Counselling An Introduction Lecture by M/s Nandini Lecturer D.A.V College for Girls Yamuna Nagar Haryana.

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

Modifying behaviour 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 goals 2)Preventive goals 3)Enhancement goals 4)Exploratory goals 5)Reinforcement goals 6)Cognitive goals 7)Physiological goals 8)Psychological goals

Effective Counsellor empathyRespectgenuinenesswellness Cultural compete nce The ‘it ‘ factor Compatibility with and belief in theory Cognitive complexity

Verbal skills Attending skills COUNSELLOR’S SKILLS encouragers Open ended questions paraphrasingprobing 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 process Stage I Rapport 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 stage Gibson and Mitchell 2008 suggest the following steps at this stage 1)Problem definition from a perspective arrived at by the counsellor and client together 2)Listing of all possible solutions largely, by the client with occasional suggestion from the counsellor 3)Exploring consequences of solutions 4)Prioritize the solutions from best possibility to the least likely to produce desired result To 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 IDENTIFICA TION PROBLEM SOLVING SOLUTION APPLICATI ON AND TERMINAT ION

Individual counselling Group counselling Individual assessment Career assistance Placement & follow up Referral ConsultationPREVENTION 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 understandin g, insight, growth and change Behavioural approach Progressive relaxation, behavior modification, behavioral experiments, systematic desensitizati on 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