A+ Counseling Skills Solutions
Being Congruent - ANS-Counselors must be genuinely themselves, and
everything about them must ring true.
Self- Disclosing - ANS-Being willing to disclose a limited amount of personal information
(relevant to the conversation).
This may help the 'client' to feel valued and equal in the relationship.
Should be used sparingly so the focus is maintained on the 'client'
Being empathic, warm and sensitive with good rapport - ANS-Having togetherness with
the person who is seeking help, create a trusting environment that makes them feel
cared for and safe
'walk' alongside the person seeking help... even if they go off the path
Being non-judgemental with unconditional positive regard - ANS-Accepting the
'client' completely, in a non-judgemental way.
Value them as a person, be non-judgemental about their behaviour and try not to put
your own values onto them
Being attentive, understanding and supportive - ANS-Deliberately and intentionally
listening to what the other peroson is saying.
Common factors between different models of counselling - ANS-- counsellors
personal qualities
- relationship between client and counsellor
- client trusts counsellors ability to help
- personal factors of client
- the influence of hope and optimism
Counsellors ability to help - ANS-Counsellor needs to be proficient in the use of
counselling skills and attending to the counselling process. When these are done
competently the person is more likely to feel confident in achieving their goals.
,Personal factors of the client - ANS-Each person has the ability to find their own
solutions .
The counsellor facilitates the person to promote, amplify and extend the posibility of
change
The influence of hope and optimism - ANS-For a person to change in attitude they must
first realise that it is possible, must wish to do so, and them impliment changes.
therapeutic alliance - ANS-a bond of trust and mutual understanding between a
therapist and client, who work together constructively to overcome the client's problem
Working collaboratively - ANS-Establish and maintain safety
Presence - psychological
Holding (space for) the client's experience
Working in the here and now
Build a strong alliance and repair ruptures
Counsellor is attuned to client
holding - ANS-client feels safe,
allows them to talk freely
and explore openly;
experience that we want to understand them and gain trust
Attending skills, minimal encouragers (including paying attention to how the client
responds to you)
Being respectfully silent
Reflect/paraphrase what the client has said
Demonstrate empathy through verbal and non-verbal communication
THE FIRST MEETING - Purpose - ANS-The initial meeting with a person is an
important opportunity in laying the foundation of a helping relationship
First impressions count
,We begin with joining and attending
Joining - ANS-refers not only to an initial meeting; is a process that occurs throughout
the counselling process.
A counsellor's main task is to deliberately and intentionally listen
Be observant of verbal & non-verbal behaviour
Greet warmly; Invite them to talk
Tune in and 'attend'
Listen with interest
Joining - ANS-creating comfort & safety
Safety - ANS-Safety, is based on the counsellor's capacity to:
be compassionately & deeply interested in the other person ("compassionate curiosity")
be interpersonally available
deeply listen and get the client
"hold" another person
remain calm in the face of their pain, confusion & fear
risk interpersonal honesty
say openly (yet kindly) things we do not normally say in social situations
gain deeper understanding of the person
Observational Learning - ANS-Learn through
Modelling
Observation
, Practice
Feedback and
Reflection
Issues for beginning 'counsellors' - ANS-Dealing with anxiety
Being yourself, and self-disclosure
Being comfortable with silence
Avoiding perfectionism
Being honest about limitations
Understanding of another person
Pathway 1: Perspective Taking - ANS-Making sense of the way a person acts starts
early:
Theory of mind:
Ability to recognise and attribute a particular 'mental state' to certain behaviour(s)
taking into consideration our own and others' beliefs, thoughts, perceptions, intentions,
feelings, and desires
Metacognition - ANS-higher level cognitive approach to understanding ('cold')
Perspective taking - on self, - and on others - seeing the world through the other's eyes
& "walking in their shoes"
What is empathy? - ANS-the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive
to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of
either the past or present - without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully
communicated in an objectively explicit manner
Empathy
3 separate areas used - ANS-Thoughts
Feelings
Actions
Empathy in counselling - ANS-"It is one of the most delicate and powerful ways we have
of using ourselves"
Being Congruent - ANS-Counselors must be genuinely themselves, and
everything about them must ring true.
