Chapter 5

Question 1

Describe a therapeutic relationship

Answer 1

->Important component of effective counselling
—>client doesn’t feel comfy/safe = not going to open up
->The therapist as a person is a key part of the effectiveness of
therapeutic treatments
->Research shows that both the therapy relationship and the therapy used contribute to treatment outcome

Question 2

What are key factors in successful therapy?

Answer 2

1. the centrality of the person of the therapist
2. therapeutic relationship

->more so your relationship with the client then the techniques used
->clients perspective on relationship is what predicts success

Question 3

Describe an effective counsellor

Answer 3

->The most important instrument you have is YOU!
—>Your living example of who you are and how you struggle to live up to your
potential is powerful
->Be authentic
—>The stereotyped, professional role can be shed
—>If you hide behind your role, the client will also hide
->Be a therapeutic person
—>Be willing to grow, risk, care, and be involved

Question 4

Counselling is fundamentally…

Answer 4

…relational

->Differences exist among schools of psychotherapy:
—>The relationship itself
—>The relationship as a means to an end
—>The relationship as both a means and an end

Question 5

What is a working alliance?

Answer 5

->collaborative relationship with very defined boundaries
->A process that counsellors and clients work through together

Question 6

Components of a therapeutic alliance?

Answer 6

1. Task-based
   ->what do we set up to accomplish?
   ->how do we get there?
2. Relationship
   ->what do you need from me in this role?
   ->how can I be more supportive?

Question 7

How do you build rapport?

Answer 7

->first point of contact is SO important
->Goal is to make clients feel welcome, comfortable, and safe
->Genuine interest in and acceptance of the client
->Basic attending (how ur showing up for client) behaviors & client-observation skills
->*Establishing and maintaining rapport is necessary for disclosure of
information & initiation of change

Question 8

Describe the healing power of relationships

Answer 8

->Expression of trust and respect, creates safety
->The foundation for negotiating and accomplishing therapeutic tasks, managing ruptures in the relationship
->Facilitates the development of interpersonal skills
->Relational repair

Question 9

What factors influence the counselling process?

Answer 9

Impacts how long they’ll be in counselling for:
->Seriousness of the presenting problem
->Structure
->Initiative = motivation, do they have drive to be there/ready to do work?
->Physical setting = the space, look like doctors office? Aesthetic, wall color, couch vs plastic chair, pillows etc.
->Client qualities = cultural background, life events, personality, response to boundaries, level of openness
->Counsellor qualities = ego, how good with boundaries, comfy with silence, how you dress, biases

Question 10

Describe the art of listening

Answer 10

Listening with acceptance, no judgement:
->to verbal’s
->to non-verbal’s
->rhythm, tone
->what is not said

Question 11

What are ways we can be bad listeners?

Answer 11

1. Non-listening
2. Partial listening
3. Tape recorder
   ->parroting
4. Rehearsal
   ->in head rehearsing what you wanna say before you say it so you miss 1/2 of convo
   ->taking notes in convo
5. Non-verbal communication

Question 12

What factors are included in non-verbal communication?

Answer 12

->Bodily behavior
->eye behavior
->facial expression (smiling, furrowing brows, pursed lips)
->voice-related behaviors
->physiological responses (sweating, flushed face)
->space (be at eye level, move about room freely or in chair? where u r in relation to door?)
->appearance
->physical characteristics (size of individual ex 6’7)

Question 13

How do we ‘tune in’ to our client?

Answer 13

->use non-verbal skills to connect
->SOLER:
S – face the client squarely
O – adopt an open posture
L – lean toward the client
E – maintain eye contact
R – be relaxed

Question 14

Describe empathy and its components

Answer 14

->Dual processing: emotions and cognitions, understanding another’s
feelings and thoughts
Perspective taking: take on the viewpoint of another, suspend judgment
->Emotional dimension: experiencing another’s feelings
->Concern: going beyond thinking and feeling – to caring, having the
intent to try and mitigate their suffering

Question 15

Empathy vs Sympathy

Answer 15

Empathy
* Personal sense of the situation
* Experience becomes your own
* Understand other’s motives without requiring you to agree with them
->more likely to hit burnout

Sympathy
* Feel compassion for another’s situation
* Accept the reasons for another’s pain
* Behavior is viewed as valid

Question 16

What are the dimensions of empathy?

Answer 16

->Positive regard
->Respect and warmth
->Immediacy
->Nonjudgment
->Authentic, congruent

Question 17

What are some non-helpful behaviors in counselling?

Answer 17

->Advice giving
—>not our job to give advice
->Lecturing or preaching
—>form of advice giving (‘do you know how bad smoking is for your health’)
->Excessive questioning
—>shuts people down or they get defensive
->Storytelling by the counsellor
->phone going off
->getting interrupted

Question 18

Goal setting…

Answer 18

->Provides direction and structure (road map)
->Mutually agreed on by client and counsellor
->Revisited throughout the counselling process

Question 19

What are SMART goals?

Answer 19

S - specific
M - measurable
A - achievable
R –realistic
T – timely

->the smallest goal can lead to big changes in someone’s life