Developing Counselling Skills In Health And Social Care

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Module: Developing Counselling Skills in Health and Social Care

Contents

Introduction
In any health and social care setting, employees at all levels will be required to listen to patients, clients, their friends and relatives expressing their views, concerns and emotions. These can be complex and sometimes difficult interactions; therefore it is important that employees have the skills and necessary professional boundaries to be effective helpers in these situations, and to keep themselves emotionally safe. Employees need to be aware of the scope and limitations of helping relationships and how best their knowledge and skills can be utilised with, and on behalf,
This unit focuses on the identification, practice and development of a range of interpersonal and counselling skills. Learners will develop the underpinning knowledge and ability to initiate, sustain and conclude an interaction with a client/patient, beyond that of being an effective listener to the level of skilled helper. They will understand and practise the parameters of the skills utilised in such helping relationships, including managing the process and, where necessary, referring the client to alternative sources of support. It is important to note that on completion of this unit learners are not qualified to undertake client work in a counselling context. An extensive programme of additional, higher level study and commitment to a period of personal therapy are required in order to become a counselling practitioner, eligible for professional body membership and/or accreditation. Effective listening and questioning techniques, and adherence
The behavioural learning model learning is the result of conditioning. The basis of conditioning is that a reward following a desirable response acts as a re enforce and increases the likelihood that the desirable response will be repeated. Reinforcement is the core of the behaviourist approach. Continuous reinforcement in every instance of desirable behaviour is useful when behaviour is being introduced. Once a desired behaviour is established, intermittent reinforcement maintains the behaviour. Behaviourist theory approaches are frequently used in weight loss, smoking cessation, assertiveness training, and anxiety-reduction programs. The importance of regularly and consistently rewarding desired behaviour immediately and not rewarding undesirable behaviour is crucial to the success of a behaviourist approach to learning. Learning is broken down into small steps so that the person can be successful. The nurse provides reinforcement at each step of the process. For example, when a patient is learning how to inject insulin, the nurse looks for a positive behaviour and then gives the patient immediate reinforcement by saying, “I liked the way you pulled back the syringe,” or “You did an excellent job of withdrawing the