MCFCMHCCCR1.Basic Counseling Skills

7/29/2019 MCFCMHCCCR1.Basic Counseling Skills

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Basic Counseling Skills

MCFC/MHC/CC Residency 1



Learning Objectives

• From this presentation, you will be giveninformation to:

– Apply basic of counseling skills

– Articulate why counseling skills are important – Explain the importance of rapport building

– Define and discuss SOLER skills

– Discuss appropriate use of verbal and nonverbalcommunication skills.

May 2011 Revised



Sett ing the Stage

• Although your ultimate approach to helping will beinfluenced by what the client needs, what the client

will respond to best, and what stage you are in,

ultimately you need to create an environment that

promotes feelings of safety, respect, andunderstanding.

• The bulk of this relationship building occurs in thebeginning stage of counseling and there are skills

that are more effective for use during this time.

May 2011 Revised



The PERSON of the counselor

Voice – have a soothing, comforting tone

Eye contact - be natural with eye contact, be asanimated as possible with your facial expression(but be careful showing shock…..)

Language - keep in mind education level,experiences of those with whom you are workingbut be genuine in your own vocabulary

Demonstration of confidence in process and

directives EMPATHY

May 2011 Revised



The Counseling Setting

Also consider your office: Arrangement of furniture - no big objects b/w you and

client,

Credentials – hang degree, licenses, certifications,

registrations on wall

Your comfort level

May 2011 Revised



Understanding the CONTEXT of the client

• Remember first to understand the client inhis or her context—

• Consider:

– The person of the client – How the client acts in session will elicit

responses form you (if client is withdrawn, you

may use skills that help bring him/her out; if client

gregarious, you may use skills to cut-off)

– Sensitivity to diversity

May 2011 Revised



The Client-Counselor Relationship

• How the relationship itself assists you as a counselor : Diagnostic aid

How the client acts in session is a clue to how he/she actsoutside of session—patterns of behavior

Interpersonal engagement This allows you to have influence over the client – be careful of

this as you carry power in your role… social modeling,

directives and challenges

your reactions to their material

how you deal with immediacy issues, etc..

Unfinished business Transference and countertransference reactions can be grist for

the mill

You can use the relationship to help heal from past (think Rogersand Gloria)

May 2011 Revised




• Personal support system – Research suggests the number one factor in clientsimprovement is support system (it’s best if this is bothoutside and inside the therapy)

– Counselors should support clients, be a cheerleader for

them – Support communicates

• someone is here for you

• you can count on someone

• I might not approve of what you are doing, but I approve of you

• there is a person in your life who is reliable and dependable• you will not be taken advantage of

• my job is to help you get what you want

May 2011 Revised




• Authentic engagement – You will like some clients and dislike others, but

you must be genuine and can use this as

immediacy

– If you have have strong reactions to liking or

disliking a client it is imperative that you discuss

this in supervision/ consultation.

May 2011 Revised



Basic Attending Skills

• Purpose: – To help client tell story

– Draw out appropriate background and contextual

information – Communicate understanding

– Facilitate deeper level of exploration make

connections

– Demonstrate empathy

– Provide emotional support to the client

May 2011 Revised



Skill: Minimal Encourages

• Prompts – Verbal (uh huh, go on, yes, hmmm,)

– Nonverbal (bodily mvmts, gestures, nods)

May 2011 Revised



Skill: Probes

• Probes should be used to help keep clients engaged indialogue and provide client with enough structure to achieveconcreteness and clarity while providing an opportunity toget necessary details of story.

• Probes can also help clients get a balanced view of problem

situations and opportunities.• Probes help clients get deeper into issues, move forward,

and help in exploration of issues.

• Probes can also challenge clients.

May 2011 Revised



Skill: Probes

• Statements – ―Tell me….‖ ―I wonder….‖ ―It’s still not clear to me…‖ ―I’m

not sure I understand…..‖

• Phrases that are actually questions or requests – ―Share with me what you are thinking…‖

• Restating key words with question tone of voice

– Example

• Cl: I am tired of it all.

• Co: Tired?

May 2011 Revised



Skill: Questions

When to ask questions:

• Initially. ―Where would you like to begin today?‖

• When you need specific information

• For clarification (but you could always do aparaphrase)

• To get things back on track. ―Earlier you said…what is….‖

• To bring it in the here and now

• When you want to make a point or a connection.

―What were you thinking just now when youheard me say that?‖

• When you want to define goals.

• When you want to motivate the client into action.

May 2011 Revised



Skill: Questions

Problems with Questions• Bombarding client

• Too many questions in a row (particular text reads:

then you have just asked 2 stupid questions!!)

Using questions effectively• If you can make it a statement it’s better!

