PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL

CONSULTATION

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 CONSULTATION
 DEFINITION OF CONSULTATION: A PROCESS IN WHICH A
HUMAN SERVICE PROFESSIONAL (EXAMPLE, A
PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR) ASSISTS A CONSULTEE WITH
A WORK-RELATED PROBLEM WITHIN A CLIENT SYSTEM,
WITH THE GOAL OF HELPING BOTH THE CONSULTEE AND
THE CLIENT SYSTEM IN SOME SPECIFIED WAY.

 RELATIONSHIPS OF THE PARTIES INVOLVED IN

CONSULTATION:

CONSULTEE CLIENT
CONSULTANT
SYSTEM
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 CONSULTATION

 THUS, CONSULTATION IS TRIPARTITE IN NATURE, IT CONSISTS

OF THREE PARTIES:

• A CONSULTANT,

• A CONSULTEE (OR A GROUP OF CONSULTEES),

• A CLIENT SYSTEM (WHICH CAN CONSIST OF AN

INDIVIDUAL, GROUP, A SYSTEM, OR ORGANIZATION)..

 THE CONSULTANT DELIVERS DIRECT SERVICE TO THE

CONSULTEE, AND THE CONSULTEE DELIVERS DIRECT SERVICE
TO THE CLIENT. 3
 CONSULTATION

EXAMPLES OF CONSULTATION:

A) A COUNSELOR CONSULTANT ASSISTS THE STAFF/OR A

COUNSELOR OF A SUBSTANCE ABUSE REHABILITATION
CENTER IN IDENTIFYING ITS MAJOR WORK CONCERNS AND
IN MAKING PLANS TO SOLVE THEM.

B) A SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST/COUNSELOR HELPS A TEAM OF

TEACHERS CONCERNING THE CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR OF
CERTAIN STUDENTS.

C) A SCHOOL COUNSELOR WORKS WITH A CLASS TEACHER TO

IMPROVE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES. 4
 CONSULTATION

D) A FAMILY THERAPIST TRAINS A GROUP OF SCHOOL

COUNSELORS IN FAMILY SYSTEMS THEORY FOR USE IN
THEIR WORK.

E) A SOCIAL WORKER ASSISTS A GROUP OF RURAL HUMAN

SERVICE AGENCIES TO BUILD A NETWORK FOR
RESPONDING TO COMMON ISSUES.

F) A SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST ASSISTS TEACHERS IN FINDING

WAYS TO HELP STUDENTS COPE WITH SCHOOL VIOLENCE.

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 CONSULTATION

GENERAL GOALS OF CONSULTATION:

a. TO IMPROVE THE CONSULTEE’S FUNCTIONING
WITH A CLIENT (WHICH CAN CONSIST OF AN
INDIVIDUAL, GROUP, OR ORGANIZATION).
b. TO DEVELOP THE CONSULTEE’S SKILLS SO
THAT HE OR SHE WILL BE ABLE TO COPE WITH
SIMILAR PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE.
c. TO IMPROVE THE CLIENT SYSTEM.
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 CONSULTATION

GENERAL TASKS OF A CONSULTANT:

PROVIDES INFORMATION AND/OR TRAINING TO
CONSULTEE/S.
PROVIDES SOLUTION TO A GIVEN PROBLEM.
CONDUCT A DIAGNOSIS/ASSESSMENT OF A PROBLEM.
PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS ON ACTIONS TO BE
TAKEN.
IMPROVES ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS.
IMPROVES THE SKILLS OF INDIVIDUALS IN THEIR WORK.
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 CONSULTATION & COLLABORATION

DEFINITION OF COLLABORATION: “TWO OR MORE

PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER, USING SYSTEMATIC
PLANNING AND PROBLEM SOLVING PROCEDURES TO
ACHIEVE DESIRED OUTCOMES”.
COLLABORATION IS VERY SIMILAR TO CONSULTATION, AS
IT ALSO INVOLVES PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS..

