The Counselor: Person and Professional

Question 1

One of the most important instruments you have to work with as a counselor is —– as a person.

Answer 1

yourself

Question 2

List of being an effective therapist is included here.

Answer 2

The Counselor as a therapeutic person (Personal Characteristics of Effective Counselors)

Question 3

Effective therapists know who they are, what they are capable of becoming, what they want out of life, and what is essential.

Answer 3

Effective therapists have an identity.

Question 4

They can give and receive help and love out of their own sense of self-worth and strength.

Answer 4

Effective therapists respect and appreciate themselves.

Question 5

exhibit a willingness and courage to leave the security of the known if they are not satisfied with the way they are. They make decisions about how they would like to change, and they work toward becoming the person they want to become.

Answer 5

Effective therapists are open to change.

Question 6

Aware of early decisions they made about themselves, others, and the world.

Answer 6

Effective therapists make choices that are life-oriented

Question 7

Does not hide behind rigid roles or facades, who they are in their personal life and in their professional work is congruent.

Answer 7

Effective therapists are authentic, sincere and honest.

Question 8

able to put the events of life in perspective. They have not forgotten how to laugh, especially at their own weakness and contradictions.

Answer 8

Effective therapists have a sense of humor

Question 9

they do not dismiss their errors lightly, yet they do not choose to dwell on misery.

Answer 9

Effective therapists makes mistakes and are willing to admit them.

Question 10

not riveted to the past, nor are they fixated on the future. They are able to experience and be present with others in the “now.”

Answer 10

Effective therapists generally, live in the present.

Question 11

aware of the ways in which their own culture affects them, and they respect the diversity of values espoused by other culture. Sensitive to the unique differences arising out of social class, race, sexual orientation, and gender.

Answer 11

Effective therapists appreciate the influence of culture.

Question 12

based on respect, care, trust, and a real valuing of other

Answer 12

Effective therapists have a sincere interest in the welfare of others

Question 13

capable of entering the world of others without getting lost in this world, ad they strive to create collaborative relationships with others. They readily entertain another person’s perspective and can work together toward consensual goals.

Answer 13

Effective therapists possess effective interpersonal skills.

Question 14

can accept the rewards flowing from their work, yet they are not slaves to their work.

Answer 14

Effective therapists become deeply involved in their work and derive meaning from it.

Question 15

They have the courage to pursue their dreams and passions, and they radiate a sense of energy.

Answer 15

Effective therapists are passionate.

Question 16

Are able to maintain healthy boundaries.

Answer 16

Effective therapists are able to maintain healthy boundaries

Question 17

As part of the therapist’s training, personal therapy offers a model of therapeutic practice in which the trainee experiences the work of a more experienced therapist and learns experientially what is helpful or not helpful.

Answer 17

Personal Therapy for the Counselor

Question 18

THE COUNSELOR’S VALUES AND THE THERAPEUTIC PROCESS:

Answer 18

THE ROLE OF VALUES COUNSELING
THE ROLE OF VALUES IN DEVELOPING THERAPEUTIC GOALS

Question 19

As counselors we need to guard against the tendency to use our power to influence the client to accept our values because it is not our function to persuade clients to accept or adopt our value system.

Answer 19

THE ROLE OF VALUES COUNSELING

Question 20

refers to counselors directly attempting to defi ne a client’s values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. It is possible for counselors to impose their values either actively or passively

Answer 20

VALUE IMPOSITION

Question 21

The general goals of counselors must be congruent with the personal goals of the client.

Answer 21

THE ROLE OF VALUES IN DEVELOPING THERAPEUTIC GOALS

Question 22

How many are issues faced by beginning therapists?

Answer 22

15

Question 23

A certain level of anxiety demonstrates that you are aware of the uncertainties of the future with your clients and of your abilities to really be there for them. Self-doubts are normal; it is how we deal with them that matters.

Answer 23

• Dealing with your anxieties

Question 24

In determining the appropriateness of self-disclosure, consider what to reveal, when to reveal, and how much to reveal. The most productive form of self-disclosure is related to what is going on between the counselor and the client within the counseling session.

