Chapter 5: Current Trends and Issues in Guidance and Counseling

Among the many issues facing the school counseling profession are the following three: what are the
professional title should be, how counselors should be evaluated, and to what extent counselors should
work on prevention instead of remediation.

Professional Title. Some professional in the field prefer to be called guidance counselor, while an

increasing number prefer the term  school counselor. The growing trend is for counselors to be seen as
professionals in a large system, working fluidly with all aspects within the system. The expected duties
are more extensive than those practiced by vocational guidance counselors of the past, hence the
feeling of many school counselors that the name of the profession should reflect is expanded roles.

Evaluation. A major trend in education is the demand for accountability and evaluation. School
counselors have not been immune to this demand.

1997  – the ASCA (American School Counselors’ Association) adopted the National Standards for
Professional Counselors.

Prevention versus Remediation. The Growing trend in the field of counseling is the focus on prevention
instead of remediation. In the past it was not uncommon for counselors to have interactions with
students only after some crisis had occurred.

Gangs. Students as early as third grade are being taught gang-type activities. Students are more likely to
end up in a gang family members and peers are already involved in gang activity. It is difficult for
children once they have been actively involved.

Dropouts. In many metropolitan school districts, over 25 percent of students do not complete their high
school education. Premature school termination is becoming an increasingly more difficult problem as
more careers require education well beyond the high school level.

Teen Pregnancy. Teen pregnancy continues to be a social concern.

Precipitating factors are visible prior to middle school. Counselors are often the liaison with
community agencies that work to prevent student pregnancy and assist with students who do
become pregnant.
 Substance Abuse. Drugs, including alcohol and tobacco, continue to be a
serious problem for youth. The counselors are also essential in developing substance abuse prevention
programs in school.

School Violence. School violence can range from bullying to gunfire. Trainings are being given to
teachers and students in cases of violence and establish violence prevention programs.

Diversity. Tolerance of diversity is an important goal in a multicultural society.

Child Abuse. Many states have mandatory reporting laws concerning child abuse.

Terrorism. During the 21st century it is an increasing problem worldwide and children are affected both
in massive and small-scale acts.

SCHOOL COUNSELING SERVICES AROUND THE WORLD

How are other countries providing counseling? It is clear that school counseling has made significant
progress in the United States. Political, social and cultural factors are deeply embedded in the way a
given country addresses the educational needs of its populace.

Japan. The goal of the high school counseling is to help every student develop abilities of self-
understanding, decision-making.

France. Secondary school counseling started in 1922 and by late 1930s was adopted by the educational
system and seen as a necessary part of the institution.

Thailand. School counseling often incorporates advice-giving by teachers.

Europe. The Transnational Network of National Resource Centers for vocational guidance was
established to share information, include businesses and social agencies, and improve counseling
methods and materials.

MULTICULTURAL COUNSELING. ERIC Digest

Don C. Locke

Multicultural has been defined as the fourth force in psychology, one which complements the
psychodynamic, behavioral and humanistic explanations of human behavior.

Pederson (1991) defines multiculturalism as “a wide range of multiple groups without grading,
comparing, or ranking them as better or worse than one another and without denying the very distinct
and complementary or even contradictory perspectives that each group brings with it”

In the narrower view, it is “the racial/ethnical minority groups within that culture”.

Regardless of how they define such term,  Hofstede (1994), identified four dimensions of cultures.

1.       Power
2.       Uncertainty Avoidance
3.       Individualism
4.       Masculinity/Femininity
 The 1980s have witnessed a resurgence of interest in and demand for counseling services, particularly in
the areas of mental health, family concerns, and adult agency counseling. Four critical issues brought up
by that increased demand are: (1) computers in counseling; (2) students at risk; (3) pre-college guidance;
and (4) career guidance. These are discussed in detail in this report. A review of research on the use of
computer-assisted and computer-supported guidance shows the positive reactions of students and the
ambivalent feelings of counselors. Three types of programs that have demonstrated effectiveness in
dealing with at-risk pupils are discussed. Pre-college guidance is a short-changed area, despite the
evidence that counseling interventions make a difference in who has access to college, who attends, and
who stays in and does well. Areas in which guidance programs must be strengthened are discussed. The
history of career development theory and practice, its roots and future are summarized. The major
focuses of guidance and counseling in the near future are pinpointed [1]

