School Group Psychological Counseling Series 5---Parent-Child Psychological Counseling Handbook

Author: Liang Dongbiao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-09-01
Features: To focus on the growth of children and adolescents, we cannot ignore their families and parents. Nowadays, being a parent is not easy, and we cannot replicate the parenting methods of previous generations. In the past, with slow social development, the behavioral patterns and thinking habits passed down through generations were once regarded as models. But now, with rapid social progress, we can no longer rigidly adhere to ancient teachings. Many elderly who successfully raised their children in the past now struggle to be effective grandparents. Many who were once children now find it exhausting to be parents. Many excel in their careers but perform poorly in their families. Some are adept at teaching others' children but feel helpless when dealing with their own. This is an era of high-speed development, yet also an era full of challenges and crises. As parents, we navigate the shocks of social change alongside our children. Before adults can appropriately explain a phenomenon, children have already absorbed it. Without established experience, parents often do not know more than their children. However, as parents, we cannot avoid our responsibilities. Therefore, we cannot avoid the alternating assaults of frustration, disappointment, joy, and hope in family life and child-rearing. Parents also yearn for education and guidance. In their daily interactions with children, they often encounter confusion and find themselves in difficult situations. If the family and its members, who influence a child's growth, do not receive proper guidance, the child's healthy development will be hindered. For this very reason, we have chosen to research "parental guidance" as a scientific topic. Schools or other social service organizations can intervene in family education in many ways, and group psychological counseling is an effective and widely accepted modern educational concept and technique.
Counseling theory holds that counseling is a process in which professionally trained counselors establish a therapeutic (educational) relationship with clients to help them recognize, accept, and appreciate themselves, overcome obstacles in learning, work, or life, and fully develop their potential to achieve richness and growth in life, ultimately moving toward self-actualization. Counseling differs from traditional education and instruction in that the facilitator and the client are equal, respectful, and understanding, interacting sincerely to face problems. It emphasizes empathy between both parties and any involved participants. The facilitator may not be wiser than the client but plays a role in creating a conducive atmosphere, catalyzing emotions, alleviating tension, and inspiring growth. Group psychological counseling, however, is conducted in a group setting with two or more participants. The process of group psychological counseling is one where participants interact to develop their potential, solve their problems and confusion, optimize their psychological well-being, and improve their behavioral effectiveness.
This "Parent-Child Psychological Counseling Handbook" provides a valuable theoretical reference for educators and social workers to update their perspectives and transform their roles. For the specific planning, design, and implementation of counseling work, it offers a relatively mature and comprehensive operational blueprint and a foundation for creativity. This series is the result of long-term experimental research conducted by educational researchers and school teachers on the front lines of education. Its distinctive feature lies in closely integrating advanced psychological counseling concepts with primary and secondary school education practices, making it highly targeted, easy to learn, and practical. It is an invaluable reference book for communities, schools, and families to carry out mental health education.
—Sun Shijin, Vice Chairman of the Expert Advisory Committee on Primary and Secondary School Mental Health Education, Professor at Fudan University
The compilation of this series is a pioneering effort and a timely necessity. It has three key features: a well-structured framework that covers major areas of school mental health education; strong operability, presented in a manual format that is easy to understand and use; and "localization"—after "introduction," "digestion," "application," and "refinement," it summarizes results tailored to China's context, making it highly valuable for promotion.
—Ma Wenju, Professor at the Department of Psychology, East China Normal University