COUNSELING:

STEP BY STEP
DR JOYZY PIUS EGUNJOBI
COUNSELING
SETTING
COUNSELING SETTING
• Counseling can take place anywhere.
• This is called counseling settings
• Settings where professional counseling  takes place include:
• Private practice,
• Community settings,
• Educational system,
• Legal system,
• Group homes,
• Rehabilitation facilities,
• Different settings may require different skills and training.
PHYSICAL SETTING
• Counseling may take place anywhere
• The kind of physical setting may influence the
counseling process positively or negatively.
• Certain things need to be considered:
• The Location
• The Counseling room
• Sitting arrangement
 PHYSICAL
SETTING
• THE LOCATION
• Easily accessible
• Neat and serene
• Enhance client’s
privacy
 • THE COUNSELING ROOM
• Quiet wall colors,
• No dull or flashy
lighting
• Odorless
• Good ventilation
• Comfortable furniture
• No distraction
• Moderate non-offensive
decorations
• Hanging credentials

PHYSICAL SETTING
SITTING IN INDIVIDUAL
COUNSELING
• The sitting arrangement
depends on the counselor’s
• Preference
• Theoretical Background
• Comfort
• Room structure.
• Some counselors prefer to sit
behind a desk.
• However, a desk can be a
physical and symbolic
barrier/ blockage between
client and counselor.
SITTING IN GROUP COUNSELING
• Group counseling seating arrangement depends
on the room space and theoretical background
of the counselor/facilitator. However,
• Use the same set of chairs
• Family Counselor may face the family member
• Each member of the group should have no difficulty seeing
everyone
• Enough space between the chairs to allow free movement
INITIAL CONTACT
INITIAL CONTACT
• This is the first state in counseling in the therapeutic relationship
• The initial contact can be considered as the first counseling session
• This is a very crucial stage in counseling as it is said, first
impression matter most
• This stage includes
• Welcoming
• Introduction
• Informed Consent
• Presenting problem
WELCOMING

Welcoming is a very important part in developing therapeutic relationship

A Counselor is expected to receive the potential client with warmth and genuine greetings

Cultural and diversity sensitivity are important at this stage regarding greeting modality

Client is invited to take a seat – preferably the client chooses the seat
INTRODUCTION
• The Counselor introduces him/herself preferably
without the academic or professional title
• The counselor asks the client for his/her name. Usually
the client may do so without being asked
• If there was prior conversation (e.g on the telephone),
there is need to confirm the person by saying “you
are….” or “you must be ….”, and not presume.
• The introduction should be simple and cordial.
 • It’s a working agreement where
we contract for what’s going to
happen in the, and what to expect
in the therapeutic relationship.
INFORMED • The working agreement empowers
CONSENT the client, giving them choices
within the counselling relationship
• This is also a very important session
that should not be rushed. It might
take up to ten minutes of a 30-
minute.
INFORMED
CONSENT cont…
• The informed consent should include and
explain:
• Counselor’s information including name,
educational and professional background
• What is to be offered
• Counseling modality or theoretical
background (e.g. Cognitive Behavioral
Therapy)
• Confidentiality and limitations is based
on the Country’s Law and Professional
Code of Ethics
• Health and safety
• Time and Location Boundaries
INFORMED
CONSENT cont…
• Time and day(s) of session(s)
• Duration of the session (usually 50 minutes);
and how many sessions
• Fee structure (if a paid service)
• Writing notes during session (if applicable and
counselor’s style)
• How long your notes will be kept for, who can
see them, and how they will be disposed of
• Complaints procedure
• INFORMED CONSENT MAY NOT BE
IMMEDIATE DEPENDING OF YOUR
ASSESSMENT OF THE INITIAL CONTACT.
 THIS IS THE REASON SOME SORT OF SOME BELIEVE THAT
THE CLIENT PRESENTS ASSESSMENT CAN BE THIS SHOULD COME
FOR SEEKING MADE HERE OR BEFORE CONTRACTING
PROFESSIONAL HELP DIAGNOSIS (IF WITHIN WITH THE CLIENT IN

PRESENTIN ONE’S COMPETENCY) CASE THE NEED FOR

REFERRAL.

