MODULE 2 – THE COUNSELOR

The Counselor's Identity: What, Who, and Why?

Professional counseling is a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to
accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals.
 Counselors work with clients on strategies to overcome obstacles and personal challenges that they are
facing.
 Counseling is an intimate form of learning
 Demands a practitioner who is willing to shed stereotypes and be an authentic person in the therapeutic
relationship

Counselor and Other Mental Health Profession

Social Workers
 Traditionally have been found working with the underprivileged and with family and social systems
 Provide counseling and psychotherapy for all types of clients in a wide variety of settings
o Child welfare services, government-supported social service agencies, family service agencies,
private practices, and hospitals
 Have extensive training in counseling techniques but less preparation in career counseling, assessment
techniques, and quantitative research methods

Psychologists
 Practice in wide range of settings
o Agencies, private practice, health maintenance organizations, universities, business and industry,
prisons, and schools
 Psy.D. - clinical doctorate in psychology

Clinical Psychologists
 Have a strong background in science, theory, and practice, which enables them to alleviate
maladjustment and promote psychological well-being
 Graduate from an APA accredited doctoral program

Counseling Psychologists
 Historically worked with relatively healthy populations
 Must obtain a doctoral degree from an APA-approved program and complete additional requirements
identified by the state licensing board

School Psychologists
 Master's or doctoral degree in school psychology and are licensed by state boards of education
 Involves children, families, and the schooling process and their training tend to focus on consultation,
evaluation and assessment, intervention, prevention, and research and planning
 Work closely with students with learning programs, their parents, and their teachers

Psychiatrists
 Medical school > training in a mental health setting > pass an exam to become board certified in
psychiatry
 Expertise in diagnosing organic disorders, identifying and treating psychopathology, and prescribing
medication for psychiatric conditions
 Not seen as experts in the delivery of counseling and psychotherapeutic services

Psychoanalysts
  Professionals who have received training in psychoanalysis from a number of recognized
psychoanalytical institutes

Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses

 Skilled in the delivery of mental health services
 Work in hospital settings, with lesser numbers working in community agencies, private practice, or
educational settings
 RN psychiatric-mental health nurse - basic mental health work related to nursing diagnosis and nursing
care
 Advanced Practiced Registered Nurse - has a master's degree in psychiatric-mental health nursing and
assesses, diagnoses, and treats individuals with mental health probems

Expressive Therapists
 include art therapists, play therapists, dance/movement therapists, poetry therapists, music therapists,
and others who use creative tools to work with individuals who are experiencing significant trauma or
emotional problems in their lives
 Individuals can gain a deeper understanding of them and work through some of their symptoms

Human Service Practitioners

 Obtained an associate's or bachelor's degree in human services
 Entry-level support and counseling jobs
 Assist counselors and other mental health professionals

Psychotherapists
 Most states do not offer legislation that would create a license for “psychotherapists.”
 Legislatures generally limit the scope of psychotherapeutic practice to those individuals who are licensed
mental health professionals
 In most states, anyone can claim to be a psychotherapist, but only licensed practitioners can practice
psychotherapy.

Competencies of Effective Counselors

 Communication skills - natural ability to listen and be able to clearly explain their ideas and thoughts to
others
 Acceptance - being nonjudgemental an accepting; convey acceptance with warmth and understanding
 Empathy - ability to feel what another person is feeling; help clients feel understood and heard
 Problem-Solving Skills - help clients identify and make changes to negative thought patterns and other
harmful behaviors
 Rapport-Building skills - give undivided attention to clients and be able to cultivate trust
 Flexibility - ability to adapt and change the way you respond to meet your clients' needs
 Self-Awareness - ability to look within and identify your own unmet psychological needs and desires; this
ability prevents your issues from affecting or conflicting with those of your clients
 Multicultural competency - means that you try to relate to and understand your clients regardless of their
race, ethnicity, religious or political beliefs or socioeconomic background

Skills of Effective Counselors

Research is increasingly finding that the type of therapy used is not an important to outcomes as are specific
counselor behaviors such as (1) Enthusiasm, (2) Confidence, (3) Belief in the patient’s ability to change.

1. Listening
a. Attending - orienting oneself physically to the patient
 b. Listening/observing - capturing and understanding the verbal and nonverbal information
communicated by that pt.

Two primary sources of information:

o Content - what is specifically said. Listen carefully for, not only what a person says, but also the words,
expressions and patterns the person is using, which may give you a deeper insight. Counselors should
develop their ability to remember what was said, as well as to clarify what was said or finding out what
was not said.
o Process - all nonverbal phenomena, including how content is conveyed, themes, body language,
interactions, etc. Smiling

2. Empathy
o Ability to perceive another's experience and then to communicate that perception back to the
individual to clarify and amplify their own experiencing and meaning

Primary skills associated with the communication of empathy include:

o Nonverbal and verbal attending
o Paraphrasing content of client communications
o Reflecting patient feelings and implicit messages

a. Attending - paying full attention in an accepting and supportive way

b. Paraphrasing - selective focusing on the cognitive part of the message
i. Listen and recall
ii. Identify the content part of the message
iii. Rephrase
iv. Perception check
c. Reflecting patient's feelings - affective reflection in an open-ended, respectful manner of what the client
is communicating verbally and nonverbally

3. Genuineness
o Ability of counselors to be freely themselves
o Congruence between outer words/behaviors and inner feelings; nondefensiveness; non-role-
playing; and being unpretentious

4. Unconditional positive regard

o An expression of caring and nurturance as well as acceptance

5. Concreteness
o Keeping communications specific - focused on facts and feelings of relevant concerns, while
avoiding tangents, generalizations, abstract discussions, or talking about counselor rather than
the client.

6. Open questions
o A questioning process to assist the client in clarifying or exploring thoughts or feelings

a. Goal is to facilitate exploration

b. Have an intention or therapeutic purpose for every question you ask
c. Avoid asking too many questions or assuming an interrogatory role
d. Best approach is to follow response to an open-ended question with a paraphrase or reflection

7. Counselor self-disclosure
 o Counselor shares personal feelings, experiences, or reactions to the client

8. Interpretation
o Any statement to the client which goes beyond what they have said or are aware of

9. Information giving and removing obstacles to change

o Supplying data, opinions, facts, resources or answers to questions.
o Explore with client possible problems which may delay or prevent their change process.
o In collaboration with the client identify possible solutions and alternatives.

Characteristics of Effective Counselors

 Be organized within your practice
 Practice ethically and professionally
 Educate yourself
 Be confident in your position and responsibility
 Be respectful and non-judgemental
 Understand the importance of communication
 Have a flexible attitude

Functions of Guidance Counselors

1. Helping a client develop potentials to the fullest
2. Helping a client plan to utilize his or her potentials to the fullest;
3. Helping a client plan his or her future in accordance with his or her abilities, interests, and needs;
4. Sharing and applying the knowledge related to counseling such as counseling theories, tools, and
techniques; and
5. Administering a wide range of human development services.