Counseling is a Middle-Class Hobby for the Middle Class - Essay Example

Counseling is a Middle Hobby for the Middle Counseling came into existence when the first man ever sought advice from the other. Though the paradigms of modern day counseling may well be never ending, yet the actual essence remains the very same. Whether it be a psychological issue at hand, or even a personal problem, whenever a person seeks advice, and there is another one to offer it, it falls in the realm of counseling. Ethnicity and race. Given the aforementioned realm, understanding the crux of counseling shall be made simple. It is an illusion if it is only considered in terms of a therapists' room, much on the footsteps of Freud wherein the client would rest on a sofa and the counselor would offer advice. "Counseling is a proactive and dynamic activity, that primarily involves defining the vector of any body's actions and behavior" (Johnson, 1992). Again, the said concept may be write vague in its concept, as this might involve everybody and anybody. The short answer is yes! As the essence of psychology involves providing guidance to an individual, this provides a notion that is applicable to all humanity regardless of any differences. Human beings have always found a multitude of ways to divide themselves. Color, creed, religion, class and ranks, all have provided a disparity in attitude and treatment over the millennia. However, defining them on grounds of social class on grounds of counseling is incorrect. This is a stance that is largely misunderstood, and can only be truly clarified once the correct stance of counseling is understood. Counseling is for All Classes A school of thought may argue over the fact that counseling is a middle class hobby for the middle classes. However, this statement is far from the truth. It shall be consequential to understand the true dynamics of counseling before the same may be established. The reason why this may be argued that it is for the middle class is because it provides a scape-goat to those who have been sandwiched among the parenthesis of classes. It seems therefore, that issues such as race, ethnicity, gender or sexuality provide a soar point for those of the middle class as they cannot find their true place in this tug-of-war. The fact remains, that though there may be certain issues that are specific or more pungent ion the middle classes, this does not necessarily certify the fact that counseling is specific to them. Given that counseling is a kind of treatment restricted mostly to verbal exchanges, practitioners do not have to be medically qualified. In most countries, however, psychotherapists must be trained, certified and licensed with a range of different licensing schemes and qualification requirements in place around the world. Psychotherapists may be psychologists, social workers, trained nurses, psychiatrists, psychoanalysts, or professionals of other mental health disciplines. Psychiatrists' training focuses on the prescription of medicines, with some training in counseling. Psychologists have special training in mental health assessment and research in addition to counseling. Social workers have special training in mental health assessment and treatment as well as linking patients to community and institutional resources. Issues may oscillate between how intense they are for specific classes, but nonetheless, they remain all the more important for them all. Given the fact that all human beings are susceptible to challenging situations, it becomes imperative for them to qualify for the need for counseling. It is true, that the upper class is involved in its own vicious circles of needs and wants, and the lower classes have a similar, but very different disposition of their own, but nonetheless, they still fall in the same cadre when it is the issue of counseling. The Race Factor The issue of race has always been an element of disparity among humans. The simple reason is, that no matter what your nationality, creed, or social status, the color of your skin is an ever permanent factor. Those who might consider the Michael Jackson example, shall realize that if any body needed counseling, it was him! It was not because he was crazy; but rather because he faced an identity crisis that only half a dozen life altering operations could do for him. And he did not belong to the middle class! The issue and its consequence become very clear: when Ms Berry and Mr Washington cannot believe the fact that they together could be the first black actors to win Oscars together, goes on to show the hidden suppression of racialism in the highest of American classes. And how many black American presidents can one remember Similarly, the Chicago riots were not totally a middle class event. It was joined in, either physically or mentally by the entire African American community in the US. And this makes all of them susceptible to the science of counseling. It is not a phenomena for the middle classes; till such time when race can be isolated to be a variable only applicable for the middle class - which of course it is not. "Counseling may deal with one can learn about depression, phobias, anxiety, obsession, attention deficit, learning disability, and a host of other related issues; there are also sections on behavior therapy, children and adolescents, couples, biofeedback, and many more" (Richards, 2000). Primarily, though, one can come away understanding counseling: What it is, how it works, why go, why stop (and when), and what should and should not happen there. When all that is identified with, it shall be appreciated that it is not something that is specific or particular to all classes. It is a science, or more appropriately, a process