Counseling

The act of advising clients on a variety of real estate investment or development matters.
Example: Abel wishes to invest in an office building. Baker offers counseling by advising Abel on how to select a property, how to legally structure the investment and how to maximize after-tax returns from the investment.

The act of providing advice and guidance to a patient or the patient’s family.

Counseling in the public health setting can be a challenging, frustrating, and rewarding process: challenging because it requires the use of skills such as assessment, treatment planning, counseling methodology, and referral; frustrating due to high caseloads and increased paperwork due to managed care and low client motivation; and rewarding when a counselor sees individuals regain control of their lives. A knowledge of mental illness and of chemical dependency treatment and recovery issues will enhance a counselor's ability to improve people's lives and their communities. Motivating others to change is a noble task but can only be effective with the proper skills and training.

(SEE ALSO: Access to Health Services; Behavioral Change; Managed Care; Mental Health; Social Work; Substance Abuse, Definition of)

— REDGI E. PRICE

For more information on counseling, visit Britannica.com.