When you think of a counselor, I believe the first thing that comes to mind is mental health, well, you are right, because a counselor is a licensed professional who has been trained to listen to people and give them advice or guidance on personal or psychological problems. They also provide guidance to person(s) who want to make a great decision or achieve something they have planned. 

Differences between a counselor and a therapist (psychologist) 

The roles of a counselor and therapist are similar and yet distinct. Let us take a look at the major difference between the both below:

Counseling is a short-term process with few sessions to help an individual cope with the present situation while therapy is a medium to long-term treatment, focused on a long-term behavioral attitude that has impacted your life significantly.

Quality of Good School Counsellor

The attributes of a counselor mostly determine their influence on clients’. Below are some necessary qualities of an exceptional school counselor: 

Communication

Counselors must be able to express themselves clearly. A counselor must be able to engage his client in a personal conversation and gauge the client’s understanding.

Trust

The counselor must be able to communicate with his client verbally and non-verbally that he’s trustworthy. Clients must be confident enough to confide in their counselor that their secret is safe.

Patience

a counselor must be patient with his client, after all not all clients will open up immediately, it mostly takes time for the client to trust their counselor.

Flexibility

a good counselor must be able to give individualized treatment that is specific to each client. This means a counselor must not be rigid and shouldn’t use a ‘one size fits all’ approach. Matching treatment to the level of readiness of the client is key going forward to help the client cope with the situation.

Hope and Optimism

A good counselor can find a balance between realism and hope. The counselor will set goals that are realistic goals that engage the client to motivate him to an optimistic outlook.

Sensitivity to Individual Culture 

A good counselor is expected to respect every client’s cultural beliefs and attitude. When dealing with a client it’s important to be sensitive with matter that has to do with race, gender, and religion believe

Self-awareness

a counselor must make sure he’s able to separate personal feelings from the situation of the client. The counselor must make sure he does not allow his emotions to influence his sense of judgment, to avoid any detrimental effect on the client’s treatment. 

Effect of School Counsellors on the Student Education

A school counsellor plays a vital role in education by providing support and guidance to the students, helping them through personal social, and academic challenges or difficulties. Some specific roles of school counselors include the following:

Academic Support

The counselor helps the student to set academic goals, choose a befitting career, and develop study skills. They provide strategies to help the student improve their study skills.

Personal and Social Development

The counselor is responsible for assisting the students to improve life skills, such as problem-solving skills and good decision-making skills which help provide self-esteem and well-being

Career Guidance

They assist students in exploring career options. Counselors provide information about various educational pathways, scholarships, and application processes. They can also help in building curriculum vitae/resume, interview skills, and job searching strategies.

Crisis Intervention

In the situation of crisis or traumatic events, counselors help students who suffered any form of trauma to be able to cope with the situation and eventually overcome it. 

Collaboration and consultation

The counselor works closely with teachers, parents, and administrators to improve the learning environment of the student or provide facilities to help improve the study of struggling students.

The importance of a counselor in the education sector can not be overemphasized. They help students, administrators, and teachers beyond their educational goals.