that is applicable to each and every living soul, without disparity. Counseling is rational and accessible. It is not some esoteric, undefinable, mystical process that only some people can grasp, a faith that only converts believe in and others do not. It is a logical process which anyone can understand and follow. There is no reason for anything in a session to be unreasonable or mysterious. On the contrary, in good counseling every step should make complete sense to one, the patient; one may end up in strange territory, but it should be entirely clear to one how one got there. The Case for Ethnicity It has to be understood that counseling is a universal process, and happens absolutely everywhere, though in grossly varied formulations. However, the acceptance of counseling as a therapeutic science is not there everywhere. It is therefore interesting to note that though, a large majority of middle class may be involved in the counseling process in the developed world, the same is not the case in the developing or the developed world. There, counseling and being counseled is still considered as a taboo, and only the extremely rich or the extremely poor dwell into the realm of counseling as they are beyond the societal norm. So this presents for us a cultural variation in this concept. In Argentina, for example, it is extremely fashionable to have a therapist or counselor. People are actually considered outdated who cannot produce the reference of a reputed therapist. India, on the other hand, shows a stark contrast, wherein people who go to counselors are looked down upon as having a mental disorder and hence become a sort of an outcast. This disparity in itself shows, that when we talk about human beings as a whole, counseling cannot and should not be restricted to the middle class. The case is quite the contrary. All this has no affiliation with only the middle class. It is a generalized and universal concept for all and sundry, and anybody wishing to bear the true benefits of counseling can attain them regardless of the class. Of course, it is up to the therapist to help one learn this active role. If one can't understand how to do this and one are not getting clear guidance, it's probably time to change therapists. A multitude of international conflicts have erupted solely due to the ethnic origins of man. Take the example of the former Bosnia Herzegovina or the Shia Sunni clash in Iraq, the picture becomes evident. People who fight for what they are and for what their children are going to be is not a middle class issue. Ethnic clashes date back to the history of civilization of man. There have been no discriminations among classes in this realm. If any thing, they have been triggered by the upper class, and have been followed by the lower classes - the middle class just has been following the bandwagon effect. The application of counseling has never been so universal in its application as in the context of ethnicity. The Essence of Counseling Counseling is a dialog. It is not a teaching session. One presents data, the therapist offers ideas about that data, as well as his own data -- his feelings, his past experience, his own theories -- then one pick up the ball, and so on. Has the therapist helped one discover truth about oneself, one's life, one's feelings -- and is this material helping one make the changes one want -- or is he up a tree If the latter, one must speak up. No therapist will be right all the time, of course, and it may be that one expects for change are unrealistic or misguided. One has to sort this out together. But the final word is the individual's own. A therapist can tell one what's probably going on with a person, what seems to be happening, but it is only one who can say if he is right. Without one active testing of the material, counseling degenerates into a thought experiment, a series of entertaining speculations and psychobabble that have no impact on one's life, one's behavior, one's feelings. Before one can say, "But I know what I feel, do, believe": If we were perfectly aware, we would have no symptoms. We would experience reasonable emotional reactions to the ups and downs of life instead of sinking into incomprehensible panic, anxiety, depression. We would behave rationally, putting our talents, intelligence, and energy towards gratifying ends. We would learn from our mistakes; we would not hurt the ones we love nor be drawn to those who hurt us. "Counseling is a set of techniques intended to improve mental health, emotional or behavioral issues in individuals, who are often called "clients". These issues often make it hard for people to manage their lives and achieve their goals" (Hull, 1999). Counseling is aimed at these problems, and solves them via a number of different approaches and techniques; commonly counseling involves a therapist and client(s), who discuss their issues in an effort to discover what they are and how they can manage them. Because sensitive topics are often discussed during counseling, therapists are expected, and usually legally bound, to respect patient privacy and client confidentiality. It is not meant to create differences among people and it does not draw comparisons based on class or money. It is a humanistic process, and deals with humans as such. All these instances go on to show that counseling is by no means a class thing. It is a humanistic phenomena, and is equally applicable to all human beings, whether one avails the facility of this science is a totally different debate. References Hull, B. (1999) Essentials of Counseling Practice. Bangalore: Lion Art. Johnson, J. (1992) Counseling. New York; McGraw Hill. Richards, C. (2000) Fundamentals of Counseling. London: Bradshaw Pub. Read More