CHCCSL501A Work within a structured counselling framework

# 4 : Counsellors’ Qualities & Skills

Lesson Outline

• What attracted you to counselling?

• Characteristics you need to develop to become an effective counsellor

• Counsellors’ personal challenges

Becoming a Counsellor

What attracted you to counselling ?

What attracts people to the field of counselling?

Counselling is a profession that attracts people who have developed an understanding of themselves, who practise a high level of empathy and have the basic desire to help others.

http://www.thecounsellorsguide.co.uk/counselling-do-you-have-what-takes.html

What attracts people to the field of counselling?

As counselling is one of the caring professions, warmth and social skills are critical for building relationships with people from all walks of life. Ivey, A.E. & Ivey, M.B. (2010)

Self reflection activity: To become a counsellor, we need to become aware of our strengths as helpers/

Write down the following:When have you helped someone? Be specificWhat did you do that helped that person?What strengths do you have that will enable you to

become good at counselling & interviewing skills?

Personal characteristics of effective Counsellors

Empathyem·pa·thy [em-puh-thee] noun 1. the intellectual identification with or vicarious

experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another

http://thesaurus.com/browse

People often confuse the words empathy & sympathy:Empathy refers to the ability to understand and share

the feelings of another; caring without taking on the issuepersonally

Sympathy refers to feelings of pity andsorrow for someone else’s misfortune

http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/empathy?q=empathy

Personal characteristics of effective Counsellors

Congruence

con·gru·ence [kong-groo-uh ns] noun 1. the quality or state of agreeing or

corresponding

http://thesaurus.com/browse

Agreement or harmony, compatibility http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/empathy?q=empathy

Personal characteristics of effective Counsellors

Unconditional Positive Regard Unconditional positive regard is an important part of the

non-directive, client-centered therapy created by humanist psychologist Carl Rogers. It involves showing complete support and acceptance of a person no matter what they say or do. This is an attitude of grace, an attitude that values us even knowing our ailings. It is a profound relief to drop our pretenses, confess our worst feelings, and discover we are still accepted. As with a good marriage, a close family or an intimate friendship, we are free to be spontaneous without fearing the loss of another's esteem http://thesaurus.com/browse

Youtube video: CARL ROGERS AND GLORIA COUNSELLING PT 2http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m30jsZx_NgsAs you watch, observe Roger’s skills using the Person Centred

Therapy Observation Handout

Personal characteristics of effective Counsellors

Concreteness

con·crete [kon-kreet, kong] adjective, noun, verbPertaining to or concerned with realities or actual instances rather than abstractions; particular (opposed to general): concrete ideas.

http://thesaurus.com/browse

Concreteness is an aspect of communication that means being specific, definite, and vivid rather than vague or general.

Concrete communication uses specific facts and figures. Concreteness contributes to effective communication.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concreteness

Personal characteristics of effective Counsellors

Some other personal traits of the counsellor have been found to be very important. The Association of Counsellor Education and Supervision (USA) indicated that the Counsellor should have six basic qualities:

1. belief in each individual2. commitment to individual human values3. alertness to the world4. open mindedness5. understanding of self6. professional commitment George, R. L. & Cristiani, T. S. (1995)

Youtube video: Qualities needed to be a Psychotherapist or Counsellor! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8UN4i7u7Ec

Personal values in Counselling

Among the most significant values a counsellor can possess to drive them to be a skilled helper are:

Respect

The all encompassing driver ofthe counselling relationship

MoralsA conviction to act ethically

to follow the golden rule to do no harmEgan, G. (2010)

Overall skills required in Counselling

• Empathy• Rapport• Active listening• Respectful responding• Well timed challenging• Attention to the counselling relationship• Contracting appropriate to context• Be non-judgemental• Manage own values so they do not impede effective

work• Self care to manage the stress of the work• Professional development

Overall skills required in Counselling

• Ability to work within the counselling framework eg. Implement the model of counselling and intervention

• Ability to apply policies, principles & procedures to secure and maintain confidentiality including note-taking, record and log keeping and identity protection

• Youtube videos & Role Play Handout:1. Counselling Skills Lecture 3 Rapporthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRGWhR9L5-Q

2. CARL ROGERS AND GLORIA COUNSELLING - PT 3http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX_Y3zUPzEo

Counsellors’ personal challenges

The nature of counselling is often challenging especially when therapists are just beginning.

•Dealing with counsellors own anxieties

Corey, G. (2009)

Counsellors’ personal challenges

• Being ourselves and disclosing our experience

Aim to create genuineness by being oneselfAvoid going to the two possible extremes:a) Hiding behind a façade where you are anonymous to

the clientb) Revealing too much either about your impression of

the client too soon, or about your own life

Counsellors’ personal challenges

•Productive self disclosure involves immediacy

‘The skill of immediacy involves revealing what we are thinking or feeling in the here and now with the client, but be careful to avoid pronouncing judgments on the client’

Corey, G. (2009)

Counsellors’ personal challenges

•Avoiding perfectionism

You will make some mistakes!

