Counselling skills 101

Question 1

Attending

Answer 1

Giving the client your full attention to what they are saying and doing while valuing them as a worthy indivdual

Question 2

Silence

Answer 2

Sitting in silence to allow the client to gather thoughts. Gives the client control of content, pace and objectives. Listening to silences as well as words

Question 3

Reflecting and parahphrasing

Answer 3

Art of listening- client feels heard
Repeating and feeding a shorter version back to client

Question 4

Clarifying and use of questions

Answer 4

Open questions to clarify my understanding of what the client is feeling

Do not use leading questions

Question 5

Focusing

Answer 5

Focusing on the important issues rather than everything

Question 6

Building rapport

Answer 6

Sense of connection with the client-building a therapeutic alliance

Question 7

Summarising

Answer 7

Longer paraphrasing- summing up the most important parts/themes of what the client is saying and feeling

Question 8

Immediacy

Answer 8

Letting the client know how i feel about what they have said- it focuses on the client-counsellor relationship in real time to challenge defensiveness and or heighten awareness

Does not always land

Question 9

Counselling skills

Answer 9

THE ART OF LISTENING