Goals of Counselling

GOALS
OF
COUNSELLING
Different individuals have different
perceptions of what can be expected
of counselling. Individuals
preparing to become counsellors, and
those who seek counselling, they all
differ in their expectations of the
counselling experience. The final
designation of these goals is to be
determined by the counsellor and the
client as a team.
Counselling theorists do
not always agree on
appropriate counselling
goals because they are
often general, vague and
saturated with
implications. However,
these are the five most
commonly named goals of
counselling:
● Enhancing Coping
Skills
● Improving
Relationships
● Promoting Decision-
Making
● Facilitating Client
Potential
● Facilitating
Behaviour Change
Enhancing Coping Skills
We will inevitably run into

difficulties in the process of
growing up. Most of us do not
completely achieve all of our
developmental tasks within a
lifetime. All of the unique
expectations and requirements
imposed on us by others will
eventually lead to problems.
Any inconsistencies in development

can result in children learning
behaviour patterns that are both
inefficient and ineffective. Learned
coping patterns, however, may not
always work. New interpersonal or
occupational role demands may create
an overload and produce excessive
anxiety and difficulty for the
individual.
Children who grow up in excessively

strict homes frequently adjust to
such training measures through
learned behavioural inhibition. When
social or occupational
responsibilities require individuals
to be assertive, they may experience
anxiety and be unable to handle
responsibilities effectively.
In addition to psychological
symptoms, physical symptoms such as
frequent headaches, stuttering in
front of people in authority or the
inability to sleep are common. This
maladjustment to daily living makes
coping skills an important goal of
counselling.
Improving Relationships
Many clients tend to have

major problems relating to
others due to poor self-image.
Likewise, inadequate social
skills cause individuals to
act defensively in
relationships.
Improving Relationships
Typical social difficulties can be

observed in family, marital and
peer group interaction. The
counsellor would then strive to
help the client improve the
quality of their lives by
developing more effective
interpersonal relationships.
Promoting Decision-Making
The goal of counselling is to
enable the individual to make
critical decisions regarding
alternative courses of action
without outside influence.
Counselling will help individuals
obtain information, and to clarify
emotional concerns that may
interfere with or be related to
the decisions involved.
These individuals will acquire an

understanding of their abilities
and interests. They will also
come to identify emotions and
attitudes that could influence
their choices and decisions.
The activity of stimulating the

individual to evaluate, accept and
act upon a choice, will assist
them in learning the entirety of
the decision-making process. The
individual will develop autonomy
and avoid dependence on a
counsellor.
Facilitating Client Potential
Counselling seeks to maximize

an individual’s freedom by
giving him or her control over
their
environment while analysing
responsiveness and
reaction to the environment.
Facilitating Client Potential
Counsellors will work to help
people learn how to overcome, for
example, excessive
substance use and to better take
care of their bodies. Counsellors
will also assist in overcoming
sexual dysfunction, drug addiction,
compulsive gambling and obesity, as
well as anxiety, shyness and
depression.
Facilitating Behaviour Change
Most theorists indicate that the

goal of counselling is to bring
about change in behaviour that
will enable the client to be
more productive as they define
their life within society’s
limitations.
According to Rodgers (1961),

behaviour change is a
necessary result of the
counselling process, although
specific behaviours receive
little or no emphasis during
the process.
Alternatively, Dustin and George

(1977) suggested that the counsellor
must establish specific counselling
goals. A necessary shift from
general goals to specific goals
should take place to enable both the
client and counsellor to understand
what change is desired.
CONCLUSION
These goals are not
mutually exclusive, nor are
they equally appropriate
for every client at any
specific time. Counselling
goals can be classified
according to three
categories: ultimate,
intermediate and immediate.
Ultimate goals are
philosophical ideals that
can be reasonably expected
from counselling. These
goals include helping
individuals to realize
their full potential or to
become self-actualized.
Intermediate goals relate to the
reasons for seeking counselling
and usually require several
sessions to achieve them.
Helping the individual developed
to become and remain a well-
adjusted, mentally healthy
person and to achieve his/her
potentialities, would classify
as an intermediate goal.
Immediate goals, on the
other hand, are the
moment-by-moment
intentions of
counselling, for
example, encouraging the
client to verbalize an
unexpressed feeling.
THANK
YOU!

Goals of Counselling

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What are the five most commonly named goals of counselling?

How do counsellors help clients improve their relationships?

GOALS

We will inevitably run into

Any inconsistencies in development

Children who grow up in excessively

Many clients tend to have

Typical social difficulties can be

These individuals will acquire an

The activity of stimulating the

Counselling seeks to maximize

Most theorists indicate that the

According to Rodgers (1961),

Alternatively, Dustin and George

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