There are a number of issues facing school guidance and counseling. Here are two.
1. The issue of Position v Program: Although most professional school counselors ascribe to the ASCA
national model or at least use the common language associated within the model which describes
guidance as a program, many school professionals--teachers and administrators view guidance from a
position orientation. When viewed from a program orientation, school counselors have content to deliver
that revolves around the academic, career, and personal/social development of all students, and a
method to deliver that content through a guidance curriculum, individual planning, and responsive
services. There is also a framework and structure to manage and evaluate the program through system
support. When viewed from this perspective, guidance and counseling has a clear role to play in
supporting the overall mission of a school. From a position orientation, you have a system where all sorts
of duties may be assigned that may or may not have anything to do with the work of the school counselor.
It is essential that we begin to understand guidance and counseling from a programmatic view that will
address the academic, career, and personal/social development of all students and assist schools in
improving student performance
2. Another issue is accountability Guidance programs have for too long have focused on process as
evaluation--a summary of what school counselors do. It is an important aspect of evaluation as it helps
programs stay focused on the important work of the school counselor. However, it needs to be taken a
step further. We now need to address what IMPACT school counselors and their programs are having on
relevant student behavior such as performance, attendance, behavior, etc. There is much work still to do
in this area.[2]
There are characteristics of a good and effective counselor. They are as follows.

1.       Express respect for the client in a manner that is felt, understood, accepted, and appreciated by the
client.
2.       Feel and express empathy for culturally different clients.
3.       Personalize his/her observations.
4.       Withhold judgment and remain objective until one has enough information and an understanding of the
world of the client.
5.       Tolerate ambiguity.
6.       Have patience and perseverance when unable to get things done immediately.

The Multicultural Awareness Continuum (Locke, 1986) was designed to illustrate the areas of awareness
through which a counselor must go in the process of counseling a culturally different client. The process
consists of the following:

         Self-Awareness

         Awareness of one culture

         Awareness of Racism, sexism and poverty.

         Awareness of Individual Differences.

         Awareness of the cultures.

         Skills/Techniques
Current Trends and Issues in Guidance and Counseling

Current Trends and Issues in Guidance and Counseling

The guidance counselors play a big part in our society. This is what we can say as we read the recent
trends and issues about guidance and counseling. At present, students are being involved in different
issues or difficulties such as participating in in gangs, dropping out of school youth, becoming a teenage
parent, using drugs and participating in or becoming victims of acts of violence and guidance counselors
share their part on these issues by trying to prevent these instances rather than remediation which is
also one of the issues about guidance and counseling. Opposite to the old practice where in the school
counselor would interact to the students after the incident happened, the new focus is to interact with
them to prevent the possible problems that may encounter which we think is better. By giving the
consequences that might happen along the way and helping the students to understand their problems,
the difficulties maybe prevented.

The issues regarding the prevention versus remediation reflects how big the role of a guidance
counselor in our society. This maybe the reason why there are guidance counselors who prefer to be
called as School counselor. This issue is not about the way how guidance counselors wanted to called.
this issues is about how guidance counselors be seen in a large system. Many school counselors think
that their names should reflect their duties and roles in our society and we agree because their
involvement in helping the students is not an easy task that is why they deserve it.

The evaluation on the techniques of school counselor is another trend in guidance and counseling. This
is very important in order to continually improve the techniques of the school counselors.

Multicultural Counseling

There is a possibility to encounter clients having different cultures; this is the issue behind
multicultural counseling. As a guidance counselor, it is important to understand not only your own
culture but also the culture of other people. Somebody’s way of thinking or action may be different from
what you practice and one reason behind it is his culture. Understanding other’s culture may be a big
help in understanding clients having different culture. The article of Don. C. Locke suggest that a
counselor in order to become an effective counselor dealing in multicultural counseling. It also
enumerates process of counseling a culturally different client.

The topic presented on this article gives information on how to counsel a client having a different
culture. From this, counselors may be able to assess themselves if they attain the characteristics of being
an effective counseling in counseling a culturally different client. They would also have an idea on how
to counsel them.

Ethics and Regulation of Cyber – Counseling

Cyber counseling is worth considering, especially when you have tight schedules. It save time, money
and energy.
 If cyber counseling has its advantages, it also has its disadvantage. One who is consulting cyber
counseling does not have the assurance that the counselor dealing with him has a license. Another is
there is no assurance that the counselor has the necessary knowledge about cyber counseling or is there
an assurance that what you are receiving is actually from a licensed counselor who has the knowledge in
cyber counseling.

Moreover, this may mean that issues regarding the cyber counseling can be taken for granted. It is
also important to evaluate how counseling can be effective with the aid of technology. And the
government should impose law in order to assure that the counseling that the clients will be receiving
are reliable and quality.