Miscellaneous Terms

Question 1

dynamic sizing

Answer 1

Determining whether a particular cultural characteristic “fits” for an individual member of that culture

–> looking at an individual’s culture from a more curious lens rather than a prescriptive one
–> considers the role of culture but does not generalize and is not overly stereotypical

Question 2

listening focus

Answer 2

intentionality about what to reflect back to the client; your ___ ___ influences what you hear when your clients talk
–> depends on your theoretical orientation (e.g., will notice patterns of interaction if systems focused vs. thought patterns if CBT)

Question 3

cultural humility

Answer 3

process-oriented approach that recognizes that learning others’ cultures is an infinite learning process and that everyone is a complex, multifaceted human being

–>we are life-long learners who must critically reflect and constantly self-evaluate

Question 4

closed questions

Answer 4

Directive listening skill - questions that can be answered with a yes or no response

–> can reduce/control how much clients talk
–> useful if you want to solicit specific info
–> usually start with do, does, is, was, are

Question 5

open questions

Answer 5

Directive listening skill - questions that begin with “how” and “what” that tend to elicit the most elaborate responses from clients.

e.g., “What was it like for you?”

Question 6

swing questions

Answer 6

Directive listening skill - questions that can function as either closed or open questions. As in, it can either be answered with a yes or no, but it also invites a more elaborate discussion of feelings, thoughts, or issues.

–> usually begin with could, would, can, or will
–> avoid using with children and adolescents because often interpreted concretely
–> e.g., Can you tell me more about what happened?

Question 7

indirect/implied questions

Answer 7

Directive listening skill - gentle, noncoercive type of question used when therapists do not want to directly ask or pressure clients to respond

–> usually begins with “I wonder” “You must” or “it must’
–> e.g., “I’m curious if…” or “Tell me about…” or “I’d like to hear about…”

Question 8

projective questions

Answer 8

used to ask clients to imagine particular scenarios and help them identify, explore, and clarify unconscious or unarticulated conflicts, values, thoughts, and feelings

–> usually begin with a form of “what if” and invite client speculation
–> can be used to trigger mental imagery and help clients explore thoughts, feelings, and behaviors they might have if they were in a particular situation
–> e.g., “What if you could go back and change (significant life event)? What would you do differently?”

Question 9

ethical bracketing

Answer 9

the intentional separating of a counselor’s personal values from his/her professional values or the intentional setting aside of the counselor’s personal values in order to provide ethical and appropriate counseling to all clients.

–> recommended as a method counselors can use to set aside their personal values and remain helpful to diverse clients

Question 10

emotion

Answer 10

an umbrella term denoting the subjective experience arising from appraisal of external stimulus –> it is subjective because we all have a different physiological response based on our lived experience, emotional regulation, coping skills, etc.

included in this umbrella are affect and mood

Question 11

affect

Answer 11

external/observable expression of current emotional state; not what is reported but what is represented/expressed

Question 12

mood

Answer 12

internal perception (client’s subjective report) of their prevailing emotional state; longer duration than affect; what is reported/experienced rather than expressed

Question 13

primary emotion

Answer 13

specific, core emotion that is underlying the emotion that actually gets expressed

e.g., women socialized not to be angry/anger is unacceptable –> primary: anger, secondary: sadness (behavior = tears)

Question 14

secondary emotion

Answer 14

the emotion that actually gets expressed because it is easier to access or more acceptable to express
(e.g., men socialized not to cry –> primary: sadness, secondary: anger)

Question 15

deamplification

Answer 15

-express less than actually felt –> expression of emotion, but with less intensity than actually felt
-partial suppression or constriction of emotion
-e.g., feel rage at work over a colleague’s mistake that cost you an account; you express irritation as a less intense form of anger appropriate to the workplace

Question 16

amplification

Answer 16

-express more than actually felt –> expression of emotion, but with more intensity than actually felt
-magnification or exaggeration of emotional expression
-e.g., ambivalent about friend’s engagement but express ecstatic reaction at her announcement in front of your mutually ecstatic friends

Question 17

qualification

Answer 17

Show emotion but with another emotion to comment on it

–>expression of emotion that exposes vulnerability, then use explanation to qualify the reaction (e.g., angry at partner for forgetting birthday, and express anger by explaining “I’m not angry, I’m just really busy right now).
–> expression of emotion that is not considered appropriate or desirable in that context, then use explanation to qualify the reaction (e.g., sadness expressed as crying at work –> qualify with smile and explain, I’m not upset, I’ll be fine).

Question 18

masking

Answer 18

mask or conceal feelings
-conceal actual emotion that is felt by expressing a completely different emotion (e.g., fear of public speaking is concealed by laughter, which is an expression of joy)
-mask expression of an underlying emotion that could expose vulnerability that is outside awareness (e.g., anger expressed to hide pain or betrayal; masks feelings of being distraught)

Question 19

simulation

Answer 19

show emotion when not felt; express emotion that is not felt at all –> to not express emotional response would violate cultural norms
e.g., feign surprise at your surprise birthday party that was not actually a surprise

Question 20

Level 1 - Low Empathy (Carkhuff, 1969)

Answer 20

Pure reflection of content - reflection focuses on the content or intellectual part of the client’s message, not adding any interpretation or making any big leaps.

e.g., “You think your daughter made the wrong decision.”

Question 21

Level 2 - Some Empathy (Carkhuff, 1969)

Answer 21

Some empathy expressed but some aspects of emotional experience ignored or missed - rephrasing the content with a slight shift in perspective.

–> reflection of content, not emotion
–> e.g., “You don’t like your daughter’s decision.”

Question 22

Level 3 - Basic Empathy (Carkhuff, 1969)

Answer 22

Reflection of affect; reflects client emotion back at the same level that the client expressed it (often the secondary emotion or the one that is most accessible).

–> what the client is overtly expressing, not going deeper and giving an interpretation
–> e.g., “You’re angered by your daughter’s decision.”

Question 23

Level 4 - Deepened Empathy (Carkhuff, 1969)

Answer 23

Reflects back client emotion at a slightly deeper level than the client expressed, providing an enhanced understanding of the client’s internal process.

–> more specific reflection of affect, more emotional granularity
–> identifying more clearly the client’s emotion - giving them lang to describe their emotions or clarifying their emotions
–> e.g., “It sounds as though you are very disappointed and embarrassed by your daughter’s decision.”

Question 24

Level 5 - Significant Empathy (Carkhuff, 1969)

Answer 24

Reflection significantly expands and deepens your understanding of client’s internal process by identifying subtle emotions not expressed.

–> interpretation of emotion getting at the source of the emotion
–> getting this wrong may rupture the therapeutic process
–> getting it right might give an “a-ha” moment for the client
–> e.g., “It sounds as though you feel betrayed yet also guilty about your daughter’s decision.”