chapter 3 (process, skills, and pitfalls of counselling) Flashcards
counselling
empowerment process of helping clients to learn skills, deal with feelings, increase insight, and manage problems.
interviewing
acquiring and organizing relevant information using active listening skills, including attending, silence, paraphrasing, summarizing, questioning, and empathy
psychotherapy
advanced counselling targeting severe emotional or behavioural difficulties or disorders.
diversity
variations in terms of lifestyle, culture, behaviour, sexual orientation, age, ability, religion, and other factors.
versatility
the need for counsellors to develop a broad range of skills so they can adapt their approach to fit the distinctive complexities of each individual and context.
skill and strategy clusters
categories of skills and strategies based on their intended purpose or helping activity
relationship-building skills and strategies
tools for engaging clients and developing trust
core conditions
warmth, empathy, positive regard, and genuineness
congruence
the capacity to be real and consistent with clients; matching behaviour, feelings, and actions
genuineness
measure of how authentic or real someone is in a relationship
empathy
the process of accurately understanding the emotional perspective of another person and the communication of this understanding without imposing one’s own feelings or reactions
positive regard
the ability of counsellors to recognize the inherent worth of people
active listening
a term describing a cluster of skills that are used to increase the accuracy of understanding. attending, using silence, paraphrasing, summarizing, questioning, and showing empathy are the basic skills of active listening.
attending
term used to describe the way that counsellors communicate to their clients that they are ready, willing, and able to listen. verbal, nonverbal, and attitudinal cues are the essence of effective attending.
silence
tool used in counselling when the client is thinking, the client is confused and unsure of what to say or do, or the client has encountered painful feelings. because it is culturally defined, silence can also signal trust issues or closure.
paraphrasing
nonjudgmental restatement of the client;s words and ideas in the counsellor’s own words.
summarizing
a way of condensing content
questioning
active listening skill that involves probing for information to confirm understanding and seek clarification
relationship contracting
negotiating the intended purpose of the counselling relationship, including agreeing on the expected roles of both counsellor and client.
sessional contracting
agreement between counsellor and client regarding the topic and expected outcomes of an interview or session
anticipatory contracting
agreement between counsellor and client that plans for predictable events. guidance for counsellors and answers the question: what should i do if…?
immediacy
tool for exploring, evaluating, and deepening counselling relationships
exploring and probing skills
skills counsellors use to gather information, clarify definitions, seek examples, and obtain necessary detail.
directives
short statements that provide direction to clients on topics, information, and pace (ex: tell me more).
simple encouragers
short phrases and gestures such as “tell me more,” “go on,” and head nodding that encourages clients to continue with their stories.
counsellor self-disclosure
disclosure of personal opinions, feelings, or anecdotes by counsellors. can be a useful tool that models appropriate sharing, and it ,ight normalize the client’s feelings or experience. counsellor self-disclosure should be used sparingly, solely to meet the needs of clients in a way that does not shift the focus to the counsellor.
humour
counselling tool that when used appropriately and well-timed, may support the development of the relationship, reduce tension, a courage clients to take a lighter view of their problems, or provide an alternative perspective on their situation.
empowering skills
skills used to help clients mobilize confidence, self-esteem, and control over their lives.
strengths approach
a counselling perspective that assumes the inherent capacity of people. individuals and communities are seen to have assets ad resources that can be mobilized for problem-solving.
challenging skills
skills used to encourage clients to critically evaluate their behaviour and ideas
confrontation
counselling initiatives that challenge clients to critically examine their actions and/or consider other viewpoints
self-awareness
the process of becoming alert and knowledgeable about one’s own way of thinking, acting, and feeling.
action planning
helping clients make changes in their lives; involves setting goals, identifying strategies for change, and developing plans for reaching goals.
phases of counselling
preliminary, beginning, action, ending
catharsis
an emotional release of feelings about past or current events that results in a powerful release of pent-up feelings such as anxiety or anger.
pseudo-counselling (the illusion of work)
a process in which the worker and the client engage in a conversation that is empty and has no real meaning. this counselling involves irrelevant exploration of issues, use of cliches and patronizing platitudes, intellectual exploration of issues, and avoidance of subjects or feelings that involve pain in favour of “safe”topics.
rescuing (band-aiding)
involves a counsellor’s actions that prevent or protect clients from dealing with issues or feelings. rescuing arises from the counsellor’s need to avoid tension and keep the session cheerful.
