Q11 Describe your own observations, thoughts, feelings and concerns when using counselling skills. (4.1)
a) Observations
Observations
– The power of silence in helping the client access their own deeper feelings and resources. Although it might not always feel comfortable for the client, it seems to work every time to open up greater understanding.
– How eye contact and open body language helps make the client feel more comfortable to share own concerns or perceived weaknesses.
– How remembering to use paraphrasing helps me as the counsellor to avoid making assumptions and pursuing unhelpful line of questioning
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b) Thoughts
Thoughts
– Understanding how consciously using the range of counselling skills helps the client to achieve positive outcomes for themselves.
– The idea that the “organismic self” (from Carl Rogers’ person-centred counselling theory established in the 1940’s) is motivated to find it’s own solutions, helps me to realise the client’s responsibility in the helping relationship, allowing me to release my own sense of responsibility to solve their problems for them. Realising that concentrating on using the skills is often enough to enable the client to discover and decide how to help themselves.
– Noticing how through the Triad work, I and my fellow students have grown our confidence and experience in using the skills, through providing feedback to each other. It makes me think how important it is to seek feedback on an on-going basis in my life.
c) Feelings
Feelings
– Being inspired by fellow students, with our Tutor’s guidance, in establishing trust and the safety of sharing personal thoughts and motivations.
– The encouragement and empowerment I feel in being able to help others make a difference in their own lives, through my own use of counselling skills.
– Feeling grateful for having the opportunity to join the course, for the insights and confidence I have gained from it and for the help and support I have received from everyone involved.
d) Concerns
Concerns
– Whether I will be able, at age 50, to overcome some of my less helpful behaviour patterns which have become quite entrenched in myself (as outlined above).
– Whether I will continue to receive financial sponsorship to continue my studies in counselling and if not, how I would fund this.
– The future of counselling as a practise, given technological change and how I could contribute in the “new world” environment.
Q12 Outline the benefits of self-reflection for: (4.2)
a) Personal development
4 Know how self-reflection contributes to personal development
Reflective practice: meaning of personal development; meaning of self-reflection and reflective practice; benefits of personal development for self and for use of counselling skills; impact that a simulated ‘client’s’ disclosure may have on them; why some disclosures are particularly difficult to hear; issue of competences and limitations; exploring reflective practice; reflection on observations, feelings, thoughts and concerns that occur when using counselling skills.
Personal Development
A counsellor’s own personal development must be in a continual process of development, growth and expansion. They must demonstrate an interest in self-awareness, self-counselling, work/life balance, focus, goal setting and other complementary areas of self-knowledge. Through their own development a counsellor will also pick up additional understanding and knowledge, which they can effectively use to support a client during the counselling process.
b) The use of counselling skills
Explain the benefits of self-reflection on your own personal development and in your use of counselling skills.
From reflecting on myself, I have realised there is a limit to what I can discover on my own. I need others and need to reach out to them to receive encouragement, support and feedback to help me become more effective in helping others.
Self-reflecting on own development needs and use of the counselling skills is a key component in deciding in what direction to grow and develop. I believe life itself is a dynamic environment where there is always something to learn about ourselves, others and the process of helping relationships. Unless we make a commitment and effort to self–reflect, to attain greater self-awareness and understanding, we may limit the help we can bring to others.
Feedback from others helps me check and verify areas for improvement. In other words the feedback helps to fuel my own self-reflection to crystalise areas of development or self-change that I need to focus on. I have also found that maintaining the discipline of updating my own Personal Learning Journal has enabled a regular self-reflection of how I am developing, learning and growing.
In conclusion I feel that self-reflection is not (as many people I know may see as) a self-indulgent act. It is a key to unlock one’s own potential to become more conscious, more self-aware as a basis to grow; both for one’s own benefit and towards being better able to help others.
I have come to recognise that successfully counselling clients through difficult times requires a combination of interpersonal skills, sufficient knowledge about the issues involved and a host of personal attributes. Balancing and adapting all this information requires the counsellor or psychotherapist to maintain a level head, confidence in their abilities and a genuine interest in providing support.
Personal Qualities
A successful counsellor must be able to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the counselling process. There are a number of key personal qualities that counsellors and psychotherapists should also possess, and which will make the therapeutic relationships they have with their clients more effective.
These include:
Empathy – Without this quality a counsellor will be unable to comprehend the problems, experiences, thoughts and feelings of another person, and will not be able to offer clients the level of supportive understanding that they will require.
Congruence – This provides clients with a vision of a counsellor’s genuine understanding and supportive nature.
