Psychology · Class 12

Active learning ideas

Counselling Skills

Let's move from theory to practice by exploring the essential skills that form the heart of any helping relationship.

CBSE Learning OutcomesNCERT: Class XII Psychology - Chapter 9
20–30 minPairs → Whole Class3 activities

Activity 01

Role Play25 min · Small Groups

Role-Playing Triads

In groups of three, students take turns playing the roles of 'counsellor', 'client', and 'observer'. The client shares a simple, non-personal problem (e.g., time management), and the counsellor practises active listening and empathy, while the observer provides feedback.

Compare counselling with interviewing and giving advice.

Facilitation TipProvide a simple feedback checklist for the observer to structure their comments.

What to look forUse an exit slip where students have to explain the difference between empathy and sympathy in their own words, using an example.

ApplyAnalyzeEvaluateSocial AwarenessSelf-Awareness
Generate Complete Lesson

Activity 02

Role Play20 min · Pairs

Scenario Sort: Counsel, Advise, or Interview?

Provide students with short written scenarios of a person seeking help. In pairs, they must write three different responses to the person: one as a counsellor, one as a friend giving advice, and one as an interviewer.

Explain the core conditions of empathy, warmth, and genuineness in a counselling relationship.

Facilitation TipDebrief by having pairs share their responses for one scenario with the whole class to highlight the differences.

What to look forProvide a short, written case study. Students must identify the client's core issues and describe how a counsellor would use specific skills (e.g., paraphrasing, reflection of feeling) and uphold ethical principles in the first session.

ApplyAnalyzeEvaluateSocial AwarenessSelf-Awareness
Generate Complete Lesson

Activity 03

Role Play30 min · Small Groups

Ethical Dilemma Carousel

Post different ethical dilemmas on charts around the room (e.g., a client reveals they are engaging in minor illegal activity). Small groups rotate to each chart, discussing and writing down their proposed course of action based on ethical principles.

Analyse the ethical principles that guide the practice of counselling.

Facilitation TipEncourage groups to cite specific ethical principles like confidentiality or duty of care in their answers.

What to look forStudents complete a personal reflection journal entry on which counselling skill they find easiest to understand and which they think would be the most challenging to practice, and why.

ApplyAnalyzeEvaluateSocial AwarenessSelf-Awareness
Generate Complete Lesson

A few notes on teaching this unit

Begin by breaking down the concept of listening. Use a simple pair activity where one person talks for one minute and the other can only listen without interrupting. Then, introduce skills like paraphrasing and reflecting feelings one by one, using role-plays to build confidence. Provide sentence starters like 'It sounds like you're feeling...' to help students practise.

By the end of this module, your students will be able to distinguish professional counselling from everyday advice-giving and identify the core skills needed to build a supportive connection.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

  • Counselling is the same as giving advice.

    Counselling is a collaborative process where the counsellor helps the client explore their own feelings and thoughts to find their own solutions. Giving advice is directive and provides a ready-made solution from someone else's perspective.

  • Anyone who is a good listener can be a professional counsellor.

    While being a good listener is essential, professional counselling requires extensive training in psychological theories, therapeutic techniques, ethical guidelines, and supervised practice. It is a skilled profession, not just a personal quality.

  • Empathy means feeling sorry for someone.

    Feeling sorry for someone is sympathy. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person from their point of view, without judgment. It's about 'feeling with' someone, not 'feeling for' them.

Methods used in this brief

More in Developing Psychological Skills

Introduction to Psychological Skills

Understand the core competencies and attributes required to be an effective psychologist, including intellectual, personal, and ethical skills.

8 methodologies

Observational Skills

Learn the art and science of systematic observation, a fundamental method for gathering psychological data, including its types, advantages, and limitations.

8 methodologies

Communication Skills

Master the components of effective interpersonal communication, focusing on verbal, non-verbal, and para-verbal elements, as well as the crucial skill of active listening.

8 methodologies

Ethical Principles in Psychology

Explore the fundamental ethical guidelines that govern the work of psychologists, including confidentiality, informed consent, and professional competence, to ensure responsible practice.

8 methodologies