Defining Guidance and Counseling and the Difference between them.
Guidance and Counseling is defined as a planned and organized work aimed at assisting the trainee to understand himself and his abilities and develop his potentialities in order to solve his problems and achieve psychological, social, educational and professional compatibility, and also to achieve his objectives within the framework of Islamic teachings. Guidance and Counseling complement each other though there are some differences.
Guidance is a group of planned services that include counseling, it provides the trainee with miscellaneous information to upgrade his feeling of responsibility, understand himself and know his abilities and provide guidance services to trainees.
Counseling on the other hand is the procedural aspect of guidance; it is therefore the interaction that comes as a result of the vocational relationship between a specialized counselor and his student where the counselor assists the student to understand himself and his abilities and talents to achieve self and environmental compatibility in order to attain the appropriate degree of mental health in light of the techniques and specialized skills of the guidance process.
The Difference Between Guidance and Counseling:
The concept of guidance and counseling reflect a common meaning that includes awareness, assistance and change of behavior to the better, but still there is a difference between the two concepts:-
1- Guidance is more general and comprehensive than counseling, it therefore includes counseling.
2- Guidance usually precedes counseling and paves the way for it. Counseling follows guidance.
3- Guidance stresses the theoretical aspect while counseling takes care of the practical aspect.
4- Counseling is usually the relationship between the teacher and the student who comes for assistance; therefore it is an individualistic relationship.
Misconceptions about guidance and Counseling:
1. Some people believe that counseling is a mere service provided by the training institution.
2. Others believe that guidance and counseling are services provided to psychiatric persons only, though it is provided to normal persons.
3. Some also believe that counseling provides ready made plans and solutions to anyone who seeks counseling, but the truth is that counseling assists individuals to understand themselves and achieve self-realization.
Guidance and Counseling Services:
1. Religious Counseling:
The counselor cooperates with the Institute in urging the trainee to attend congregational prayer and implant Islamic values and Islamic doctrine into them through religious contests, lectures and connect activities and curricular with these Islamic values.
2. Preventive Counseling:
The preventive counseling tries to prevent the occurrence of problems regarding study and training and it also tries to prevent social, psychological and health problems through inculcating awareness programs.
3. Educational Counseling:
The educational counseling aims at assisting the trainee to proceed with his studies smoothly by receiving new trainees and selection of gifted trainees and trainees who stagger in their studies and set special programs that help develop their talents and capabilities.
4. Vocational and Educational Counseling:
The Educational and Vocational Counseling aims at educating the trainees about the various types of vocational and university education and the types of jobs and conditions of admission and employment at institutes, centers, military vocational institutes and colleges in order to assist in connecting education with development plans.
5. Social and Ethical Counseling:
Social and Ethical Counseling aims at finding the suitable environment which enables the trainee to acquire skills and expertise in order to interact with others in accordance with the Islamic teachings.