module 1 Introduction

Question 1

define key terms that you will come across in the unit

Answer 1

DEFINITIONS;
Helping; most general term for any kind of personal assistance
Guidance-helping, where issues are primarily those of decisions/choices
Advising-form of helping, where client is receptive to input from counsellor.
Psychotherapy-form of helping, where focus is on remedying a chronic psychological distress.
Psychoanalysis-form of regular long -term therapy, based on a Freudian approach.
Counselling-a purposeful conversation aimed at helping an individual/couple/family to manage life more effectively.
FIVE LEVELS OF COUNSELLING;
1. Friends and family.
2.Incidental contacts eg hairdresser, butcher etc
3.Minimally trained eg police, priest
4.Moderately trained eg most psychologists, social workers, psychiatrist, occupational therapist.
5.Specialist counselling psychologists, some psychiatrists and psychotherapists.
Enhancement Counselling-deeper form of counselling. Aim to deepen client’s awareness and understanding and gain widsom re life.

Question 2

discuss your values and the place they have in your actions as a counsellor

Answer 2

My values are honesty, owning mistakes, “live and let live”, not turning to drugs or alcohol, earning my way, egalitarian, supporting those with less but only when they are genuine and not just “rorting” or being slack, atheist.
I recognise that my values are not necessarily those of others. I think I can have empathy for those who have gone down the path of substance abuse but that is an area I will struggle with, especially if they have not turned around.

Question 3

recognise when your values are influencing your decisions in a professional counselling context

Answer 3

3

Question 4

describe reconciliation actions from each of the four priority areas that the psychology profession is committed to in the Australian Psychological Society (APS) Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

Answer 4

1. Education and Employment: recruitment of Indigenous students, mentoring them, employing Indigenous graduates within APS.
2. Respectful Relationships:learning and observing cultural protocols, building relations with cultural groups,
   3.Governance:Indigenous representation within APS.
   4.Cultural Competence: having Indigenous awareness in graduate courses, using ethical guidelines, utilising Indigenous resources.

Question 5

Functional behaviour

Answer 5

many people have a range of behaviours which are normal to them but may not be helpful. Functional Behaviour aims to replace dysfunctional behavior, and in so doing, open the pathway to growth , improved problem solving and better ability to cope with life’s stressors.

Question 6

Essentialism

Answer 6

Philosophical position that humans are by nature, rational. The goal of education is reason. Produces problem solvers and analysers searching for patterns in life.Focus on teaching.

Question 7

Progressivism

Answer 7

Philosophical position primarily concerned with”What will work?” Knowledge is based on experimental results. Logical and lawful relationships are sought. Focus on the learner discovering. (learn by doing).

Question 8

Existentialism

Answer 8

Philosophical position that life’s meaning is determined by the individual, not by the event or environment. Values are individually determined and experiences are subjective as opposed to lawful or predictable. Emphasis is on individual responsibility and individual choice.

Question 9

Postmodernism

Answer 9

Philosophical position posing “What is real?” Which is more important?-the client’s reality or an external reality to which the client should adjust. One can never know reality outside oneself. Reality gains meaning through one’s personal perspective. Involves both disciplined learning and self-driven problem-solving learning.

Question 10

Theory;
Personality theory;
Counselling theory;

Answer 10

A Theory attempts to explain how something works.
Peronality Theory attempts to explain how peronality emerges/develops both normally, and in dysfunction.
Counselling Theory offers explanation for how such dysfunction, which arisen, might be treated or resolved.

Question 11

Eclectic approach
Integrative approach

Answer 11

No single Counselling Theory will meet the needs of every client. Thus, blending or theories is standard practice.
The Eclectic approach is where the counsellor is expert at practicing many counselling theories, and is able to select which to use at will, based on client needs. Requires high level of training and experience.
The Integrative approach is where the counsellor is expert at a central position, but, when required is able to utilise other theories as required.

Question 12

seven common factors of counselling

Answer 12

Despite counselling drawing from different theories or approaches, there are commonalities:
1. Respond to feelings/thoughts/context of the client. Ability to helpfully engage such that can elicit client’s thoughts and feelings.
2. Accept where client is coming from even if have different personal evaluations. Client needs you to understand them as they are currently before can consider who they might become.
3.Counselling is a multicultural experience.
4. Conform to all ethical mandates eg adhere to confdentiality, privacy, professional relationship, avoid multiple client relationships, receive adequate supervision, client provides informed consent etc.
5. Client must “buy-in” to concept for counselling to be effective. May not coerce but may need to work to gain client’s belief especially if have come to counselling because mandated. Client does have a right not to commit to counselling.
6. Usually keep details of counsellor’s own life, private.
7. Must have great awareness of verbal and non verbal communications.

Question 13

Why is counselling viewed as multi-cultural?

Answer 13

Culture may be shared beliefs, values, customs,attitudes. Most people have many different “cultures” that they claim membership of (eg ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, fashion style, hobbies, perspective (eg “geek” etc). Thus, counselling may encounter any of these cultures from a client, and so counselling is multi-cultural.
The greater the value of a particular culture to a client, the more important it is that it is understood/accepted by the counsellor.

Question 14

What is Cultural Encapsulation?

Answer 14

A rigid view whereby reality is defined by one’s own set of values without allowing for other perspectives. The enemy of effective counselling!

