Professional Guidance and Counselling
Senior 6 · Psychology
Professional Guidance and Counselling
Lesson 2 of 4
25 min
Before she says anything else, Aline, 16, asks the school counsellor: "If I tell you something, will you tell my parents or the teachers?" The honest answer is not a simple yes or no. A good counsellor explains that what Aline says will stay private, except if she or someone else is at serious risk of harm. Aline's question goes to the heart of this lesson: counselling only works if the client trusts the counsellor, and that trust rests on clear principles. (An illustrative case.)
Definition
Confidentiality: the counsellor's duty to keep what a client shares private, within limits that the client is told about at the start.
Informed consent: the client's agreement to counselling after understanding what it involves, its limits, and the right to stop. For young people, the law and school policy may also require a parent's consent.
Dual relationship: when a counsellor has a second relationship with a client (teacher, relative, business partner, friend), which can damage objectivity and trust.
Referral: passing a client, with consent, to a more suitable professional or service, for example a health centre or a psychiatrist.
Directive counselling: the counsellor leads, diagnoses and advises. Non-directive counselling: the client leads and the counsellor follows and reflects. Eclectic counselling: choosing methods from different approaches to fit the client.
| Classified by | Type | Key features |
|---|---|---|
| Who takes part | Individual | One client and one counsellor; the most private format |
| Group | Several clients with similar concerns meet with a counsellor. Irvin Yalom described "therapeutic factors" such as universality (discovering you are not alone), hope, mutual help and learning from others | |
| Couple | Partners working on their relationship, including premarital counselling | |
| Family | The family as a whole; problems are seen in relationships (Unit 10) | |
| Peer | Trained young people support peers, with adult supervision and clear limits | |
| The issue | Educational and career | Study problems, subject and career choices (Lesson 1) |
| Crisis | Immediate, short-term help after a sudden event; focuses on safety, calm and practical steps | |
| Trauma and bereavement | Supporting people after violence, accidents or loss, at the person's pace | |
| Health and HIV testing counselling | Information and support before and after a test. The WHO's "5 Cs" of HIV testing are consent, confidentiality, counselling, correct results and connection to care | |
| Rehabilitation and addiction | Supporting recovery from alcohol or drug dependence, often with families | |
| How it is delivered | Face to face, telephone, online | Telephone and online counselling reach people far away or afraid of being seen, but privacy and emergencies are harder to manage |
Approaches. E. G. Williamson's directive counselling (1939) treated the counsellor as an expert who diagnoses and advises, like a doctor. Carl Rogers (1942) argued for non-directive, client-centred counselling, trusting the client to find solutions. Most counsellors today are eclectic or integrative: more directive in a crisis or with practical decisions, more non-directive with personal exploration.
Two classic lists overlap. Felix Biestek (1957) described seven principles of the helping relationship; Karen Kitchener (1984) described five ethical principles that most professional codes still use.
| Principle | Meaning in practice |
|---|---|
| Confidentiality | What the client shares stays private, within explained limits (Figure 1) |
| Informed consent and voluntariness | The client understands and agrees; counselling is not forced on anyone |
| Acceptance | Valuing the client as a person, whatever he or she has done |
| Non-judgemental attitude | Not blaming, moralising or condemning |
| Client self-determination (autonomy) | The client makes his or her own decisions |
| Individualisation | Every client is unique; no "one size fits all" |
| Purposeful expression of feelings and controlled emotional involvement | The client is free to express feelings; the counsellor responds with empathy but stays steady and objective |
| Beneficence and non-maleficence | Act for the client's good; above all, do no harm |
| Justice | Treat clients fairly and equally, whatever their background, sex, religion or wealth |
| Fidelity | Keep promises and be trustworthy |
| Boundaries and competence | No dual relationships where avoidable, and never any romantic or sexual relationship with a client; work within one's training and refer when needed |
Figure 1. Confidentiality and its limits. Confidentiality is the rule; the exceptions are serious risk of harm and situations where the law requires disclosure. The client is told about the limits before he or she shares anything.
In Rwanda, survivors of gender-based violence and child abuse can receive medical, psychosocial and legal help in one place at the Isange One Stop Centres, reachable on the free number 3029. A school counsellor who learns that a child is being abused does not investigate alone, but makes sure that the child is protected and connected to such services.
UN Women Africa: "ISANGE One Stop Center Video Documentary - Rwanda". A documentary about the centres where survivors of gender-based violence can get several kinds of help in one place. Notice how counselling fits alongside medical and legal support. (It discusses violence; watch with an adult if you prefer.)
Warning
Never promise total secrecy. Saying "I won't tell anyone, whatever it is" can force a counsellor to choose between breaking a promise and leaving a person in danger. Explain the limits first; it builds more trust, not less.
Tip
The ethical "big five" (Kitchener): Autonomy, Beneficence, Non-maleficence, Justice, Fidelity. In a case question, name the principle at stake, explain the dilemma, and say what the counsellor should do.
Important
Where to get help in Rwanda. If you, or someone you know, is struggling, talk to a trusted adult (a parent, teacher or school counsellor) and visit your local health centre. The Rwanda Biomedical Centre asks people to call its toll-free number 114 with questions about its services or in an emergency. Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Practice
Sources and credits
Written by Ganzaa: the text, the diagram (Figure 1), the tables and the exercises.
