Advanced Counselling Skills assignment
Advanced Counselling Skills
Unit 4
20th April 2015
Sharon “Eve” Hanley
Student Number : 00302197
Advanced Counselling Skills (300 words in headings)
1. Understand the process of a series of counselling sessions.
1.1 Identify the stages of a series of counselling sessions.
A well-structured counselling session provides an essential framework for both counsellor and client. Many authors describe the structure of a counselling work in terms of a beginning, middle phase and end Jacobs (2004). Gray (2004) likens the structure to an artist’s frame encapsulating a picture stating “Just as the frame around a picture serves to enhance and contain the material within it, so the structure erected around a counselling arrangement supports the work the participants are engaged in”.
The beginning session is crucial for establishing trust, initial rapport and boundary settings. This is described in more detail in 1.2.
The middle phase of the session is the working part where the exploration and the work takes place. It involves some or all of the key counselling skills. The main aims are ensuring using skills that support the client to feel secure enabling them to recognise their emotions, thought processes and behaviours and reflect on these. It gives space enabling clients to establish their own change.
The ending is the third stage and is an action phase. It is result of the enhancement of the client’s self-acceptance and the associated internalising of his locus of evaluation. It contains elements of review and importantly effective closure for both client and counsellor.
1.2 Evaluate the importance of an appropriate opening of a series of sessions.
The beginning of a session is important to establish trust, rapport and set boundaries. The contract occurs to help establish a professional relationship. It includes confidentiality, time, money, complaints and client expectations of the counselling environment. Day and Sparacio (1988) describe this as “a
Unit 4
20th April 2015
Sharon “Eve” Hanley
Student Number : 00302197
Advanced Counselling Skills (300 words in headings)
1. Understand the process of a series of counselling sessions.
1.1 Identify the stages of a series of counselling sessions.
A well-structured counselling session provides an essential framework for both counsellor and client. Many authors describe the structure of a counselling work in terms of a beginning, middle phase and end Jacobs (2004). Gray (2004) likens the structure to an artist’s frame encapsulating a picture stating “Just as the frame around a picture serves to enhance and contain the material within it, so the structure erected around a counselling arrangement supports the work the participants are engaged in”.
The beginning session is crucial for establishing trust, initial rapport and boundary settings. This is described in more detail in 1.2.
The middle phase of the session is the working part where the exploration and the work takes place. It involves some or all of the key counselling skills. The main aims are ensuring using skills that support the client to feel secure enabling them to recognise their emotions, thought processes and behaviours and reflect on these. It gives space enabling clients to establish their own change.
The ending is the third stage and is an action phase. It is result of the enhancement of the client’s self-acceptance and the associated internalising of his locus of evaluation. It contains elements of review and importantly effective closure for both client and counsellor.
1.2 Evaluate the importance of an appropriate opening of a series of sessions.
The beginning of a session is important to establish trust, rapport and set boundaries. The contract occurs to help establish a professional relationship. It includes confidentiality, time, money, complaints and client expectations of the counselling environment. Day and Sparacio (1988) describe this as “a
Bibliography: Brammer, L. Shostrom E and Abrego, P. (1989) Therapeutic Psychology Fundamentals in Counselling and Psychotherapy. 5th Ed. New Jersey: Prenice Hall. Bayne, R. (2008). The counsellor’s handbook. Cheltenham, U.K.: Nelson Thornes. Day, R.W and Sparacio (1988) Structuring the counselling process in Dryden (2008) Key Issues for Counselling in Action. London: SAGE Egan, G (1986) The skilled helper. Pacific Grove, Calif: Brooks/Cole Gray, A (2004) An introduction to the Therapeutic frame, London: Routledge Green, J and Claringbull, N. 2010 Creating the therapeutic relationship in counselling and psychotherapy. Exeter: Learning Matters Gladding, S.T (2009) Counselling: A Comprehensive profession (6th Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Jacobs M (2004) Psychodynamic Counselling in Action (3rd Edition) London: Sage