Janell Brazeal
BSHS 321
June 12, 2012
Joel Sadowsky
Counseling Assessment Paper
The life of a counselor is spent by talking with and listening to people. The main point of the counselors’ job is to interact with their patients and advise them on personal, family, educational, mental health and career problems they might be experiencing. Generally, counselors specialize in a specific field, such as; school counselors; rehabilitation counselors; mental health counselors; substance and behavioral disorder counselors; and marriage and family counselors. One important thing a counselor needs to have is active listening skills. In reviewing my practice counseling interviews, and the written feedback I received from my colleagues I was able to see my strengths and weaknesses. Behavioral research studies done over the past 40 years have isolated three key characteristics of feedback. They are classified as specificity, empathy, and inquiry. These three elements represent key feedback skills so trainers can teach and assess effectively. (Lawrence, 1995).
My first interview, my client was sent to me for grades dropping. Before coming to see me, my client was a straight “A” student until she started working after school and joined a band which practiced three times a week. Her main concern was her parents finding out that she was failing three classes and that they would make her quit band, she didn’t care so much if she had to quit her job.
My second interview, my client was referred to me for time management. She needed help figuring out how to manage her time, between being a full-time mom; student; and wife. She feels guilty for making time to work on her studies because it takes time away from her children and husband. Her husband is the main provider for the household, so the only time she gets to work on her studies is when he is home from work.
The constructive feedback I received back from my colleagues was that I offered
References: Lawrence, Harriet V. Wiswell, Albert K. Training & Development, Feedback is a Two-Way street, July 1995, pg.2