Chapter 12The Counseling Interview

Copyright © 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.McGraw-Hill/Irwin

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Chapter Summary

•Preparing for the Counseling Interview•Conducting the Interview•Summary

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Preparing for the Counseling Interview•Analyzing Self

▫Know yourself before trying to help others know themselves.

▫Good problem solvers may be poor counselors.

▫Do not stray beyond your level of expertise.

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Preparing for the Counseling Interview•Analyzing the Interviewee

▫Be informed but keep an open mind.▫Be aware of past, present, and future

events.▫Be prepared for rejections of offers to

counsel.▫Listen rather than talk.

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Preparing for the Counseling Interview•Selecting an Interviewing Approach

▫Directive Approach▫Nondirective Approach▫Combination of Approaches

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Preparing for the Counseling Interview•Selecting the Setting

▫Do not underestimate the importance of location and seating.

▫A round table is a traditional arrangement for problem solving.

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Conducting the Interview

•The Opening▫Initial Comments and Reactions

Want to help and show it. Be tactful but not indifferent.

▫Rapport and Orientation Accept seemingly irrelevant opening

comments. If you are uncomfortable, the interviewee will

be uncomfortable.

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Conducting the Interview

•The Opening▫ Encouraging Self-Disclosure

Self-disclosure varies from person to person.▫ Work Within a Known Time Frame

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Conducting the Interview

•Listening▫Focus on the interviewee and the

interviewee’s problem.▫Do not interrupt or take over the

conversation.

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Conducting the Interview

•Observing▫Look for nonverbal signals but interpret

them cautiously.▫If you are taking notes, explain why.▫Note that deceptive answers may be

lengthier, more hesitant, and characterized by long pauses.

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Conducting the Interview

•Questioning▫Do not ask too many questions.▫Keep your questions open-ended.▫Phrase all questions with care.

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Conducting the Interview• Responding and Informing

▫ Highly Nondirective Reactions and Responses: Give control to the interviewee.

▫ Nondirective Reactions and Responses: Inform and encourage.

▫ Directive Reactions and Responses: Advise and evaluate but do not dictate.

▫ Highly Directive Reactions and Responses: Dictate strong advice and actions.

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Conducting the Interview

•Closing the Interview▫Involve the interviewee as an active

participant in the closing.▫Decide which leave-taking means is most

appropriate.▫Be sincere and honest in the ways you

close interviews.

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Conducting the Interview

•Evaluating the Interview▫Review all you did and did not do and

accomplish.▫How prepared were you for this

interaction?▫Which skills need more work? Preparation,

structuring, interviewing, or counseling?

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Conducting the Interview

•The Telephone Interview▫Advantages

Inexpensive Convenient Preserves Anonymity Gives Sense of Control

▫Disadvantages Possible Inconvenient Time Distractions

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Summary

•You take part in a counseling interview whenever you try to help a person gain insights into a problem.

•Preparation helps to determine how to listen, question, inform, explain, respond, and relate to each interviewee.

•Many suggestions but few rules apply to counseling interviews.