Positive Regard – Counsellors must be able to build counselling relationships on a foundation of warmth, understanding and genuine support. In order for this to work, and to encourage a client to self-disclose, counsellors must have a natural rapport with a client.
Respect – Counsellors must show respect for another person, and their welfare, at all times. They must also remain impartial and non-judgmental.
Challenging skills A client must experience challenging questioning if they are to make progress during the counselling relationship. Being able to detect contradictions and encourage positive thought is an important part of the counsellor’s role.
Personal Skills
Active listening, good interpersonal skills and an ability to question, reflect and challenge attitudes and beliefs are all personal skills that can help a counsellor build a successful career. An interest in self-awareness and self-development will also ensure that the counsellor or psychotherapist continues to develop their counselling skills, whilst expanding their own knowledge of themselves.
A counsellor can also utilise many other important skills within a counselling relationship, and this could include good planning and motivational skills, problem solving, organisational ability and re-orientation skills. Each counsellor will bring their own unique abilities, qualities and skills into a counselling relationship, but must ultimately ensure that their client feels safe and supported.
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Personal Knowledge
Besides the counselling qualifications, and additional certificates, a counsellor should possess in order to provide a good counselling relationship, the counsellor must also be armed with sufficient personal knowledge and understanding of what counselling is all about. They must also be clear about the role of the counsellor and the problems, issues and expectations every client will present.
A counsellor must also be self-aware, and must be in control of their feelings, thoughts and emotions whilst working with clients.
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FAQs
What are observation skills in counseling? ›
...
- Visual/eye contact.
- Vocal Qualities.
- Verbal Tracking.
- Body Language.
Observation can be extremely useful in contributing to the overall assessment of a young person's presentation. It needs to occur continually, as an ongoing activity, during each counselling session.
What are the most important skills required for effective counselling? ›- Communication skills. You need excellent verbal communication skills to effectively talk to a range of different people. ...
- Interpersonal skills. ...
- Understanding of ethics. ...
- Patience. ...
- Compassion. ...
- Emotional stability. ...
- Knowledge of laws and regulations. ...
- Open-mindedness.
What are observation skills? Observation skills refer to the ability to use all five of your senses to recognize, analyze and recall your surroundings. This practice is often associated with mindfulness because it encourages you to be present and aware of the details of your daily life.
How do you describe observation? ›Observation is the active acquisition of information from a primary source. In living beings, observation employs the senses. In science, observation can also involve the perception and recording of data via the use of scientific instruments. The term may also refer to any data collected during the scientific activity.
How do you write a client observation? ›- Physical, interpersonal, and psychological observations.
- General appearance.
- Affect & behavior.
- Nature of therapeutic relationship.
- Client's strengths.
- Client's mental status.
- Client's ability to participate in the session.
- Client's responses to the process.
- Eye contact.
- Body language.
- Gestures.
- Facial expressions.
- Tone of voice.
In summarising, the counsellor attends to verbal and non-verbal comments from the client over a period of time, and then pulls together key parts of the extended communication, restating them for the client as accurately as possible.
What are the counselling skills examples? ›- Supportive listening. Clients feel heard, understood, and affirmed.
- Managing a problem situation. Clients often need help tackling a specific, problematic situation.
- Problem management. ...
- Strengthening insufficiently strong skills. ...
- Enhancing skill strength goals.
Counselling skills are interpersonal and technical traits that a counsellor uses to better understand and listen to their clients. Using these skills, a counsellor helps a client overcome obstacles that are preventing them from leading a happy life.
How would you use counselling skills in a helping activity? ›
Counselling skills are used to empower the person seeking help. This means listening and responding to the other person in a particular way and avoiding some of the things we might naturally do from time to time in everyday conversation.
What is a skill example? ›For example: Good communication skills. Critical thinking. Working well in a team.
Why are personal qualities important in counselling? ›If you do not come across as trustworthy, it is unlikely your clients will feel comfortable confiding in you. One of the key qualities of a counsellor is being able to offer a safe space for people to explore their emotional struggles. Without trust, this is near impossible.
What are the three core counselling skills? ›The three core conditions, empathy, unconditional positive regard and congruence, present a considerable challenge to the person-centred practitioner, for they are not formulated as skills to be acquired, but rather as personal attitudes or attributes 'experienced' by the therapist, as well as communicated to the ...
What is a good example of an observation? ›For example, watching an apple fall from a tree could be an observation. Noticing that fish only come to a particular part of the river in the early morning is also an observation.
What is a good observation? ›A good observation must be factual, accurate and sufficiently detailed. Having a tablet in the room with you can really help you capture things as they happen with accurate details rather than relying on recall at the end of the day, once the children have left the setting.