Counsellors’ personal challenges

•Being honest about our limitations

Counsellors’ personal challenges

•Understanding silenceSilent moments during a therapeutic session may seem

like silent hours to a beginning therapist

Silence can have many meanings

Counsellors’ personal challenges

•Dealing with demands from clients

One way of heading off these demands is to make your expectations and boundaries clear during the initial counselling sessions or in the disclosure statement

Corey, G. 2009

Counsellors’ personal challenges

•Dealing with clients who lack commitment

Counsellors who omit preparation and do not address clients’ thoughts and feelings about coming to counseling are likely to encounter resistance

Corey, G. 2009

Counsellors’ personal challenges

• Tolerating ambiguity

Counsellors’ personal challenges

•Avoiding losing ourselves in our clients

Counsellors’ personal challenges

•Developing a sense of humour

Counsellors’ personal challenges

• Sharing responsibility with the client

Find an optimum balance between: a) Mistakenly taking full responsibility for the outcomes of

therapy andb) Not taking enough responsibility for accurately assessing

clients’ needs and designing appropriate treatments

Counsellors’ personal challenges

“Perhaps the best measure of our effectiveness as counsellors is the degree to which clients are able to say to us, “I appreciate what you have been to me, and because of your faith in me, and what you have taught me, I am confident I can go it alone.”

Corey, G 2009, p 32

Counsellors’ personal challenges

•Declining to give advice

‘Our task is to help clients make independent choices and accept the consequences of their choices.’

Corey, G 2009, p32

Counsellors’ personal challenges

•Defining your role as a counsellor

Your role may alter depending on:• The population you work with• Actual therapeutic services you or your workplace

provides• The particular stage of counselling

Counsellors’ personal challenges

• Learning to use techniques appropriately

Counsellors’ personal challenges

•Developing your own counselling style

‘Be aware of the tendency to copy the style of a supervisor, therapist or some other model. There is no one way to conduct therapy, & wide variations in approach can be effective.’

Corey, G 2009, p 33

Counsellors’ personal challenges

• Staying vital as a person and as a professional

‘Ultimately, your single most important instrument is the person you are, and your most powerful technique is your ability to model aliveness and realness.’

Corey, G. 2009, p33.

References

Abuse findings questioned , online video, accessed 5 June, 2012.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4hJzhXvKUs

American Counseling Association (1997) http://www.ccacc.ca/_documents/NotebookEthicsce%20for%20Counsellors.pdf

Australian Government, Australian Institute of Family Studies (2010) Mandatory Reporting http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/pubs/sheets/rs3/rs3.html#top Site last updated: 3rd Jan 2012

Carl Rogers & Gloria Counselling part 2, online video. Accessed 3 June, 2012.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m30jsZx_NgsCarl Rogers & Gloria counselling, Part 3, online video, accessed 4 June, 2012.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX_Y3zUPzEo

Carl Rogers on Conditioning.wmv, online video, accessed 6 June, 2012.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qngwdy1DnDYCorey, G. (2009) Theory and Practice of Counselling and Psychotherapy 8th ed. Brooks/Cole

Cengage Learning, CaliforniaCorey, G., Corey, M.S. & Callanan, P. (2011) Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions, 8th ed.

Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning, CaliforniaCounselling Modalities - Martin Hunter-Jones & Lyndall Briggs Pt 3/5 'Conversations With Robyn’,

online video, accessed 5 June, 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYvfb5KsyRU

References

Counselling Skills: a Five Minute Training Course from Richard Barton, online video, accessed 4 June, 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9RuMujWhXY&feature=fvwrel

Counselling Skills Lecture 3 Rapport, online video, accessed 6 June, 2012.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRGWhR9L5-QEgan, G. ( 2010) The Skilled Helper 9th ed. Brooks/Cole, CaliforniaGeorge, R. L. & Cristiani, T. S. (1995) Counselling Theory and Practice Allyn and Bacon,

Boston

How To Understand Psychodynamic Theory, online video, accessed 4 June, 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUdazWZTZp8&feature=related

Ivey, A.E., Ivey, M.B. & Zalaquett,C.P. (2010) Intentional Interviewing and Counselling, Facilitating Client Development in a Multicultural Society 7th ed. Brooks Cole, California

Pelling N., Bowers R. & Armstrong, P (2007)The Practice of Counselling. ThomsonQualities needed to be a Psychotherapist or Counsellor! , online video, accessed 8 June,

2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8UN4i7u7Ec

References

Sheehy, A. (2004-2012) What Is Counselling http://www.andrea-sheehy.com/whatiscounselling.htm Site last updated: 1st Jan 2012

Summary of Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory , online video, accessed 3 June, 2012http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFNU-RHTMO0The Counselling Process, online video, accessed 5 june, 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qOCCvreTaI&list=UUSnEXvOOpzPkB01mvlUl-2g&index=8&feature=plcpThe Little Albert Experiment, online video, accessed 5 June, 2012.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hBfnXACsOI&feature=relatedWhat is Counselling? Brisbane Counsellor at Integrating Awareness Counselling in

Brisbane explains, online video, accessed June 4, 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYeofRNEDjgWhat is Modernism/Postmodernism? , online video, accessed 3 June, 2012 .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ehh1b6kNWA&feature=related