CounsellingAn Introduction

Lecture byM/s NandiniLecturerD.A.V College for GirlsYamuna NagarHaryana.

WHAT IS COUNSELLING

“Counselling is a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals , families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education and career goals.”

(American Counsellors Association, 2010)

Counselling is a one to one helping relationship that focuses on a person’s growth and adjustment and problem solving and decision making needs

(Gibson and Mitchell,2010)

Nature• It’s a helping process• Counselling involves a professionally trained counsellor• It involves one or more than one individual seeking help• It is not advising or suggesting• The counsellor creates an environment conducive to self

disclosure and change• The counsellor acts like a catalyst in bringing about

desired change in the client but doesn’t change himself/herself in the process

Modifyingbehaviour

Surface issues

here & now

preventive

Short term

conscious

Helper centered

Guidance Counselling Psychotherapy

Long term

Personality reconstruction

Deep seated issues

There & then

restorative

unconscious

Helpee centered

Aims of counselling

• Insight• Relating with others• Self awareness• Self acceptance• Self actualization• Enlightenment• Problem solving• Psychological education• Acquisition of social skills

• Cognitive change• Behaviour change• Systemic change• Empowerment• Restitution• Generativity and social action MC LEOD,2003

Outcomes of counselling

Resolution of problem in living

i.e. understanding of the problem and

action to change the situation in which the

problem arose

Learning

i.e. acquisition of new skills & strategies that

make the client equipped to handle a

similar problem in future

Social inclusion

i.e. Encouragement for contribute to the well being and social good

Goals of counselling

Gibson and Mitchell(2008) identify the following goal of counselling

1)Developmental goals2)Preventive goals3)Enhancement goals4)Exploratory goals5)Reinforcement goals6)Cognitive goals7)Physiological goals8)Psychological goals

Effective Counsellor

empathy

Respect

genuineness

wellness

Cultural competence

The ‘it ‘ factor

Compatibility with and

belief in theory

Cognitive complexity

Verbal skills

Attending skills

COUNSELLOR’S SKILLS

encouragers

Open ende

d questions

paraphrasing

probing summarizing

Self disclosure Non verbal behaviour that convey

counselor’s listening skills, interest, respect and undivided attention

towards client

Eye contact

Adequate personal

space

Appropriate Tone of voice

Open body postures

Counselling processStage IRapport building/relationship establishment

A client seeking counselling has a number of apprehensions regarding counselling, counsellor’s skills and trust etc

• The development of comfortable , trusting and facilitatative relationship is achieved through use of listening skills ,empathetic understanding ,cultural sensitivity and good social skills(hackney and cormier,2010)

Core conditions for building rapport are• Unconditional positive regard(respect)• Empathy • Congruence(genuineness)Initial dialogues between the counsellor and

client are aimed at warming up the client towards self disclosure of self identified problems

Counsellor however begins to identify and delineate the issues presented by the client

Forming comfortable and

positive relationship

Explaining counselling process and mutual

responsibilities

Facilitate communication

Identify and verify client’s

concerns

Plan with the client to obtain

assessment data

Counsellor’s goals

Client’s goals

Understanding the process and own responsibilities

Cooperate in assessment of the problem and the self

Share reasons for seeking counselling

STAGE II -PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION AND EXPLORATION

Due to rapport build up, client will be more receptive to in depth discussion & exploration of their concerns

Appraisal techniques like standardized tests etc can be used

The goal is to help the client develop self understanding that there is need for change

Real work occurs in this stage all the following occur in this stage

Stages in stage II• Problem definition including

components/contributory factors severity of the problem, recency and longevity

• Exploration of the problem can involve using psychological test with informed consent

• Integrating the information in form of a profile and exploration of changes and barriers to these changes are focused on

Stage III PROBLEM SOLVING• EFFECTIVE GOAL SETTING occurs at this stageGibson and Mitchell 2008 suggest the following steps at this stage1)Problem definition from a perspective arrived at by the counsellor and

client together2)Listing of all possible solutions largely, by the client with occasional

suggestion from the counsellor3)Exploring consequences of solutions4)Prioritize the solutions from best possibility to the least likely to produce

desired resultTo facilitate client’s understanding, counsellor may use techniques of

repetition, mild ,confrontation, interpretation, information and encouragement

Stage IV SOLUTION APPLICATION AND TERMINATION

The client has the responsibility for applying the determined solution &the counsellor for determining the point of termination. As the client applies the solutions, the counsellor maintains contact for follow –up, support and encouragement. the counsellor gives an indication that the next session would be about wrapping up and may conclude by summarizing the main points

• COUNSELLING PROCESS

RAPPORT BUILDING

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

PROBLEM SOLVING

SOLUTION APPLICATION AND TERMINATION

Individual counselling

Group counselling

Individual assessment

Career assistance

Placement & follow up Referral

Consultation

PREVENTION

Research and evaluation

ACTIVITIES OF A COUNSELLOR

SCOPE OF A COUNSELLOR’S WORK

SCHOOL COUNSELLOR

REHABILITATION COUNSELLOR

CAREER COUNSELLOR

CORRECTIONAL COUNSELLOR

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY

COUNSELLOR

GERONTOLOGY COUNSOLLOR

ADOLESCENT COUNSELLOR

SUICIDE PREVENTION COUNSELLOR

DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION COUNSELLOR

HIV /AIDS PREVENTION COUNSELLOR

Freudian psychoanalysis

• Counsellor’s role is directive &is to help client bring unconscious material conscious &restructure personality

Roger’s person centered approach

• Counsellor’s role is of non –directive facilitator who helps the client to gain self understanding

Behavioural approach

• Counsellor’s is active directive coach or teacher & helps the clients in extinction of undesirable behaviours and acquisition of desirable ones

Cognitive behavioural

approach

• Counsellor is active , directive coach who helps the client to change irrational thoughts to rational ones

Approaches to counselling

Freudian psychoanalysis

• Free association, dream analysis, play therapy and projective tests may be used

• Client is seen as weak and uncertain

Roger’s person centered approach

• Core conditions of empathy, respect and genuiness on counsellor’s part are sufficient conditions to bring about change

• Clients are seen as good , capable of self understanding, insight , growth and change

Behavioural approach

• Progressive relaxation, behavior modification, behavioral experiments, systematic desensitization etc are used

• Client’s problems are seen in terms of adaptive or maladjusted behaviour

Cognitive behavioural approach

• Role paying, assertive training, desensitization, operant conditioning, suggestion, behavioral experiments etc are used

• Clients are seen as people having potential for both rational and irrational thoughts

Special concerns in Counselling

Substance abusers Older adults women

Aids patients

Abuse victims

Business & industry

People with disabilities

• Counselling is a profession for humane and strong individuals with both an artistic and scientific approach………..

I’m ready