What is the difference between Guidance, Counseling, and Psychotherapy? And what are their definitions?

Answer 1

Guidance is basically advice, hopefully from someone you consider to be wise.

Counseling is advice from someone with an agenda; i.e. a Human Resources Manager whose agenda is to maximize profit in a company by getting you to work at your best, or a Career Counselor whose agenda is to point you toward a job that you are capable of either doing or learning well, or a Minister whose agenda is to lead you toward ethical behavior within a religious context.

Psychotherapy is medical advice from a trained professional whose aim is your improved mental health.

Answer 2

Psychotherapy is a method used in treating maladaptive behaviour by using psychological, verbal and expressive techniques. It involves exploring feelings, beliefs, thoughts and relevant events, sometimes from childhood and personal history, in a structured way. Psychotherapy aims to help clients gain insight into their difficulties or distress, establish a greater understanding of their motivation, and enable them to find more appropriate ways of coping or bring about changes in their thinking and behaviour. Counselling is a relationship between two individuals in which the more experienced person helps the less experienced person to learn to reach his self-determined goals through meaningful, well-informed choices and through resolution of problems of an emotional or interpersonal nature. Psychotherapy and Counselling are professional activities that utilize an interpersonal relationship to enable people to develop self understanding and to make changes in their lives. Psychotherapy and counseling are terms that are often used interchangeably. Although they are very similar, there are some subtle differences as well. The major difference between counselling and psychotherapy are given in the reference

Reference: Arjunan, N.K. (2013). Guidance and Counselling for Teachers. Palakkad: Yuga Publications

Answer 3

difference between guidance and counseling

Answer 4

Guidance is advice from someone you trust, such as a friend or family member.

Counseling is a proffesional you go to because you are stressed out and they help you cope with anything that could be upsetting you in your life.

Psycotherapy is when you talk to a psychologist/psychiatrist about your mental health condition, and they help you deal with it, and possibly medicate you.