Counselling in the Polish Community

1. B Briefly describe how you could support Vara to work with her uncertainty and difficulties about making the right choice for her future It is important for the counsellor to understand and incorporate any cultural concerns into the sessions. This may include the counsellor researching the role or males (or husbands) and relationship separations (especially initiated by women) within polish community.

I would assist and support the client to become aware of their own feelings and the reasons they are feeling this way. I would explore the client’s childhood development and transition through the appropriate development stages and work with the client to work through any un-resolved or unfinished stages to allow appropriate transition.

I would provide reassurance to the client that they have maintained a routine for over 25 years and that human nature is to want to stay within their comfort zone. I would explain that it is healthy to experience a level of anxiety when challenging this routine or comfort zone however I would provide appropriate techniques to the client to work through these anxieties by developing their existing or new coping strategies.

I would assist and support the client to become more aware of their own strengths and their own natural ability to manage and cope with change. This would include allowing the client to identify their own strengths and resources to allow them to confidently make the right decision. It is important to recognise and address any resistance that the client has towards making changes within their life.

Through the above, I would enable the client to identify their own issues and set appropriate goals. Through the development of an appropriate treatment plan, counselling techniques / skills would be applied to assist the client to confidently made appropriate decision regarding their life.

Throughout this process, I would remain neutral and objective, ensuring that my own opinions do not influence the counselling session and the decision that the client makes.
2. Briefly describe three interventions you could use to support Vera to gain clarity and understanding and make the appropriate changes in her life Cognitive interventions – This intervention helps the client deal with thoughts, beliefs and attitudes that they may have towards themselves and others. This would work particularly well to allow the client to think differently about her husband.

Behavioural interventions – This intervention is used to help the client develop new behaviours or skills and/or control or eliminate behaviours that are counterproductive.
This would work particularly well to modify routines or interaction patterns with the client’s husband.
Interactional (systemic) interventions – This intervention addresses patters with other people, tasks or situations. This may help the client address relationship problems with her husband.
3. Identify and briefly describe how you could help Vara to identify and use her unknown strengths
It is important to discuss parallel links in the client’s previous experiences. Discussing previous obstacles that the client has addressed (both successfully and unsuccessfully).
Focusing on the successful outcomes, it is important for the client to identify the following:
– What the problem was
– Who helped and who could have helped the client
Focusing on the unsuccessful outcomes, it is important for the client to identify the following:
– What the problem was
– What was going on in the clients life at that stage
– Why they think their strategy was unsuccessful
– What they could do differently in the future.
Bringing these together to assist the client realise that they have overcome obstacles in the past, or through reflective thinking, are able to identify ways to improve their coping strategies in the future provides reassurance and unconscious strength to the client that they are able to ‘challenge’ new
obstacles. This also helps the counsellor assist the client to apply appropriate strategies.

It is also important to explore the client’s internal and external resources and ensure the client is capable of accessing these resources.
These resources can include:
– Support networks (including Varas two close friends, community groups available)
– Support services such as financial support (such as Centrelink, community housing ect)
– Family (including Zeta, a lawyer)
– Personality traits that make the client feel safe (including memories from good times, cultural aspects ect)

Assignment 2 – Week 10
Facilitate the Counselling Process
Mark Nichols

Motivation (ability to source, and work part time without the husband knowing)

4. Briefly describe two micro skills you would use to clarify Vara’s feelings about her situation.
Along with many other techniques, I would use the following techniques: Questioning (open and closed)
This technique allows the counsellor to draw important information from the client.
Open questions allow the counsellor the opportunity to guide the client to discuss important information that the client may not be consciously aware of. Combining open questions with silence (minimal response) may provide emphasis to important information, and allow the client an opportunity to reflect on important problems that they are only bringing to the surface at that time.

Summarising:
This technique allows the counsellor to bring together the important points of the client’s story that they have shared during the counselling session. This should be put in a cohesive and organised form that is easy for the client to understand.

This will assist the client to clearly identify their problems and allow them to priorities their issues and work towards resolution of their problems. Part 2
5. Explain how you will monitor and review Vara’s and your own perception of the counselling process to ensure it remains of value
It is important to review, at regular intervals the client progression against the treatment plan and goals. If it is identified that the client is not progressing as expected it is important to understand why and address these issues.

Some examples of the cause of lack of progression may include:  The client is resistant to change and not yet ready to make change  The counselling process is too fast paced for the client  The client has changing priorities and the goals may need to be changed Assignment 2 – Week 10

Facilitate the Counselling Process
Mark Nichols

The values and attitude of the counsellor may be detrimental to the process
The client / counsellor relationship is not developed sufficient trust

It may also be of benefit for the counsellor to undergo regular supervision. This process is undertaken with a more experienced counsellor who provides guidance and support to the less experienced counsellor.

The supervisor may be able to provide opportunities for professional
development for the counsellor, with the objective of improved communication and counselling of the client. This can include reviewing the clients own values and attitudes, or providing alternative perspective on the treatment plan for the client.

Vara expresses her sense of hopelessness and uncertainty about whether counselling is helpful
6. Briefly describe how you would respond to this disruption in the counselling process
It is important to understand the reason for this self-doubt and negative attitude towards counselling.
I think it I would start by asking a few questions in an attempt to clarify and confirm the clients priorities and the treatment goals.
The previously established goals may remain the current and the counselling process has progressed at a quicker pace than the client is able to cope with. If the goals are current, it is important to address the resistance to change, and reinforce her strengths and resources available.

It may be that circumstances have changed in the client’s life and their goals have changed.
I would also utilise my supervisor to provide advice and any opportunities to manage the situation more effectively.