G
PROBLEM
OTHERWISE NOTE THAT, THE
CLIENT’S PRESENTING PROBLEM
COUNSELING MAY NOT BE THE MAIN
GOAL(S) NEED TO BE ISSUE. HENCE, THE NEED TO
CLARIFIED BE PATIENT AT JUMPING
INTO INTERVENTION.
IN GROUP
SETTING
• This stage takes a different
approach and dynamics
• The first stage is known as Forming.
• This stage includes discussing:
• Introduction of members
• Member’s skills, background and
interests
• Project goals
• Timeline
• Ground rules
• Individual roles
THERAPEUTIC
ALLIANCE
THERAPEUTIC ALLIANCE
STAGE
• Therapeutic alliance – that felt bond between
therapist and client – is the most powerful factor
and experience in the counseling process to
achieving emotional and psychological healing.
• This stage includes:
• Exploration
• Understanding
• Intervention
 • This overlaps with the presenting problem
• This is a critical stage in counseling where
the counselor fully gather and relevant
information and seeks to fully understand
EXPLORATIO all about the client’s presenting problem.
N • Counselor exercises the counseling skills of
active listening, empathy, questioning, etc
to clarify and understand the problem
• Counseling goal(s) are systematically
formulated by the client, assisted by the
counselor
UNDERSTANDING
• This is part of the counseling process which
promote strong and cordial therapeutic alliance.
• Through the understanding of client situation by
using appropriate counseling skills such as
compassion, paraphrasing, reflecting meaning,
reflection of feelings, asking open and close-
ended questions in a non-judgmental manner,
one is developing a strong relationship with the
client.
• Both verbal and nonverbal cues to reflect
genuineness of the counselor are very
important.
 INTERVENTION
• The intervention process is about choosing the
appropriate counseling techniques to attend to the
understood or assessed issues of the client
• The counseling techniques (dream analysis, ABC
model, Empty chair, Miracle Question, etc.) are
either based on the theoretical background of the
counselor or are from different theoretical
expertise of the counselor, employed in an
integrative manner
• This is informed by what the counselor think is
appropriate for the client.
• This involve the client making SMART (Specific,
Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, & Timely)
objectives derived from the set goals
• It may involve the decision making of the client.
TERMINATION AND
REFERRAL
 Termination is usually the final stage of
counseling, but this can occur prematurely
initiated by the client with or without
notice, or by the counselor for referral.

TERMINATION In whatever case, it is the ending of the

AND therapeutic alliance between the counselor
or the client.
REFERRAL
The stage of proper termination is as
important as the initial stage in that it is the
last interaction many clients will have with
the counselor.
TERMINATION AND REFERRAL
• There are processes involved in termination:
• Preparation where the counselor prepares the mind of the
client about the end of the therapeutic alliance at least 3
sessions prior to termination
• Work towards evaluating the client’s progress with the client
• Develop coping strategies with the client and resources to
employ to stay motivated after the therapy – This is sometimes
called maintenance
• This may be emotional for the client. This must be dealt with
before the termination.
TERMINATION AND REFERRAL
• Both the counselor and the client evaluate
the whole therapeutic alliance on the last
day.
• The counselor should try to make the last day
basically for termination and not for process
• It is good to let the client know that the
counselor is still available if necessary
TERMINATION AND REFERRAL
REFERRAL
• This is the practice of helping
clients find needed expert
assistance that
referring counselor cannot
provide
• This occurs when
• The counselor is not competent in the
area of client’s concern
• The client needs other professional
services such as medical
• In the case of negative transference or
counter-transference
FOLLOW
UP
FOLLOW UP
• Not many counselors employ this important stage
• Often time, therapeutic relationship ends with termination
• Although, the relationship may be reopened when the client
return.
• Given the fact that termination ends the therapeutic alliance
• It is important for the counselor to occasionally follow-up with
the client’s stability and progress in the achieved change
• This helps the client in the maintenance of his or her
maintenance stage.
FOLLOW UP
• However, counselors need to be cautious in this process lest
the client feel the counselor is intrusive into his or her private
life outside counseling relationship.
• Hence,
• Counselor needs to check with the client if it is welcomed to
occasionally check on her progress in life after termination
• Counselor needs to do this only if it will be to the benefit of the
client
• Counselor should do this maintaining appropriate boundaries and
being conscious of expected ethical practice.