User:Angelog/Peer counseling

Peer counseling is a form of counseling that students or colleagues may provide, using basic counseling skills. These techniques can be minimal attending skills, active listening, how to deal with feelings, basic knowledge of counseling theories, and they usually include a component of multicultural counseling knowledge. Ethical considerations for peer counselors are crucial due to the proximity that many of them have with those to whom they provide counseling, e.g. dual relationships, living nearby, social roles, etc. Peer counseling is usually provided by team leaders, resident advisors, volunteers, upper class students, peer mentors, graduate students, colleagues, work partners, and others who share an equal standing. It differs from peer mentoring in various aspects. While mentors are usually older than their mentees, peer counselors can be younger than those who they counsel. Peer counselors follow a set of rules and techniques that belong to a profession, while they are not professionals. Peer counselors, in general, should abide by the same ethical guidelines of the American Psychological Association or American Counseling Association. Peer counselors need direct supervision and must report what happens in their sessions due to the possible danger and liability that their conversations with their peer counselees may entail Peer counseling is not a professional form of counseling, but rather it is a form guidance that is para-professional.

Peer counseling is most commonly found and taught in colleges and universities. Many colleges and universities offer one or tow semester-long courses, classes, training programs, and they may associations or clubs that promote and provide this type of psychological help. Consequently, this has resulted in the exponential expansion of peer counseling in higher education. The courses offered on peer counseling are usually directed to upper class students.They usually include a practicum, internship or volunteering opportunity so that students can practice the skills they learn in their courses an seminars. Direct supervision by a qualified professional is always mandatory due to the possible liabilities that entail providing counseling even at the paraprofessional level. Peer counseling is usually found in higher education among undergraduate students. Ethnic, racial, religious, and sexual minority groups usually resort to this practice along with peer counseling due to the lack of professionals to help them, role models to whom ask for advice, and members of power who can assist them to make decisions and find appropriate resources of help. The lack of mental health professionals in all areas of our society and the great variety of identity development changes that students usually experience during the colleges years produces great need to provide psychological help and academic guidance during the college years of most traditional students (those who are 17 to 26 years old).

Students during the college years live many experiences for the first time. They live away from their families, explore their sexuality, reformulate their religious beliefs, move with girlfriends and/or boyfriends, are exposed to contrasting and challenging values, among other changes in their lives. Consequently, peer counseling appears as a suitable form of paraprofessional counseling. Nonetheless, it is not always suitable to deal with major traumas which can also occur during students' college years, such as date rape, eating disorders, acute stress, suicidal thoughts, pregnancy options, abortion, among others.

Peer counseling is a demanding, difficult, easy to burn out, and complicated task. Many students who do not receive appropriate training will not do this activity for long. Ethical considerations are crucial and very demanding to many students. Nonetheless, the experience gained through peer counseling prepare and usually, when it becomes a positive experience, stimulate students to pursuit careers in psychology, education, counseling, social work and other helping professions.

While the literature on peer counseling is limited, the expansion of peer counseling programs as well as peer mentoring programs shows a strong grass root movement due to the pressing needs of many minority groups who find among peers a source of help and assistance thanks to the experiences they have lived, and the knowledge they can share with them.