual variances or the reality that individuals differ greatly. There would be no need for guiding if everyone was the same. Individuals differ not just in appearance but also in their mental and intellectual capabilities, ambitions, aspirations, and abilities.

Principles of guidance

The need for guidance, as well as the nature and goals of guiding, are all predicated on specific assumptions and concepts.

1. The principle of all round development of the individual: Individual growth is based on this principle. When bringing about desired changes in any aspect of the individual’s personality, guidance must take into account the individual’s whole growth.

2. Principle of individuality in humans: There are no two people who are the same. Physical, mental, social, and emotional growth differs from person to person. These distinctions must be recognized by guidance services, which must then advise each individual according to their unique needs.

3. Comprehensive growth principle: Guidance must be given in the context of a person’s overall growth. The kid develops as a whole, and even if one component of personality is the emphasis, other areas of development that indirectly influence the personality must also be considered.

4. Extension concepts: Guidance services should not be confined to a few people who have a clear need for them, but should be made available to all people of all ages who can benefit directly or indirectly from them.

5. Elaboration principle: Curriculum materials and instructional practices should be developed from a guiding standpoint.

6. Expert opinion principle: The premise of expert opinion is number ten. Specific and significant advice issues should be directed to experts who have been educated to deal with that particular area of adjustment.

7. Evaluation concepts: The success and improvement of the guiding program should be assessed. For the formation of new objectives or the re-drafting of current goals, evaluation is required.

Meaning of Counselling

Counseling is a term used to describe professional services offered to someone who is dealing with a problem and requires assistance to solve it. Counseling is seen as an essential and key aspect of guiding. Counseling is a procedure that assists an individual in finding a solution to a problem while also assisting in their overall growth.

Similarities between guidance and counselling in education

The Most Common Counseling Approaches:

a. The Directive Methodology

b. A non-prescriptive approach

c. A Diverse Approach

Counselling Process

a. Establishing relationship

b. Assessment

c. Setting goals

d. intervention

e. Termination & follow-up

Counseling fundamentals

A variety of concepts underpin counseling. These are the following principles:

a. Counseling is a process.

b. Everyone can benefit from counseling.

c. Counseling is not the same as offering advice.

d. Counseling entails thinking with the client rather than for the client.

e. Counseling isn’t the same as problem-solving.

f. Counseling entails speaking with the client rather than conducting an interview.

Counseling skills

1. Attending skills: Attending entails devoting your entire physical attention to another individual. Attendance has a significant influence on the quality of communication that takes place between two persons. We are saying to another individual, I am interested in what you have to say, by attending.

a. Position of participation: The body may be used to aid in effective communication. A calm awareness exhibited via body posture appears to be the most conducive to effective communication.

Leaning in close to the speaker conveys intensity and focus.

Face the other directly (your right shoulder to the speaker’s left) to show your interest.

Closed posture (crossed arms or legs) frequently indicates coldness and defensiveness. Maintaining an open posture is vital for building interpersonal relatedness.

Be aware of your proximity to the speaker—personal space—when those limits are broken, it causes them to feel uneasy and defensive.

A lot of space also indicates aloofness and disconnection.

b. Proper Body Movement

Body movement is beneficial, but if you are not careful, it may become excessive.

When you’re listening, pointing is used to urge the speaker to continue speaking. A simple head nod may be used to accomplish this. An excellent listener responds to the speaker by moving his or her body.

c. Maintaining Eye Contact: Focusing on the speaker’s face and periodically moving the emphasis to other regions of the body constitutes good eye contact. The key is that the other person is aware that you are paying attention to them since your gaze is drawn to them. To the other individual, good eye contact should appear natural. But don’t look them in the eyes. This makes you appear agitated and judgmental of them.

d. Creating an atmosphere that is non-destructive: Although it is not possible to shift the discussion to a private room or office, every effort should be made to decrease the number of participants.

2. The responding skill

One key component is to assist the listeners in clarifying the speaker’s message. It entails:

a. Reflective abilities: The purpose of reflective listening is to act as a mirror for the speaker. The cluster that reflects includes

b. Expression of emotions: It reflects the speaker’s emotions back to them as they make their words. It allows the speaker to assess how he or she is reacting to the problematic scenario.

c. Convey meanings: You won’t be able to comprehend the speaker if you get the sentiments or subject wrong. It enables you to verify that you understand what the speaker is saying.

d. Reflective summative: It summarizes the conversation’s main points. It aids the speaker in sorting through the clutter and constructing a more coherent argument.

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Differences between guidance and counseling

1. Definition: Guidance is general advice or instructions provided by someone more experienced or skilled, whereas counselling is professional guidance given by a counsellor based on the individual’s personal or psychological difficulties. This clarifies the fundamental distinction between advice and counseling.

2. Scope: Another significant distinction between advice and counseling is scope. Educational counseling, career guidance, financial guidance, and health guidance are all examples of guidance. Counseling, on the other hand, is primarily concerned with providing personal and psychological support.

3. Practice: Anyone with more knowledge and experience may effectively guide others. To provide counseling, however, one must be a licensed professional counsellor.

4. Guidance is more general and thorough while counseling is in-depth and focused.

5. Guidance is more external, and it helps a person comprehend the many options open to him, as well as his personality and how to pick the best option while counseling is an inside investigation that helps individuals understand themselves. Alternative solutions are presented in order to better comprehend the situation.

6. The raw substance of guiding is intellectual attitudes. while the raw material of the counselling process is emotional rather than just intellectual attitude.

7. In guiding, decision-making is possible on an intellectual level. While in counseling works on a psychological level.

8. Guidance is usually tied to school and careers, although it can also be for personal issues while personal and societal difficulties are the most common reasons for seeking counseling.

Similarities between guidance and counseling

1. Guidance and counseling will both assist the client in improving his or her conduct.

2. Both entail the exchange of information in some way.

3. Both methods are designed to assist the customer in solving a problem or making a choice.

Conclusion

When we are confronted with life’s most pressing issues, both guidance and counseling become essential. As a result, coaching and counseling can assist us in identifying the finest options to help us overcome these issues. Though they appear to be the same thing, advice and counselling are not the same thing.

Guidance typically refers to the broad process of leading someone by advice or another method to address difficulties, whereas counselling refers to a professional counsellor’s advising procedure focused on personal or psychological problems of the individuals. This stands as the major distinction between guidance and counseling.

Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka ACMC

Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka, ACMC, is a lawyer and a certified mediator/conciliator in Nigeria. He is also a developer with knowledge in various programming languages. Samuel is determined to leverage his skills in technology, SEO, and legal practice to revolutionize the legal profession worldwide by creating web and mobile applications that simplify legal research. Sam is also passionate about educating and providing valuable information to people.