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 COUNSELING SKILLS

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COMMENTS

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Closing/Evaluation  - Directing client to state their new personal goals, providing a summary of the session.

 

 

 

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 Ethics - Following a set of ethical guidelines provided by a profession organization; making appropriate ethical decisions

 

 

 

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Opening - General comments introducing the session

 

 

 

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Silence - Allowing purposeful, quiet reflection during the session

 

 

 

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Specific techniques - Counseling intervention used to assist the client in deeper understanding of the concern: imagery or empty chair, snap shot, role play, relaxation psychodrama

 

 

 

INFLUENCING SKILLS

 

Advice giving – Providing statements to the client, indicating what they “should” do or change in their behavior  Avoid

 

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Minus points

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Blocking/redirecting – intervene without seeming to be attacking, to stop counter-productive behaviors in the session such as gossiping, storytelling, and intellectualizing and using “you”

 

 

 

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Clarifying - Eliminating confusion of issues by seeking clearer understanding of the client’s words

 

 

 

 

Confronting incongruity – Pointing out discrepancies between words, behaviors, or thoughts

 

 

 

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Exploration or meaning of  concerns - Exploring the concern or issue further with the individual

 

 

 

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Exploring options - Assisting the client in creating a myriad of options for their concern; assessing the possibilities and plan of action surrounding each option

 

 

 

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Feedback- Offering information to the client concerning attitude and behavior such as “Last week you came here with crumpled clothes and today I see you have washed your hair and clothes.”

 

 

 

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Focusing or noting a theme – noting similarities with individual’s stories, connecting what individuals are not saying, or noting what an individual is doing outside the group and what they are saying inside the group.

 

 

 

 

Generalization to life – Transferring learned concepts, ideas, information from the session to life in general

 

 

 

 

Interpretation/reframing – Presenting a new frame of reference of a concern possibly through different theoretical orientations; “It may be that the death of your mother forces you to be alone with yourself and your own fears.”

 

 

 

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Immediacy here-&-now – Using present tense when identifying, exploring current feelings, thoughts, behaviors or experiences in the session (presently)

 

 

 

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Joining/Noting a connection - Tying comments made together as commonalities, commenting upon or connecting then and there behavior with here and now behavior

 

 

 

 

Logical Consequences – Exploring the consequences of the client’s actions or solutions

 

 

 

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Perception Check (Playing a hunch) - A periodic moment to ask or note if your perceptions or ideas about the concern are accurate; “I am perceiving a lot of anger concerning you sister and mother’s relationship?

 

 

 

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Process Counseling - Helping the members understand special themes and dynamics involved in the presenting the session’s dynamic or stages

 

 

 

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Review of Plan – Organizing the desired outcome into a plan and reviewing it with the interviewee

 

 

 

Self-disclosure – Offering relevant, helpful and appropriate information for the purpose of client’s insight

 

 

 

5 BASIC LISTENING SKILLS

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Behavioral Description - Stating behavior or mannerism; “I see by your tears that you are angry.”

 

 

 

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Questions – Open ended - Asking global questions for the purpose of receiving maximum or infinite amount of information (Who, What, Where, When?)  Avoid bombarding members with questions ????

 

 

 

 

Questions - Closed end - Used to obtain a finite amount of information, yes or no or age, address Avoid

 

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Minus points

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Paraphrasing - Actively re-phrasing in the counselor’s own words and perceptions what has been stated.

 

 

 

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Reflecting feelings  - Restating  member’s or group’s collective feelings

 

 

 

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Summary Content/Feeling - Paraphrasing a cluster of themes or topics during the session providing transition and/or closure

 

 

 

ATTENDING SKILLS --3Vs’ + B (Visuals, Vocals, Verbal following & Body Language/Behavior)

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Empathy/Rapport - Behaviors and attitudes indicating understanding and active listening

 

 

 

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Encouraging - An occasional word or “uh, uh” encouraging the member to continue

 

 

 

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Nonverbal tracking - Using body gestures and positions to mirror an individual

 

 

 

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Pacing/Leading - Allowing the client to direct the interview flow by counselor matching of words and verbal intonation; counselor directing when interview flow needs transition

 

 

 

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Respect - Offering genuine acknowledgment of the interviewee’s concerns

 

 

 

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Verbal tracking - Consistent following of  verbal direction and themes

 

 

 

 

Directions/statements – Describing a task(s) for the interviewee to complete (general directions, information)

 

 

 

 

 

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