Process and Techniques for

Counselling Children

Mr. Aasim Ur Rehman Ganie

Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Psychiatric Social Work,
Junior Consultant, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,
NIMHANS, Bengaluru

Date: 04th March 2020, Venue: NIPCCD, Bengaluru

Activity 1
Car and Driver
Understanding Children in difficult circumstances

• Vulnerable / High risk living Emotional and

environment behavioral problems like
• Lack of social support system self harm, anger outburst,
cry spells, sexualized
• Academic difficulties / learning behaviors, etc.
difficulties / school dropout
• Victims of Child sexual abuse /
trafficking
• Abusive / anomalous family
situations / domestic violence
• Substance use in parents
Getting to know the child and establishing rapport

• Greeting the child and introducing self

• Make the child feel comfortable
• Giving the child the option to refuse to talk if not comfortable / not coerce the
child
• Discuss neutral topics – friends, places, likes/ dislikes etc.
• Using play
• Explain child purpose of visit and enquiry
• Clarify questions and misconceptions
 Activity 2
Share a memory with your partner
Active Listening

Do’s Don'ts
• Show interest. • Argue.
• Eye to eye contact • Interrupt.
• Be empathetic and understanding. • Be inattentive.
• Demonstrate your interest through • Do other work.
verbal and non-verbal cues. • Pass judgment.
• Listen for causes of the problem. • Give advice immediately.
• Observe silence as appropriate. • Jump to conclusions.
• Attentive and relaxed posture • Take notes
• Look at phone
• Fidgeting
Listening and interest

• Attentive listening:
• Maintaining eye contact
• Nodding of the head
• Body posture like leaning forwards towards the child.
• Empathetic gestures like supportive pat on the shoulder or hand.
• Appropriate Body Language:
• Attentive but relaxed sitting posture (no slouching/ drooping).
• No fidgeting.
• No writing notes/ doing other activities.
• No looking elsewhere/ poor eye contact.
 Activity 3
Write one most difficult physical activity that you want your partner to
perform – dance step, yoga pose, etc.
Empathy
• It is easy to tell others what to do, but when u have to do it yourself, its much harder.

• Put yourself in the child’s position and understand the child’s feelings and thoughts
and if the child is in a situation to imbibe the suggestions.

• NOT giving your personal opinion in a way that is critical or blaming in any way.
• Accepting the child for who and what he/she is.

• E.g.: Telling a victim of trafficking victim: why are you so upset, stop crying,
nothing has happened, why can’t you go back home, etc.
 Activity 4
Carefully observe your partner and turn away, Make few changes, face
each other again and point out the changes made.
Observation
• The child will give important information that they may not express
verbally.

• The observation of the child can help in corroborating the child's

verbal narratives.

• E.G: Signs of self harm, physical abuse, injection marks, other signs of
substance abuse, the child’s expression, condition of the child's clothes
height, weight to know signs of malnutrition and age, etc.
Role play
• 2 volunteers

• You have recued this 9 year old girl from the railway station, and is
interviewing her for the first time.

• Possible case of child trafficking and sexual abuse.

In Summary - Basic Skills:

• Getting to know the child (Rapport Building)

• Active Listening and Interest
• Empathy and Non-judgemental approach
• Observation Skills

13
Thank you