Running Head: COUNSELING ROLEPLAY: COPING WITH LOSS AND GRIEF

Counseling Roleplay: Coping with Loss and Grief

Komal Seemab and Mahnoor

Department of Professional Psychology, Bahria University
CLI 333: Clinical Psychology
Dr. Wizra Saeed
May 18, 2023
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COUNSELLING ROLEPLAY: COPING WITH LOSS AND GRIEF

Contents

Background-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3
Script---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3
Reflective Analysis----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7
Intro------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7
Main Body----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7
Conclusion----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7
References--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8
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COUNSELLING ROLEPLAY: COPING WITH LOSS AND GRIEF

Reflective Analysis
Intro: The client appeared with the problem of dealing with loss and grief. Her father passed

away two months ago, and she has been having trouble maintaining her daily routine and

adjusting to the loss of her father. I used reflection, empathy, breathing exercises, and

gratitude and remembrance to help her deal with her issues.

Main Body: We started the session by informing the client about the confidentiality of

sessions and all the term conditions to get her consent. I assured her that all the info she

shares will private so that she can open up easily. To help the client express herself and to

show understanding and acceptance I used empathy. “Expressing empathy within a

counseling session involves more than just words; the counselor must communicate a deep

understanding and display a personal connection with the client”, (Cochran & Cochran,

2015). So, I used non-verbal cues and reflection. The non-verbal cues such as open posture,

eye contact, and leaning toward the client, (Hough, 1998) made the client feel safe enough to

talk about her problems and express emotions. Reflection in counseling is like holding up a

mirror, repeating the client’s words back to them exactly as they said them, by this, I showed

That I am understanding how what she is trying to convey or what she is feeling. After this,

the client was able to express her emotions more freely (Meier & Boivin., 2010). The client

had an emotional reaction and started crying while expressing her grief and to calm her down

I asked her to perform a breathing exercise with me, this brought her back to a normal state

where she was able to talk about her problem in further detail. The client expressed how she

has trouble doing daily routine activities because she keeps getting reminded of memories of

her dad which result her in being overcome with grief. To cope with this, I asked her to use

these memories to stay connected with her dad and express gratitude. In a study on

memorializing preferences, researchers from the University of Florida conducted a study

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COUNSELLING ROLEPLAY: COPING WITH LOSS AND GRIEF

based on a sample of 145 participants examining personal attitudes and life experiences with

death. Their results reveal that although remembering can be painful, it can also bring

comfort by connecting through a shared past (Mroz & Bluck, 2018).

During this session, I noticed that my strength is empathy, I was able to understand the client

and convey that understanding and acceptance through verbal and non-verbal cues. Another

of my strength is active listening, I paid attention to all the information and cues presented by

the client during the session. I felt like there were more direct than open-ended questions,

which might have restricted the client from talking about other aspects of her problem. There

was also a lack of silence, which might have resulted in not having enough time for the client

to self-reflect on her feelings before expressing, “clients often need periods of silence in order

to collect their thoughts or as a way of experiencing a very strong feeling or emotion.”

(Hough, 1998)futul

Conclusion: I learned about my strengths and weaknesses through this reflection, now I know

which areas in my counseling techniques need improvement. I will use more open-ended

questions in my future session and give space to the client to be able to reflect on their

thoughts and feelings without feeling the need to intervene. Overall, I believe that I need to

practice my counseling skills more, so I will be able to deal with more complex issues in the

future.

Script

(The client enters the office, and the counselor opens the door for the client and greets her)

Counselor: (Smiling, making natural eye contact, soft voice) AOA! you must be Zara, I hope

it was easy for you to find my office.

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Zara: WA, it was easy to reach here.

Counselor: Welcome, Zara! I’ve been looking forward to meeting you. Would you like to

have a seat? 

Zara: Yes Thanks! 

(The client and counselor both sit on couches next to each other)

Counselor: (sits facing the client, with an open and relaxed posture and leaning slightly

towards the client) I would like to introduce myself; I am Aima, and I am a counselor with

expertise in grief management. I’ll be taking your sessions and we both will work on your

problems together. Is there anything else you would like to know regarding my practice?

Zara: No, I already did my research before coming here.

Counselor: That’s great! Before starting the session, I would like to discuss some terms and

conditions of our counseling relationship. Is that okay?

Zara: Yeah, that’s fine! 

Counselor: First, I would like to tell you that each of our sessions will be for 45 minutes, once

a week. We can schedule the sessions considering both of our availability so you can easily

attend these sessions. And I also want to ask your permission to record these sessions.

Zara. Okay, can I ask who will you show these recorded sessions to?

Counselor:  I assure you these will be only shown to my module leader. If you are not

comfortable with it you can tell me freely.

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COUNSELLING ROLEPLAY: COPING WITH LOSS AND GRIEF

Zara. No, I think it’s fine if only your module leader will have access to them.

Counselor: Thank you, Zara. After it, the most important thing I want to discuss is the

consent form which states our roles and terms of counseling. This form further states that

during our sessions all the information you share with me will stay between us, and I will

ensure the privacy of our counseling relationship. However, if I believe that you are a danger

to yourself or to another person, or if a legal authority orders me to disclose your information,

I will have to break out of confidentiality, but if anything like this occurs, I will inform you

beforehand. Now I would like you to read this consent form and sign this form if you agree

with the term stated in it. (Counselor gives the form and a pen to the client to sign the form)

Zara: (takes the form and starts thinking something) Yes, I understand that but can you tell

me about the charges for these sessions and how long will it last?

