Category: Counselling

Coaching, Counselling and Mentoring

The chief characteristics of coaching are that 1) it is a process to help someone get from where they are, to where they want to be – without 2) telling them what they should do.

However this doesn´t provide a clear definition making coaching distinct from counselling, mentoring etc

Many forms of counselling would want counsellors to operate the same way. Apart from the fact that coachesofter chanrge a lot more than counsellors (!) coaching is rovided on the assumption that the client is a reasonably healthy, reasonably normal individual without the specific need of therapy. Counselling is normally thought of as a therapy.

Some of the complexities of this issue of definition are seen in these extracts taken from Wikipedia;

Coaching is a method of directing, instructing and training a person or group of people, with the aim to achieve some goal or develop specific skills. There are many ways to coach, types of coaching and methods to coaching. Direction may include motivational speaking. Training may include seminars, workshops, and supervised practice. Wiki

Life coaching is a practice with the stated aim of helping clients determine and achieve personal goals. Life coaches use multiple methods they say may help clients with the process of setting and reaching goals. Coaching is not targeted at psychological illness, and coaches are not therapists nor consultants. Wiki

Business coaching is the practice of providing support and advice to an individual or group in order to help them recognise ways in which they can improve the effectiveness of their business. It can be provided in a number of ways, including one-on-one tuition, group coaching sessions and large scale seminars. Business coaches are often called in when a business is perceived to be performing badly, however many businesses recognise the benefits of business coaching even when the organisation is successful. Business coaches often specialize in different practice areas such as career coaching, ceo coaching, leadership coaching, etc.

Business coaching is not the same as mentoring. Mentoring involves a developmental relationship between a more experienced “mentor” and a less experienced partner, and typically involves sharing of advice. A business coach can act as a mentor given that he or she has adequate expertise and experience. A good business coach need not have specific business expertise and experience in the same field as the person receiving the coaching, in order to provide good business coaching. Wiki

More to follow

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All postings to this site relate to the central SunWALK model in the PhD.

Summaries are HERE

The Family, Human Rights & Ritalin in Norway

Joar writes that; The medicating of behavioural problems in Norwegian schools is approaching epidemic conditions with regard to diagnosing and treating children with behavioural difficulties.

Joar Tranøy is a criminologist (MA), psychologist (BSc.), historian (BA) and School Counselling Advisor. Previously a researcher/research scholar at the University of Oslo and Senior Scientific Officer at the University College in Østfold.

Joar writes that; The medicating of behavioural problems in Norwegian schools is approaching epidemic conditions with regard to diagnosing and treating children with behavioural difficulties. This is particularly true of the diagnosis Attention Deficit Hyper-activity Disorder (ADHD) and Ritalin where at least 3000 schoolchildren are medicated by means of the central stimulating agent. The number is twice as large as in our neighbouring country Sweden, with twice our population.

This paper can be read here http://www.nkmr.org/english/medicating_of_schoolchildren.htm and is part of a site containing a wealth of papers on the family.

The site is presented by The Nordic Committee for Human Rights – NCHR – For the Protection of Family Rights in the Nordic countries. The Nordic Committee for Human Rights – NCHR – is an international, non-governmental organisation, free from politics and religion.

Their aims and purpose they describe as to;

* Increase the rights and freedoms of private individuals and their families.

* Strengthen respect for basic human rights and fundamental freedoms in the Nordic countries, based upon:

o The UN Declaration of Human Rights;

o The European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms;

o The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

* Submit yearly reports of suspected violations of families’ rights to the UN organ for Human Rights, to the European Commission for Human Rights and to the UN Child Committee.

* Act resolutely to ensure that civil servants who are found guilty of abuse of power or of violating their fellow citizen’s private and family life be brought to justice or before disciplinary bodies.

* To create public opinion in order to bring about changes in the present policies whereby residents in the Nordic countries suffer unnecessary interference in their private and family life.

Roger’s comment: I share this view since I can see that some students of holistic education will want children to focus on meaning-full learning and meaning-full living – as an alternative to Ritalin and other drugs for healing fractured consciousness!

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All postings to this site relate to the central model in the PhD. Summaries are HERE

Counselling and related activities -as part of education

The short Wiki article on counselling tells us that,

What a counselor commonly does

  • Listens effectively to what you are saying
  • Works with you to define your goals with respect to your values and culture
  • Facilitates your untangling of thoughts, feelings and worries about a situation
  • Helps you gain your own insight into how you act, think and feel
  • Teaches, shows and helps you express your emotions in your own way
  • Teaches, shows and helps you work out your own solutions to problems
  • Teaches, shows and helps you accept what cannot be changed
  • Teaches, shows, helps and supports you and your relationship while you do all this
  • Helps you become empowered to act in ways that are in your best interest
  • Uses a variety of different techniques to help you explore what is important to you

But was are the similarities and differences between counselling and related concepts and activities – such as consultation, philosophical dialogue and teaching?

How and it what ways might be nurture self-counselling in children (and adults)?

I´ve seen this area of competence grow in children in teaching via PFC (Philosophy for Children) but I would like to clarify this area further – any ideas?

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All postings to this site relate to the central model in the PhD. Summaries are HERE