Introduction to Counselling

Question 1

What is counselling?

Answer 1

1. A process to enhance one’s psychological well-being
2. address psychological problems by helping client clarify their issues, develop options and increase self-awareness

Question 2

What was it a reaction to? What are the characteristics and examples?

What is the first wave of counselling?

Answer 2

1. Developed in the 19th century
2. A reaction to how treatment of psychological problems was overly medical
3. Psychoanalytic theory (Signmund Freud, Carl Jung)
4. Making the unconscious conscious

Question 3

What was it a reaction to? What are the characteristics and examples?

What is the second wave of counselling?

Answer 3

1. A reaction to how the first wave was “unscientific” or unmeasurable
2. Behaviour theory (Skinner) and CBT
3. Belief that the therapist is the expert and problems are a result of maladaptive behaviours

Question 4

What was it a reaction to? What are the characteristics and examples?

What is the third wave of counselling?

Answer 4

1. A reaction to how the therapist is the ‘expert’
2. Deep belief that client is the expert of their lives
3. Person-centered therapy (Carl Rogers)
4. Humanistic therapy characterised by unconditional positive regard, congruence of the therapist and empathy

Question 5

What was it a reaction to? What are the characteristics and examples?

What is the fourth wave of counselling?

Answer 5

1. A reaction to how individuals are the etiology (cause) of problems
2. Deep belief that the systems in which the person is localised in is the target of change
3. Examines interpersonal dynamics in subsystems and relationships (Satir)
4. Family Systems Theory (Minuchin, Bowen, Haley)

Question 6

What was it a reaction to? What are the characteristics and examples?

What is the fifth wave of counselling?

Answer 6

1. Integration of theories from previous waves
2. Choice theory, narrative therapy, solution-focused brief therapy

Question 7

What does the micro level of counselling skills entail?

Answer 7

attending/observing, paraphrasing, clarifying, elaborating, summarising

Question 8

What does the macro level of counselling skills entail?

Answer 8

Deliberate use of different microskills in certain sequences or combination

Question 9

What does the advance level of counselling entail?

Answer 9

1. Theorectically anchored
2. change-focused
3. skilled in oscillating between the content and process

Question 10

Content involves getting the context of what happened

What are examples of content questions?

Answer 10

“what is happening to you?” “who said what” “when did this happen?” “who else was there” “how did you cope with it”

Question 11

Process focuses on the person and their internal experience

What are examples of process questions?

Answer 11

“when your father caned you, how did you feel as his child” “what do you need to help you let go of this relationship” “what do you yearn for in your relationship with your husband” “is it ok to you that your father hits you”

Question 12

What qualities must a good counsellor possess?

Answer 12

1.empathy
2. patience
3. genuine curiosity
4. good listening skills
5. ability to remain calm
6. embraces different cultures
7. metacognition: sharp awareness of what is happening within us
8. congruence: being authentic in the profession
9. willingness to challenge others