Use of Counselling Skills in Helping Work
How do I make use of counselling skills and knowledge in helping interactions and/or helping work?
In this essay I will outline how I make use of counselling skills and knowledge gained by looking at them individually and providing examples of how they have been used working with families and in my personal life. This will be formally and informally and will include skills practice from this course. I will look at the effects the helping have on me and how I deal with them. Carl Rogers developed person centred therapy believing individuals design their own destiny and can successfully deal with their struggles and distresses as they have within them sufficient ability, though they may be unaware of the potential for growth and improvement they hold. The emphasis in the person centred therapy relationship is trust, respect and acceptance with awareness of beneficial changes to the client that can be brought about by such an atmosphere. Carl Rogers believed this was dependent on the counsellor having 3 core skills, empathy, congruence and unconditional positive regard, believing these 3 skills are essential, in a helping situation. Empathy where I stand in the helpee’s shoe enables me to see and understand things from the helpee’s perspective, by separating the behaviour from the individual& remaining non-judgemental I exercise unconditional positive regard and in being genuine, keeping it real with the helpee I implement congruence. Without these conditions in place it would be difficult for trust to be developed and, without trust a fruitful relationship cannot be established.
Active Listening is a consciousness not just of what is said, but of body language, vocal tone & actions that speak non-vocally, as a helper I show an interest in the helpee’s concerns and wellbeing, giving them my undivided attention and actively listening for the duration of our time, doing this helps to makes the helpee to feel respected, valued, accepted and reassured. I am mindful
In this essay I will outline how I make use of counselling skills and knowledge gained by looking at them individually and providing examples of how they have been used working with families and in my personal life. This will be formally and informally and will include skills practice from this course. I will look at the effects the helping have on me and how I deal with them. Carl Rogers developed person centred therapy believing individuals design their own destiny and can successfully deal with their struggles and distresses as they have within them sufficient ability, though they may be unaware of the potential for growth and improvement they hold. The emphasis in the person centred therapy relationship is trust, respect and acceptance with awareness of beneficial changes to the client that can be brought about by such an atmosphere. Carl Rogers believed this was dependent on the counsellor having 3 core skills, empathy, congruence and unconditional positive regard, believing these 3 skills are essential, in a helping situation. Empathy where I stand in the helpee’s shoe enables me to see and understand things from the helpee’s perspective, by separating the behaviour from the individual& remaining non-judgemental I exercise unconditional positive regard and in being genuine, keeping it real with the helpee I implement congruence. Without these conditions in place it would be difficult for trust to be developed and, without trust a fruitful relationship cannot be established.
Active Listening is a consciousness not just of what is said, but of body language, vocal tone & actions that speak non-vocally, as a helper I show an interest in the helpee’s concerns and wellbeing, giving them my undivided attention and actively listening for the duration of our time, doing this helps to makes the helpee to feel respected, valued, accepted and reassured. I am mindful
References: Skilled helper model – Author: Gerard Egan (2002) Personal centred counselling in action – Author: Dave Mearns and Brian Thorne (1988)