Counselor: (points towards the consent form) As mentioned in the consent form you will

have to pay 1500 rupees per session. And about the duration of counseling, well, I would say

it depends on your efforts and the progress you make. You will be able to leave as soon as

you are able to deal with your problems effectively.

Zara. Okay, that's pretty good.

Counselor: During our time together, my role is to support you and provide you with

guidance, resources, and information. I want you to know that all decisions, choices, or goals

are yours to make, you have the right to choose what is best for you, I'm here to assist you but
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you have the ultimate control when it comes to making decisions. I hope you are okay with

this.

Zara: Yes, fine with me.

Counselor: Well, is there anything you would like to ask before we begin our session? 

Zara: No, I think I understand it all.

Counselor: Great so we can begin our session. Zara, can you please tell me something about

yourself or how can I help you? 

Zara: My father passed away two months ago, and I have been really struggling since then.

(Sighs deeply and leans slightly backward on a chair)

Counselor: I'm sorry for your loss. It must have been really hard for you to deal with this.

Zara: Yes, it was really tough for me.

Counselor: (In a very clear and soft voice, using open-ended questions) I understand. Losing

a loved one is never easy, and it’s natural to feel a range of emotions. Can you tell me a bit

more about what you’ve been experiencing?

Zara: I have been feeling like my world has turned upside down at once. He was my support

and was always there for me and now I feel like I have no one. 

Counselor: (using reflection) You feel overwhelmed and alone after loosing your father.

Zara: (Nods her head) Yes, I am always anxious. I can’t sleep thinking about my father and

have been avoiding my friends and family. (starts crying)

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Counselor: I can understand you feel distressed and disconnected from everyone, but it is

important to take care of yourself during this time. Have you tried any relaxation techniques,

like deep breathing or meditation to help you when you get anxious?

Zara: No, I haven't tried anything like this before.

Counselor: That’s fine, you can practice deep breathing with me. It will take just a few

minutes and will help you to relax. Would you like to try it right now?

Zara: Yeah, I guess we can try.

(Here the Breathing exercises start. The counselor provides step-by-step instructions to the

client for carrying out deep breathing exercises)

1. Get comfortable. Sit in a chair with your shoulders, head, and neck supported against the

back of the chair.

2. Close your eyes and breathe in deeply and slowly through your nose, letting your belly fill

with air.

3. Hold for a count of 3 to 5.

4. Breathe out slowly and completely through your lips. Don’t force your breath out.

5. Place one hand on your belly and one hand on your chest.

6. As you breathe in, feel your belly rise. As you breathe out, feel your belly lower.

7. Rest and take three more full deep breaths and breathe fully into your belly.

(Here the breathing exercise ends)

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Counselor:  I hope you are feeling a bit relaxed now.

Zara: Yes, I feel much better now.

Counselor: Let’s also talk about your support system. It’s important to have people to talk to

and lean on during this time. Can you think of someone you can reach out to?

Zara: I guess my sister. She’s been through something similar, so she might understand.

Counselor: That’s a great idea. It’s also important to talk about your dad and your memories

of him. Would you like to share a memory of him with me?

Zara: I remember whenever I got good results in my school, he was the most eager to

celebrate it. He supported every decision of mine. I felt so secure and happy with him. (Being

emotional) 

Counselor: (using remembrance and gratitude to deal with grief) That sounds like a

wonderful memory. It’s important to hold onto those memories and cherish them. They can

help us feel connected to our loved ones, engage with these memories, and cherish them to

show gratitude to the person.

Zara: I know, but it’s hard to think about him and not feel sad. Whenever anything reminds

me of him, I am overcome by sadness and can’t even do small tasks.

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Counselor: Whenever a memory is triggered and you are reminded of Him, take a moment to

reflect on the memory and think about the time you spent with him, and then take a deep

breath and continue with your day. It will take practice. At first, the memories may be strong

and feel like too much. That’s okay. Over time, the intensity will decrease, and you will be

able to engage more easily. After all, grief is a journey, and the ultimate goal isn’t to stop

missing the person you love. The goal is to find a way to move forward with hope, healing,

and peace with beloved memories by your side.

Zara: Thank you for your help. I feel a bit better after talking to you.

Counselor: You’re welcome, Zara. It takes courage to seek help, and I’m glad you’re taking

steps to work through your grief. We can schedule another session to check in and see how

you’re doing. In the meantime, I encourage you to practice the relaxation techniques we

talked about and reach out to your support system when you need to.

Zara: Okay, I will. Thank you again.

Counselor: You’re welcome, Zara. Take care.

References

Cochran, J. L., & Cochran, N. (2015). The heart of counseling: Counseling skills through therapeutic

relationships. Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.

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Hough, M. (1998). Counselling Skills and Theory. Hodder Education.

Meier, A., & Boivin. (2010). Counselling and Therapy Techniques: Theory & Practice. SAGE.

Mroz, E. L., & Bluck, S. (2018). In memory: Predicting preferences for memorializing lost loved ones.

Routledge/Taylor and Francis Group.