Self- Disclosing - ANS-Being willing to disclose a limited amount of personal information
(relevant to the conversation).
This may help the 'client' to feel valued and equal in the relationship.
Should be used sparingly so the focus is maintained on the 'client'
Being empathic, warm and sensitive with good rapport - ANS-Having togetherness with
the person who is seeking help, create a trusting environment that makes them feel
cared for and safe
'walk' alongside the person seeking help... even if they go off the path
Being non-judgemental with unconditional positive regard - ANS-Accepting the
'client' completely, in a non-judgemental way.
Value them as a person, be non-judgemental about their behaviour and try not to put
your own values onto them
Being attentive, understanding and supportive - ANS-Deliberately and intentionally
listening to what the other peroson is saying.
Common factors between different models of counselling - ANS-- counsellors
personal qualities
- relationship between client and counsellor
- client trusts counsellors ability to help
- personal factors of client
- the influence of hope and optimism
Counsellors ability to help - ANS-Counsellor needs to be proficient in the use of
counselling skills and attending to the counselling process. When these are done
competently the person is more likely to feel confident in achieving their goals.
,Personal factors of the client - ANS-Each person has the ability to find their own
solutions .
The counsellor facilitates the person to promote, amplify and extend the posibility of
change
The influence of hope and optimism - ANS-For a person to change in attitude they must
first realise that it is possible, must wish to do so, and them impliment changes.
therapeutic alliance - ANS-a bond of trust and mutual understanding between a
therapist and client, who work together constructively to overcome the client's problem
Working collaboratively - ANS-Establish and maintain safety
Presence - psychological
Holding (space for) the client's experience
Working in the here and now
Build a strong alliance and repair ruptures
Counsellor is attuned to client
holding - ANS-client feels safe,
allows them to talk freely
and explore openly;
experience that we want to understand them and gain trust
Attending skills, minimal encouragers (including paying attention to how the client
responds to you)
Being respectfully silent
Reflect/paraphrase what the client has said
Demonstrate empathy through verbal and non-verbal communication
THE FIRST MEETING - Purpose - ANS-The initial meeting with a person is an
important opportunity in laying the foundation of a helping relationship
First impressions count
,We begin with joining and attending
Joining - ANS-refers not only to an initial meeting; is a process that occurs throughout
the counselling process.
A counsellor's main task is to deliberately and intentionally listen
Be observant of verbal & non-verbal behaviour
Greet warmly; Invite them to talk
Tune in and 'attend'
Listen with interest
Joining - ANS-creating comfort & safety
Safety - ANS-Safety, is based on the counsellor's capacity to:
be compassionately & deeply interested in the other person ("compassionate curiosity")
be interpersonally available
deeply listen and get the client
"hold" another person
remain calm in the face of their pain, confusion & fear
risk interpersonal honesty
say openly (yet kindly) things we do not normally say in social situations
gain deeper understanding of the person
Observational Learning - ANS-Learn through
Modelling
Observation
, Practice
Feedback and
Reflection
Issues for beginning 'counsellors' - ANS-Dealing with anxiety
Being yourself, and self-disclosure
Being comfortable with silence
Avoiding perfectionism
Being honest about limitations
Understanding of another person
Pathway 1: Perspective Taking - ANS-Making sense of the way a person acts starts
early:
Theory of mind:
Ability to recognise and attribute a particular 'mental state' to certain behaviour(s)
taking into consideration our own and others' beliefs, thoughts, perceptions, intentions,
feelings, and desires
Metacognition - ANS-higher level cognitive approach to understanding ('cold')
Perspective taking - on self, - and on others - seeing the world through the other's eyes
& "walking in their shoes"
What is empathy? - ANS-the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive
to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of
either the past or present - without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully
communicated in an objectively explicit manner
Empathy
3 separate areas used - ANS-Thoughts
Feelings
Actions
Empathy in counselling - ANS-"It is one of the most delicate and powerful ways we have
of using ourselves"
