Preface

The Guidance Office of the Cultural Department, like offices in all other fields, owes its birth, growth, and development to the continous rapid advancement of Human Science. This office of the Cultural Department is a messenger of betterment and immunization for the mind. It works with different patterns for individual conseling and for society.

The Guidance office uses the latest scientific methods in trying to solve all mental and behavioral problems. It is also using these methods in preparing the skills needed for observing a healthy, calm life and having that life grow in different material and spiritual dimensions.

Introduction

The essential mission of the Guidance Office is reflecting the goals, desires, and abilities of people in different layers of their being to prepare grounds in order to work better on religious education for self and society. The Guidance office, as its duty, gives specialized counseling serrices to the employees and researchers of the Institute and their families in the following areas and many more:

. Individual and Society
. Mental Dimensions
. Occupations
. Education
. Family Life
. Marriage
. Necessity
 

The complex difficulties of the atmosphere that run the Hawzah came about from the complex difficulties of society’s atmosphere. These difficulties create various problems for us in human behavior and society. Answering these problems and making a safe, healthy atmosphere to fertilize the Islamic Theology Students depends upon the steps taken in problem-solving methods.

Establishing the Guidance Office (like other scientific offices, departments, etc…) was a well-rounded complete answer to the needs of our atmosphere. Another important point that doubled the necessity for a guidance office was that the students (especially those who have peen presented with the cloth), in order to preserve the holiness of the Islamic Seminaries and scholars, refrained from going to specialists who were not affiliated with the Islamic Seminaries. The negative factor of this heroic service to Islam was that the students ended up with no place to go for their counseling and guidance needs. Previously, the Islamic Seminaries had no such service and this in itself increased the necessity for us to create independent centers to answer the student’s counseling and guidance needs.

Goals

1. Creating a healthier atmosphere in the Institute and Islamic seminaries by eliminating individual and group problems.
2. Discovering students with a higher intellect and their abilities in order to direct them towards the most suitable paths.
3. Providing the necessary guidance for creating a better family environment and providing proper education for children.
4. Solving spiritual and psychological problems of students in various fields.
5. Becoming familiar with students’ problems and transferring them to the proper department.
 

Explanation of Activities

The Guidance Office, with the help of good, experienced specialists in Psychology and advanced Hawzah studies, (in particular those who have been presented with the cloth), provides the following services:

A. Family Counseling

(Marriage Counseling and Spouse Selection, solving family conflicts, and behavioral problems of children, teenagers, etc….)

1. When starting your new joint (married) life, there’s no more “me” or “you”.
2. Don’t spite your spouse even if you are right and try to stay away from conflicts and arguments, the destroyers of love and togetherness.
3. Never belittle your spouse or speak too highly of your own family in front of him/her and his/ her family.
4. Do not hold your spouse accountable for any help received by your family.
5. Don’t over exaggerate your behavior and mannerisms with your spouse’s friends and family.
6. Don’t try to put a limit on your spouse’s visiting with his/ her family.
7. Try to initiate and strengthen relations with your spouse’s family.
8. Respect your spouse’s immediate family members more than your own. (ex: mother, father, brother, sister, etc….)
9. Any troubles you go through for your spouse’s family shouldn’t be repeatedly brought up and used against him/her.
10. Any money earned and spent for the family also shouldn’t be repeatedly brought up. All earnings should be spent in a mutual and economical fashion.
11. Never try to compare another to your spouse, especially in their presence, for everyone has their own talents and abilities, pros and cons.
12. Never order your spouse around or speak rudely with him/ her.
13. Don’t pressure your physical, emotional, or other needs on your spouse. Be considerate of their capabilities and capacity.
14. Beautify and groom yourself for your spouse and wear your best and nicest clothes for one another.
15. Never confront or greet your spouse with not-so-nice expressions. Smile and give a warm glance.
16. Always enter the house with a smile and a cheerful attitude.
17. When your spouse returns home, greet him/her with warmth accompany them and shower them with kind words.
18. Don’t try to put forth a discussion when your spouse is not in the best of moods.
19. Escort your spouse to the door and see him/her off with a friendly gesture.
 

B. Education Guidance

This service includes counseling for depression and anxiety during exams, prevention of failing courses and/or dropping studies, selecting the right courses, etc…

C. Mental Remedies

The following mental problems are sought to be resolved: mental and physical obsessions, anxiety, depression, fear, sleeping disorders, learning disabilities, quarrelsome thinking, etc….

D. Mental and Intellectual Testing

The following tests and many more are observed:

. IQ Testing
. Character Analysis Testing
. Ability Testing (Evaluation)
. Inclination Testing
. Proficiency/Skills Testing
 

The Guidance Office, by preparing the necessary tools required for (this) testing can help discover the clients’ problems and identify their hidden abilities and intelligence.

After these discoveries, clients will be able to utilize this information and use their new self-awareness to blossom.