What are the 4 types of observation? ›The 4 main types of observation in sociology are participant observation, non-participant observation, covert observation, and overt observation.
How do you write observations? ›Start with factual information like the date, time, and place of the observation. Proceed to write down all observations that you made. Keep these observations straightforward and clear. Make sure that it is organized and easy to understand.
What is observation explain the types of observation? ›When it comes to observational research, you have three different types of methodologies: controlled observations, naturalistic observations, and participant observations. Let's quickly look at what each type of observation includes, how they differ, and the strengths and weaknesses of each type of observation.
How do you write a good counselling note? ›- Be Clear & Concise. Therapy notes should be straight to the point but contain enough information to give others a clear picture of what transpired. ...
- Remain Professional. ...
- Write for Everyone. ...
- Use SOAP. ...
- Focus on Progress & Adjust as Necessary.
How do you write a counselling report? ›
State the reason the client came to you, the highlights of your conversation, and the recommendations for a plan of action. Set a goal for the client and list the steps you recommend for treatment or follow-up sessions. Wrap up the report with your overall evaluation of the counseling session and sign the report.
How do you understand emotions in counseling explain? ›If we know how to express how we feel then others around us can grow in empathy for us. They can learn how to express their own feelings and we can learn to respond to them. In addition, counselling also helps us to accept our feelings and emotions as valid and meaningful whatever the reactions of others.
How do you focus in counselling? ›Focusing is a counselling skill that involves actively listening to what the client is bringing, and then choosing an area to focus down on. Focusing is like zooming into a detail in a photograph. The counsellor zooms in on the emotions behind the story, or narrative, that the client is bringing.
Why is listening skills important in counselling? ›Good listening skills in counselling establishes trust, helps the client open up and disclose their thoughts and encourages them to share their emotions, thereby facilitating the gathering of valuable information about the client that would in turn aid the counseling process.
What is an example of summarizing in counseling? ›reviewing the work done so far, and taking stock. bringing a session to a close, by drawing together the main threads of the discussion. beginning a subsequent session, if appropriate. starting the process of focusing and prioritising 'scattered' thoughts and feelings.
How do you start a counseling session with a client? ›- Greeting them warmly.
- Listening actively and asking questions.
- Facing them or turning toward them during the session to show your engagement.
- Letting them know that any nervousness or anxiety they feel about the first session is common.
- Choose the Right Course. Like most careers, you must start with education. ...
- Work on Communication. Communication is a huge part of counseling. ...
- Be Organized. ...
- Have Confidence. ...
- Be Empathetic. ...
- Have a Sense of Humor. ...
- Take Care of Your Well-Being. ...
- Research Often.
A counselor must be accessible to clients in order to gain their trust, but perhaps more importantly, a counselor needs to be genuine and empathetic—in his or her communication, listening, and professional persona.
What are responding skills in counselling? ›Being encouraging, motivating, reassuring, coaxing, being challenging and praising all provide the client with a positive response to their comments. Asking questions, making statements and suggestions, offering solutions and informing also provide effective methods of good response.
What is counseling in your own words? ›Counseling is a collaborative effort between the counselor and client. Professional counselors help clients identify goals and potential solutions to problems which cause emotional turmoil; seek to improve communication and coping skills; strengthen self-esteem; and promote behavior change and optimal mental health.
What are the 6 methods of counseling? ›
Fortunately, almost all of the many individual theoretical models of counseling fall into one or more of six major theoretical categories: humanistic, cognitive, behavioral, psychoanalytic, constructionist and systemic.
How effective are core counselling skills in a helping relationship? ›Further to this, the application of the core counselling skills is effective when there is a change to where the client was and who they are now or after ending the helping relationship. This is measurable when the client's desired goal is achieved. Goal achievement is when the client feels fulfilled.
How do I write about my skills? ›Compare your skills to what employers want
Assess your ability in each skill as accurately as you can. Ask yourself if you have used this skill a little or a lot. For each skill, write a sentence showing how you've used that skill. Then write a sentence showing how you could use that skill in the job you would like.
I am a talented, ambitious and hardworking individual, with broad skills and experience in digital and printed marketing, social media and leading projects. Furthermore, I am adept at handling multiple tasks on a daily basis competently and at working well under pressure.
What are your skills interview questions and answers? ›- Tell me something about yourself.
- How did you hear about this position?
- Why do you want to work here?
- Why did you decide to apply for this position?
- What is your greatest strength?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- What do you know about this company/organization?
