This question leads inevitably to the rapidly growing belief that counselling should not be confined to the counsellor but should be used, as far as possible, by the entire school staff, especially the teacher.
In fact, counselling is basically a teaching technique. Guidance is more and more considered as a learning activity by an increasing number of authorities.
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It is important to recognise the fact that this close personal relationship between counsellor and counselee and between teacher and pupil is not achieved quickly; it may be long in developing and may be present long before the pupil is conscious of the problem.
Because he often is not aware of the developing problem, the pupil’s feeling that he needs help may often be slow in emerging.
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If the counsellor or teacher sees in advance what the problem of the student will be, he can be of maximum assistance by preparing the student to meet it as it appears.
It should also be kept in mind that all people are not equally able to develop the necessary rapport.
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The ideal relationship is that of father-son or mother-daughter. This is not to say that the father-son or mother-daughter relationship is always ideal, but it has all the elements that make possible such rapport.
Parents are with their children day after day and year after year as they grow up and are in the best position to see and understand problems due to growth and developing maturity.
Counselling is a combination of science and art. It involves an intimate relationship between counsellor and client.
This relationship depends in large measure on the counsellor. He must like people as people and must have the ability to show that he likes them and to act really interested in them.
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He must also be a person whom people like and in whom they can trust. He must at the same time be objective in his attitude toward the client and not allow his liking for him to warp his understanding; he must be able to see the client as he is. In deciding who should do counselling, one must keep in mind the above considerations.