Answer 24

• Being yourself and self-disclosure

Question 25

one of the most common self-defeating beliefs with which we burden ourselves is that we must never make a mistake. Although we may well know intellectually that humans are not perfect, emotionally we often feel that there is little room for error. To be sure, you will make mistakes, whether you are a beginning or a seasoned therapist.

Answer 25

Avoiding perfectionism

Question 26

It takes honesty to admit that you cannot work successfully with every client. It is important to learn when and how to make a referral for clients when your limitations prevent you from helping them.

Answer 26

• Being honest about your limitations

Question 27

When silence occurs, acknowledge and explore with your client the meaning of the silence.

Answer 27

Understanding silence

Question 28

A major issue that puzzles many beginning counselors is how to deal with clients who seem to make constant demands. Make your expectations and boundaries clear during the initial counseling sessions or in the disclosure statement.

Answer 28

• Dealing with demands from clients

Question 29

It is critical that therapists not promise what they cannot or will not deliver. It is good practice to make clear the limits of confidentiality as well as any other factors that may affect the course of therapy. In working with involuntary clients, it is especially important to prepare them for the process; doing so can go a long way toward increasing their cooperation and involvement.

Answer 29

• Dealing with clients who lack commitment

Question 30

realize that the fruitful effects of the joint efforts of the therapist and the client may manifest themselves after the conclusion of therapy.

Answer 30

• Tolerating ambiguity

Question 31

defined broadly, includes any of our projections that influence the way we perceive and react to a client. This phenomenon occurs when we are triggered into emotional reactivity, when we respond defensively, or when we lose our ability to be present in a relationship because our own issues become involved.

Answer 31

o Countertransference

Question 32

Working with clients can affect you in personal ways, and your own vulnerabilities and countertransference are bound to surface. If you are unaware of your personal dynamics, you are in danger of being overwhelmed by a client’s emotional experiences.

Answer 32

• Becoming aware of your countertransference

Question 33

The therapist needs to distinguish between humor that distracts and humor that enhances the situation.

Answer 33

• Developing a sense of humor

Question 34

How responsibility will be shared should be addressed early in the course of counseling. It is your responsibility to discuss specific matters such as length and overall duration of the sessions, confidentiality, general goals, and methods used to achieve goals.

Answer 34

• Sharing responsibility with the client

Question 35

Quite often clients who are suffering come to a therapy session seeking and even demanding advice. They want more than direction; they want a wise counselor to make a decision or resolve a problem for them. However, counseling should not be confused with dispensing information. Our task is to help clients make independent choices and accept the consequences of their choices. The habitual practice of giving advice does not work toward this end.

Answer 35

• Declining to give advice

Question 36

One of your challenges as a counselor will be to define and clarify your professional role. You will need to consider that the professional roles you assume are likely to be dependent on factors such as the client populations with whom you are working, the specific therapeutic services you are providing, the particular stage of counseling, and the setting in which you work.

Answer 36

• Defining your role as a counselor

Question 37

Ideally, therapeutic techniques should evolve from the therapeutic relationship and the material presented, and they should enhance the client’s awareness or suggest possibilities for experimenting with new behavior. it is important to avoid using techniques in a hit-or-miss fashion, to fill time, to meet your own needs, or to get things moving.

Answer 37

• Learning to use techniques appropriately

Question 38

Your counseling style will be influenced by your teachers, therapists, and supervisors, but don’t blur your potential uniqueness by trying to imitate them. I advocate borrowing from others, yet, at the same time, doing it in a way that is distinctive to you

Answer 38

Developing your own counseling style

Question 39

Learn to look within yourself to determine what choices you are making (and not making) to keep yourself vital. If you are aware of the factors that sap your vitality as a person, you are in a better position to prevent the condition known as professional burnout.

Answer 39

• Maintaining your vitality as a person and as a professional

Question 40

is a crucial first step in self-care. If you make an honest inventory of how well you are taking care of yourself in specific domains, you will have a framework for deciding what you may want to change.

Answer 40

Self-monitoring