Introduction to counselling assignment

1.List three key components involved in the communication process.

Participants
Rules
Context

2.Identify three key characteristics of effective communication and briefly explain their impact on the communication process.

Supportiveness encourages the client to open up without fear of judgement or blame. Empathy is important to communication because counsellors need to express that the client is not alone in their feelings. It builds rapport and a good relationship. Positiveness supports communication since the client is looking for ways to improve their life. Using positive messages helps the client feel positive about the counsellor and builds rapport.

3. In communication processes between a client and a counsellor, barriers may be present. List three specific communication barriers.

Environmental factors
Time and timing
Context and inadequate background knowledge

4. Take one of the communication barriers given in your answer to the question above, and briefly describe how you would apply strategies to overcome these barriers.

Environmental factors can cause a barrier to effective communication. Distraction, interruption and noise can get in the way of a flowing dialogue between counsellor and client and can interrupt thought flow. Ensuring the room is tidy, paperwork is neatly filed and the computer screen is off is one way I can focus my attention on the client and what is being said. Other strategies including taking the phone of the hook, having a work environment separate from home and family and applying noise cancelling window treatments would help. When outside of the office taking a room apart from others and putting mobile phones on silent can aid communication by making it easier for both parties to concentrate on the counselling process.

5. List two basic micro-skills of counselling and briefly describe how they can be used to facilitate the relationship between counsellor and client.

All micro skills are essential to the counselling process in order to build trust and rapport between client and counsellor. Two of these micro skills are: Paraphrasing- using minimal response, repeat back what the client has said in order for the counsellor to clarify and understand. The client will feel that what they are saying is important and they are being heard. Reflecting- identifying what the client may be feeling based on what they are saying and their body language and reflecting that feeling back to them. It is important that these feelings are correctly identified for the client to feel understood and for the counsellor be sure of the underlying emotions within the subject being discussed.

6. List one advanced micro-skill of counselling and briefly explain how it can be used in the counselling process. Confrontation (or challenging) is used carefully and respectfully to bring the clients attention to destructive behaviour and problematic thought patterns while keeping in mind the goals of the client in counselling. It can be a chance for the counsellor to point out opportunities, strengths and move from talking to action for both the counsellor and the client.