Counseling @ Korea

The view

from Paul Kim about

COUNSELING IN KOREA

A study by Kim (2015) despite the fact that important corporations and schools are providing guidance counseling programs for employees and students, the overall Korean population’s attitude towards taking part in counseling isn't the same as the one of the modern Western society, and with others in not unusual. Most Asian cultures could bear in mind it humiliating if each person apart from circle of relatives’ participants knew about their personal problems. South Korean society has historically been underpinned by Buddhist and Confucian values, which emphasize diligence, stoicism and modesty. Individual concerns are secondary. Retaining dignity, or “face,” mainly for the circle of relatives, is paramount. Consequently there may be a poor attitude towards looking for expert help (McDonald, 2011). All through its history, Asian culture valued emotional and the ability for a person to settle psychological issues through themselves. Therefore a person looking for expert help could be viewed as vulnerable without manage over their lives.

 

He added that, simply as most different Asian cultures, South Koreans are less probably to be looking for psychological assist and to keep away from counseling at all fees possible. They consider proper counseling is highly unnecessary and can avoid their fulfilment in lifestyles, if their friends, circle of relatives or co-employees had been to find out. Choi (2000) and Yoo, (1996) nation that South Korea is a collectivistic tradition that places an extremely good emphasis on appearances. With the intention to keep one’s dignity, many people would instead deal with their issues secretly rather than risk the embarrassment of social shame.

For Kim, elements were recognized as possible motives for the underutilization of counseling services through Koreans: lack of familiarity with, or misconceptions approximately, counseling; cultural stigma and shame over mental health issues; availability of opportunity sources to conventional counseling; and linguistic limitations (Uba, 1994). One of the most acute elements is the lack of information and consciousness among policymakers, educators, school administrators, and mother and father. Within the future counselors and different school employees must become conscious on the way to recognize the sort of help that Korean students want, and to bear in mind which main elements to cope with.

credit: PaulKim (2015)