Question 15

Outcomes of successful counselling

Answer 15

1. Clients develop a more useful understanding of problems/issues. Increased awareness of how feelings, cognitions, behaviours or interpersonal relationships, may contribute to the problem.
   2.Clients acquire new responses to old issues. Without this different ways of responding verbally or behaviourally to issues, improvement cannot occur. Greater understanding (step 1) is by itself, insufficient without change.
   3.Clients begin to perceive their problems within context. This understanding can vary quite significantly for different clients. It may be “owning” their problems. For some however, prejudice or circumstances makes “owning” their problems too simplistic and they require empowerment as well as understanding.
2. Clients learn to develop effective relationships. The counselling relationship may be one of the few interpersonal relationships a person has. This is the stepping stone for other social interactions and developing that all -important support network.

Question 16

Characteristics of effective counsellors

Answer 16

Self-awareness and understanding
Good psychological health
Sensitivity to and understanding of culture, plus “positionality”.
Open-mindedness
Tolerance for ambiguity(understand the route of counselling may be unexpected and outcome unknown).
Clear boundaries.
Competence.
Trustworthiness.
Interpersonal attractiveness.
Ethical behaviour.

Question 17

Positionality

Answer 17

A cultural label such as being a muslim/amputee/lesbian etc may mean that tx differs depending on person’s location eg at an airport, in church, etc. Counseller needs to understand these positional power/privilege impositions on client.

Question 18

Open-mindedness

Answer 18

Freedom from fixed ideas. An understanding of one’s self but in recognition that vigilance is required such that one’s own values are not imposed/projected onto client.

Question 19

empathy

Answer 19

Ability to appreciate the client’s problems as if they were one’s own,BUT must never lose perspective that there are clear boundaries between counsellor and client.

Question 20

Countertransferance
Transferance

Answer 20

Countertransferance-counsellor develops inappropriate or counterproductive emotions around the client. eg sexual/romatic feelings, desires to be understood, forming a friendship etc.
Transferance-when client associates certain qualities with counsellor. eg certain qualities associated with eg mother/boss etc and so client thinks counsellor is like that person. At extreme, client may believe counsellor IS that person. Transference can be for a positive or negative quality.

Question 21

Competence

Answer 21

Having the knowledge, ethics and personal effectiveness to get the job done.

Question 22

Social Influence model

Answer 22

Client increasingly believes in counsellor’s effectiveness with increasing belief in their competence. In order to demonstrate competence, must show expertise, trustworthiness and personal attractiveness. Through this base of influence that counsellor has achieved, must aid client to effect behavioural and cognitive change.

Question 23

Trustworthiness

Answer 23

Credibility, competence, trust in our ethics and our safeguarding of client’s rights, privacy and confidences.

Question 24

Interpersonal attractiveness

Answer 24

Client’s intuitively like or dislike someone. Should be warm and friendly ,respectful,and approachable, relatable, consistent and still professional. This manner may need to be adjusted a little for each individual client.

Question 25

Ethical behaviour

Answer 25

Must adhere to ethical standards as set out by professional bodies or groups, eg APA in a formal since, but also in an informal sense being ethical is honesty, maintaining confidentiality, not taking advantage of clients, not being overly familiar with clients or developing a personal relationship with them etc etc.

Question 27

Developmental process of learning to do counselling

Answer 27

Some believe those who become counsellors, already have innate counselling skills but need refinement on which skills to use with which clients, and others that counselling skills are taught.
Some believe “the councillor” may naturally emerge from a family as the”peacemaker” or “helper”. Others say that if role develops into “the hero” or”overachiever” that these further roles are not always helpful as a councillor.
A further proposal is that the development into a councillor follows the progressive stages of Stagnation (rely initially on social expected responses when beginning counselling as opposed to listening deeply), Confusion (learn skills of counselling but take time to become comfortable directing the process), then Integration (put it all together, but only if willing to accept is a slow process, be open to feedback and willing to risk mistakes so that can learn).

Question 27

SEWB
9 Guiding Principles of
cultural domains
historical and political determinants

Answer 27

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL WELLBEING-for Aborigninal and Torres Strait Islanders is a concept of social, emotional, cultural wellbeing of a whole community, not just an individual.
GUIDING PRICIPLES;
1. health is holistic
2.right to self-determination
3.need to have cultural understanding
4. the impact of history, trauma and loss, needs to be recognised
5. recognise human rights
6. recognise the impact of racism and stigma
7. the centrality of kinship is key
8.recognise cultural diversity
9.recognise Aboriginal strengths
CULTURAL DOMAINS
can be expressed as connections to:
body
mind/emotions
family/kinship
community
culture
country
spirit/spirituality/the ancestors
SOCIAL, CULTURAL, HISTORICAL & POLITICAL DETERMINANTS
SEWB does not occur in isolation. Other determinants include socioeconomic status, impacts of poverty, housing, education, exposure to violence, employment, stress, access to community resources, etc etc.

Question 28

The counselling process

Answer 28

STAGES;
1. assessmment
2. goal-setting
3. Interventions
4. Termination
sometimes need to go back between stages for further clarification, assessment, goal-setting, interventions etc.

Question 29

Working Alliance

Answer 29

for successful counselling, need an agreement between counsellor and client re goals and tasks (intervention) and that these goals will be met. There must also be a positive emotional bond between the pair and it should be attended to throughout the relationship.

Question 31

Spiritual wellbeing

Answer 31

For Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islanders, the concept of Spiritual wellbeing is more than just mental wellbeing. It encapsulates connections with country, connections with many family and friend members, being able to strongly identify oneself, and being strong/well/happy in all the domains of spirituality, mentality, and physically. If these are out of balance, or poor, then there is increased risk of suffering mental health.

Question 32

Self-Determination

Answer 32

Defined by the UN as the right of Indigenous groups to freely determine their political status and pursue their own economic, social and cultural development.