The five bedrock principles of autonomy, justice, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and fidelity are each vital in and of themselves to a healthy counseling relationship. By exploring an ethical dilemma with regard to these principles, a counselor may come to a better understanding of the conflicting issues.
What is self awareness in counselling? ›Self-awareness is having an objective knowledge about your strengths and areas in need of growth, within your personality. In a therapeutic session, this perspective allows the counselor to question his or her own thoughts, feelings, and biases.
How can self reflection improve counselling skills? ›Reflection can help the counselor trainee remember their counseling practices. The situation allows for the trainees to better understand themselves, are less likely to accentuate personal issues to their clients, and are more likely to treat the issues faced by their clients.
What are the qualities of effective counselor? ›- Be organized within your practice. ...
- Practice ethically and professionally. ...
- Educate yourself. ...
- Be confident in your position and responsibility. ...
- Be respectful and non-judgmental. ...
- Understand the importance of communication. ...
- Have a flexible attitude.
- Make Sure the Focus is on the Client. ...
- Walk the Line between Pushy and Coddling. ...
- Stay Confidential. ...
- Ask for Clarification. ...
- Practice Your Questions. ...
- Structure the Session.
What are the main principles of person centered approach in counselling? ›
These three key concepts in person-centred counselling are: Empathic understanding: the counsellor trying to understand the client's point of view. Congruence: the counsellor being a genuine person. Unconditional positive regard: the counsellor being non-judgemental.
How do you observe a client? ›When observing a client you will use your sense of sight, smell, hearing, and touch. Your eyes provide you with your sense of sight. Think about what you see and what it means. Observe for anything new or unusual.
What are observation skills in health and social care? ›What is Observation? Observation is constantly using sight, hearing, smell and touch combined with your knowledge of the older adult to monitor any changes to their health or social wellbeing. In a care home setting observation is often separated into objective and subjective observation.
Why is observation important in social work? ›Observing people in their environment, rather than just listening to what is being said, is an important way of gathering information in such circumstances. It can shed light on how people are living and the dynamics between them as well as confirm or contradict what has been said.
How do you write a client observation? ›- Physical, interpersonal, and psychological observations.
- General appearance.
- Affect & behavior.
- Nature of therapeutic relationship.
- Client's strengths.
- Client's mental status.
- Client's ability to participate in the session.
- Client's responses to the process.
The basic stages of counseling are: 1) Developing the client/clinician relationship; 2) Clarifying and assessing the presenting problem or situation; 3) Identifying and setting counseling or treatment goals; 4) Designing and implementing interventions; and 5) Planning, termination, and follow-up.
What is the most important stage of counseling and why? ›Opening: The initial portion of the counseling process is one of the most important because it provides both counselor and client the opportunity to get to know each other. It also allows the counselor to set the tone for the therapeutic relationship.
How do you start a counseling session with a client? ›- Greeting them warmly.
- Listening actively and asking questions.
- Facing them or turning toward them during the session to show your engagement.
- Letting them know that any nervousness or anxiety they feel about the first session is common.
The 4 main types of observation in sociology are participant observation, non-participant observation, covert observation, and overt observation.
What is good observation? ›A good observation must be factual, accurate and sufficiently detailed. Having a tablet in the room with you can really help you capture things as they happen with accurate details rather than relying on recall at the end of the day, once the children have left the setting.
What are the two ways of expressing observation? ›
In the scientific method, two types of observation exist: quantitative and qualitative.
What is an example of direct observation? ›Direct observation is when you watch interactions, processes, or behaviors as they occur; for example, observing a teacher teaching a lesson from a written curriculum to determine whether they are delivering it with fidelity.
What is observation and why is it important? ›Observation is more than simply noticing something. It involves perception (becoming aware of something by means of the senses) and the recognition of the subject's importance or significance. Standing on a roadside, our eyes tell us cars are quickly approaching.
What are the two types of observational skills? ›- Controlled Observations.
- Naturalistic Observations.
- Participant Observations.
- Be Clear & Concise. Therapy notes should be straight to the point but contain enough information to give others a clear picture of what transpired. ...
- Remain Professional. ...
- Write for Everyone. ...
- Use SOAP. ...
- Focus on Progress & Adjust as Necessary.
Clinical notes should be brief and factual, containing concise details of what was discussed in session, and not the personal opinions of the therapist. Any referrals or other action taken regarding the session should also be documented in this type of notes.
How do you write a counselling report? ›State the reason the client came to you, the highlights of your conversation, and the recommendations for a plan of action. Set a goal for the client and list the steps you recommend for treatment or follow-up sessions. Wrap up the report with your overall evaluation of the counseling session and sign the report.