Techniques of Counseling
Among the most prominent techniques include attending behavior empathy, observational skills and questioning. Attending behavior is a significant skill in clinical mental health counselling that involves the counselors giving the client their full attention while focusing on what the client is doing, saying, body language and voice tone (Ivey, Ivey & Zalaquett, 2013). In the CBT Counseling Session video, the counselor uses attending behavior to ensure Lucy speaks up about her problems. One of the major techniques of attending behavior that the counselor sues is eye contact. The counselor is able to directly look at Lucy to show that she is listening to her and has her full attention (Johson, 2014). She is slowing down her to tone to make Lucy feel more comfortable and relaxed. The counsellor’s facial expressions also convey her comprehension and interest.
Another technique evident in the CBT Counseling Session video is empathy. Empathy, or the ability to put oneself in someone’s shoes is the quality that can hook a client into the counselor’s world and keep them there throughout the process. In the video it is evident that the counsellor wants to ease Lucy’s invisible suffering by using empathy. She is able to see the world through the Lucy’s eyes and avoids interrupting Lucy while she talks, dismissing her beliefs and being judgmental. By doing these things she is able to show Lucy that she respects her and is trying to understand her problems.
Observing is also an important technique that counsellors use while engaging with their clients. It is one of the fastest ways to understand clients, what they are going through, and how they manifest it (Ivey, Ivey & Zalaquett, 2013). Observing a client can lead to information. In the CBT Counseling Session video, the counsellor is not only listening to their words but looking at other ways Lucy is communicating including her tone of voice and body language. For instance, she notices that Lucy is smiling while talking about her problems (Johnson, 2014). Through this the counsellor is able to identify the incongruities and discrepancies in Lucy’s communication.
The last technique is questioning, a significant way of giving the client an opportunity to state personal goals for treatment. Questions are always centered upon addressing the stated goals and serve to provide clarification, make connections, and gain deeper insight (Ivey, Ivey & Zalaquett, 2013). In the CBT Counseling Session video, the counselor uses open ended question so that instead of getting a yes or no reply, Lucy can elaborate and say more about her problems. She is also to curious to know all about Lucy and how she constructs her world, both inner and outer (Johson, 2014). By asking questions she wants to know how Lucy have coped so far. The counsellor makes every effort to help Lucy feel safe and not to lead her in any particular direction.
References
Ivey, A. E., Ivey, M. B., & Zalaquett, C. P. (2013). Intentional interviewing and counseling: Facilitating client development in a multicultural society (First Ed). Boston: Cengage Learning.
Johnson, J. (2014). Case study clinical example CBT: First session with a client with symptoms of depression (CBT model). You Tube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LD8iC4NqXM.