– Tell me….

– Explain that…

– I wonder….

– Talk more about that….

• Good idea to mix probes, statements, reflections

May 2011 Revised



Skill: Questions

• Good and Bad questions

– Avoid why. Why?

• It sounds judgmental (think of when you got intotrouble as a kid)

• B/c clients don’t know why. (Think of when you hadto give a reason why you got into trouble)

• ―Why‖ questions can be restated, sound lessaccusatory and elicit the same information. Insteadof ―why did you do that?‖ you may consider ―Canyou tell me how you made that decision? How didthat work for you?‖

May 2011 Revised



Skill: Questions

• Good and Bad Questions: – Open and Closed

• Open questions:

– help elaborate and enrich the client story

– help bring out the concrete specifics of theclient’s world

» what would an example be?

– Closed gives basically a yes/no response

– Fluff

• If you are trying to fill ―space‖, it’s probably not auseful question

• If you can reflect or use another skill, it’s alwaysbetter

May 2011 Revised



Skill: Clarifying and Summarizing

This is not restating or parroting, but summarizing. Thisshows the client you are paying attention.

What is important?

• Listen to what your heard

• Ask yourself what is underlying message?

Minisummarization:

• A sentence stem: ―I hear you say…‖ or ―In your pointof view…‖ or ―Looks like…‖

• Use key words of clients

• Stay true to client’s ideas.. they will correct if you arewrong (and that’s okay!)

May 2011 Revised



Skill: Clarifying and Summarizing

– Summarize themes of long dialogue – Summarize at beginning of new session

– Summarize at end of session

– Clarify/Summarize when situation seems to notbe going anywhere or client is rambling

– Clarify/Summarize when client gets stuck or

when clients needs new perspective

May 2011 Revised



Skill: Nonverbals

Both client and counselor nonverbals cancommunicate volumes.

• Client nonverbals can give context to the information the

client is sharing, can support or discredit the validity of what

the client is expressing, and can serve to provide additionalunderstanding to words the client is using.

• Counselor nonverbals also give clients clues about

counselor confidence, degree to which counselor is listening

to them, relationship trustworthiness.

May 2011 Revised



Skill: Nonverbals

• Nonverbal information can be gained throughobservation of:

– Facial expressions

– Eye Contact (*consider cultural differences) – Appearance (clothing, grooming)

– Gestures/Body movements (i.e., fidgety)

– Spatial behavior (how did client positionhim/herself)

– Posture

May 2011 Revised



Skill: Non-Verbal Attending

• What information can be gathered fromnonverbals?

– Assessment of general mood

– Clues to inner states – Mental status

– Verbal and nonverbal congruency

– Signals of distress – Unconscious reactions

May 2011 Revised



Skill: Nonverbals

• List/ discuss nonverbal behaviors associatedwith these feelings:

– Anger

– Fear

– Happiness

– Sadness

May 2011 Revised



Skill: Counselor Nonverbals

• So, what nonverbal behaviors indicateinterest and caring?

– SOLER (sit squarely, open posture, lean in, eyecontact, and relax)

– Also, your facial expression will show

appropriate response

– Minimal encouragers: head nods, uh huhs…

May 2011 Revised



Activity

• Large Group Activity: – Play Telephone Game:

– One person taps the next person on the shoulder and tells a 1-2 sentence story. That person will

then tap the next person on the shoulder andshare the same story. The story can only be toldonce per person. The last person to hear thestory tells it to the group.

May 2011 Revised



Activity

• Did the ending message remain the same asthe beginning message?

• WHY?- No context

- No non-verbal

- No ―confirmation‖

May 2011 Revised



Activity

• Now, play the game with these instructions:

– One person chooses a feeling, everyone closes

eyes and starter taps person to right who thenopens eyes and starter conveys emotion through

facial expression… goes round the room – last

person verbally identifies feeling

May 2011 Revised



Activity - HOMEWORK

• Watch one television interview and reflect onit to identify nonverbals you can pick up on –

for both interviewer and interviewee. For our

purposes watch a television show (Dr. Phil,CSI, Law & Order, or any show that includes

interviews and watch for the facilitators of

communications.)

May 2011 Revised



References

Egan, G. (2010). The skilled helper: A problem management and opportunity development approach to helping (9th ed.).

Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole (Cengage Learning). ISBN: 978-

0-495-60189-0 or 0-495-60189-6 hard.

Egan, G. (2010). Exercises in helping skills: A manual to

accompany the skilled helper (9th ed.). Belmont, CA:

Brooks/Cole (Cengage Learning). ISBN: 978-0-495-80632-5

or 0-495-80632-3 soft.

May 2011 Revised

MCFCMHCCCR1.Basic Counseling Skills

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