Basics Personal Counselling

Question 1

What is counselling?

Answer 1

Helping people through who are going through physical or emotional crises using verbal, non-verbal, and relationship skills to feel better and gain new behaviours or ways of thinking.

Question 2

What are some of the common reasons for counselling?

Answer 2

either issue with relationships or developmental life change ie getting married, midlife, children, work.

Question 3

Describe peeling back the layers?

Answer 3

The metaphor illustrates the way a person discloses information. 1. the outer layer represents a polite and safe conversation, inner layers are increasingly personal and risky topics.

Question 4

What is the counseling relationship?

Answer 4

The connection between the counsellor and person.

Question 5

Trust can be formed by…

Answer 5

• welcoming and safe environment
• reputable agency
• qualifications and experience

Question 6

What are the purposes and goals of counselling?

Answer 6

to help clients feel better (short term) overall goal is to change behaviours.

Question 7

What is the perspective of the client?

Answer 7

Expect direct advice to tell them what to do, however, in most cases, direct advice is not helpful. Encouraging self-reliance is more useful.

Question 8

What are the dangers of giving advice?

Answer 8

Human Beings are resistant to advise.
counterproductive - if advice is inappropriate the counsellor has done the client a disservice.
In contrast, if positive outcomes, there may be negative consequences in the long term. Instead of working things out for themselves, a counselor must be involved in major decisions.

Question 9

What is the counsellor’s perspective?

Answer 9

Goal setting. Short-term goals help client feel better, long term help the client to be more confident and self-sufficient to deal with future decisions. Promote enduring long-term change.

Question 10

Counsellors do not

Answer 10

problem-solve and do not seek short-term solutions without long-term gain.

Question 11

What is a mismatch of expectations?

Answer 11

Mismatch of expectations between the counsellor and client which can relate to confidentiality and specific goals, the counselling process.

Question 12

What is a counselling contract?

Answer 12

A mutual agreement regarding issues such as what the client will and will not discuss, number of sessions, confidentiality, general and specific goals etc.

Question 13

Learning summary

Answer 13

Most people seek counselling only when they encounter a physical or emotional crisis.
• A central feature of counselling is the relationship. • A counsellor’s motivation inevitably influences their effectiveness.
• Expectations of the person seeking help may differ from those of the counsellor.
• Counsellors generally try to empower people seeking help so that they can become self-sufficient and discover their own solutions rather than be dependent on someone else’s advice.
• Goals of the counselling process include working with the person seeking help to enable them to discover solutions and to change their thinking and behaviours, thus empowering them to become self-sufficient and to feel better.

Question 14

The success of the counselling relationship is dependent on

Answer 14

the personality, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours of the counsellor.

Question 15

Carl Roger’s approach is called

Answer 15

person-centered counselling (person-to-person counselling)

Question 16

The person is

Answer 16

respected and valued.

Question 17

Carl Rogers - an effective relationship involves three things

Answer 17

Congruence, empathy, and unconditional regard.

Question 18

David Howe (1999) desirable counsellor qualities and characteristics as including;

Answer 18

being warm
supportive
attentive
empathic
understanding
clarificatory
helpful
purposive
involved
collaborative
sensitive
good rapport.

Question 19

Egan and Reese (2018). A good relationship alone is not necessarily sufficient. There also needs to be:

Answer 19

a level of skill, an active, methodological, pragmatic approach.

Question 20

The integrative approach involves:

Answer 20

congruent
empathic, warm
sensitive with good rapport non-judgemental with unconditional positive regard attentive, understanding, and supportive
collaborative and respectful of the person’s competence
proficient in using counselling skills purposefully.

Question 21

Congruent involves…

Answer 21

being genuinely yourself. explore those things that they choose to explore and be warm, open, friendly, concerned, caring, real, and genuine.

Question 22

Empathy involves

Answer 22

walking alongside the person seeking help

Question 23

Describe unconditional positive regard?

Answer 23

Accepting the person completely and in a non-judgemental way.

Question 24

In achieving unconditional positive regard it helps to try to …

Answer 24

1. see the world through their eyes
2. better understand their motivations and be more accepting of their behaviours.
3. Realise that most people are doing the best that they can.

Question 25

Difficult to provide unconditional positive regard unless we are clear about

Answer 25

who we are and what our own values are. Through understanding ourselves, we are less threatened by views opposed to our own.

Question 26

How can a counsellor be active?

Answer 26

Attentive listening and demonstrate that you have understood what is being said.

Question 27

Learning summary

Answer 27

• Important qualities in a counsellor include congruence, empathy, warmth, sensitivity, rapport, unconditional positive regard, being active, attentive, understanding, supportive, having respect for the competence of the person seeking help and being proficient in the use of counselling skills.
• Congruence means being genuine, integrated and a whole person.
• Being empathic means joining with the person so that there is a feeling of togetherness.
• Unconditional positive regard involves accepting the person non-judgementally as someone of value, regardless of strengths and weaknesses.
• Counselling is usually a serious process but can legitimately involve humour.

Question 28

Conflicting values and beliefs

Answer 28

We have no right to try to impose our values onto those who seek our help.
However, we believe that there are times when it is appropriate for us, as counsellors, to be open about our values in order to be congruent

Question 29

What does it mean to introject?

Answer 29

When we accept the values and beliefs without question of those important in our lives. As we grow, we modify our beliefs.

Question 30

Values and beliefs are also influenced by

Answer 30

contemporary culture and cultural beliefs of the society and family we grow up in.

Question 31

What to do if there is a conflict?

Answer 31

Recognise it by noticing your emotions rising, body tensing, or any other signs of arousal. If you determine that your values are being challenged and you are in disagreement with the client. You need to decide if you can put your feelings to one side or not. If not, you should be open with your client and let them know your position so that they can either stay with you or speak to a different counsellor.

Question 32

If you are able to put your feelings to the side and imagine the other person’s worldview or perspective without your own values intruding then

Answer 32

your counselling is likely to be more effective.

Question 33

Supervision is an ethical responsibility not only in training but

Answer 33

throughout the professional career.

Question 34

Whenever there is values conflict what should you do in the first instance

Answer 34

discuss with your supervisor.

Question 35

Learning summary

Answer 35

• It is important for counsellors to know their own beliefs and values so that: » they can respect the values of the people who seek help » they are not distracted during counselling by trying to sort out their own values.
• Counsellors have no right to try to impose their own beliefs or values on the people who seek their help.
• Whenever a values conflict interferes with your work, consult your supervisor.

Question 36

Trust is the fundamental building block in…

Answer 36

a counselling relationship

Question 37

Being non judgemental does not mean you have to accept a clients values and beliefs rather

Answer 37

you accept them as they are.

Question 38

A counsellor should not impose their…

Answer 38

own values and beliefs on their client.

Question 39

Carl Roger’s person entered therapy believes that

Answer 39

people have the ability within themselves to find solutions.

Question 40

Trust is the fundamental building block in …

Answer 40

a counselling relationship