Counseling and Guidance: Finding the Differences

Although societies use the terms counseling and guidance interchangeably, the terms are different. Fundamentally, the confusion that is evident in society concerning the terms emanates from the role that counseling and guidance play in human life. Imperatively, both counseling and guidance help a person address a problem and attain a workable, ethical, and satisfying solution. However, the terms have differences, which concern their implementation. The differences revolve around the manner in which counselors administer the two activities to a person, who requires a solution to an issue. In the perspective of Fasokun, Kataboire, and Oduaran, guidance and counseling demonstrate differences in the manner in which therapists administer them to people, who require solutions to certain issues. Therefore, although the general society confuses and uses the terms interchangeably they are indeed different.

Fundamentally, while guidance employs an administration where the clients are dominant and can make their decisions after the counseling process, guidance employs a systemic process where the psychotherapist follows up on a predetermined solution advanced to the client. When clients require counseling, the therapist administers a set of questions focused on understanding the problem that they face. After an understanding, the therapist gives the client the autonomy of choosing a solution that best addresses the problem. According to Rao, counseling is internal whereas guidance is external and tries to compel someone to take up and implement the solutions presented by the therapist. Therefore, it is evident that counseling is not as invasive as guidance. In a scenario where the guidance takes place, the client receives options, which act as solutions to the problem from the counselor, who follows up to ensure that the client implements them.