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 CONSULTATION & COLLABORATION

 THE DISTINCTIVE ASPECTS BETWEEN

CONSULTATION AND COLLABORATION ARE:
→ CONSULTATION = “HELPING THE HELPER/S HELP” (“HANDS OFF”) –
INDIRECT PROCESS, WHEREAS COLLABORATION = “HELPERS
HELPING ONE ANOTHER” (“HANDS ON”) – IT INVOLVES BOTH DIRECT
AND INDIRECT PROCESSES..
→ IN CONSULTATION, THE CONSULTEE IMPLEMENT THE
INTERVENTION, MAKE DECISIONS AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
OUTCOME WHEREAS IN COLLABORATION, THE PARTIES INVOLVED
SHARE THE POWER IN DECISION-MAKING, ARE ACCOUNTABLE IN
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APPLYING THE NEEDED INTERVENTION (BASED ON ONE’S
EXPERTISE)AND ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OUTCOME..
 CONSULTATION & COUNSELING
• COMPARING CONSULTATION AND COUNSELING:

LIKE COUNSELING, CONSULTING IS ALSO BASED UPON THE

ASSUMPTION THAT A SUCCESS/POSITIVE HUMAN
RELATIONSHIP IS CHARACTERIZED BY GENUINNESS AND
TRUST..
ALSO, LIKE COUNSELING, THE OBJECTIVE OF
CONSULTATION IS TO CHANGE/IMPROVE BEHAVIOR AND
PERCEPTION OF THE PERSON RECEIVING THE SERVICE (THE
CLIENT/S) AND TO PRODUCE AN INDEPENDENT CLIENT..
COUNSELING IS A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
CLIENT/S WHEREAS CONSULTATION IS NOT A DIRECT
RELATIONSHIP.. 10
CONSULTATION & COUNSELING

ONE IMPORTANT FUNCTION OF CONSULTATION IS GIVING

ADVICE OR TEACHING THE CONSULTEE WHEREAS
COUNSELING DOES NOT INVOLVE GIVING ADVICE..
CONSULTATION REQUIRES AN ADDITIONAL SET OF
CONCEPTIONS, INTERVENTION STRATEGIES, AND SKILLS
DIFFERENTIATED FROM TRADITIONAL COUNSELING..
THE NATURE OF THE SERVICE IS DIFFERENT; IN
COUNSELING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COUNSELOR
AND CLIENT IS MORE INTENSE AND DEEP (DIRECT FOCUS
ON THE CLIENT’S DEFENSES) WHEREAS IN CONSULTATION
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IT IS LESS INTENSE..
CHARACTERISTICS OF CONSULTATION

• A TYPE OF A PROFESSIONAL ROLE TAKEN ON BY HUMAN

SERVICE/MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.

• A PROBLEM-SOLVING PROCESS WITH THE TERM ‘PROBLEM’

DEFINED IN THE BROAD SENSE AS SOMETHING NEEDING
CONSIDERATION..

• TRIADIC IN NATURE: THE THREE PARTIES ARE THE

CONSULTANT, THE CONSULTEE AND THE CLIENT SYSTEM..

• THE CONSULTANT CAN BE EITHER INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL

TO THE SYSTEM.. 12
CHARACTERISTICS OF CONSULTATION

• PARTICIPATION IN CONSULTATION IS VOLUNTARY FOR ALL

OF THE PARTIES INVOLVED…

• THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CONSULTANT AND

CONSULTEE IS ONE OF PEERS AND TENDS TO BE
COLLABORATIVE WHENEVER POSSIBLE.

• CAN BE EITHER REMEDIAL (I.E. SOLVING A DEFINED

PROBLEM) OR DEVELOPMENTAL (I.E. ASSISTING IN THE
REALIZATION OF POTENTIAL).
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 COMMON ROLES OF A CONSULTANT

• EXPERT – MOST COMMON ROLE; PROVIDING CONSULTEE WITH

KNOWLEDGE, ADVICE AND SERVICE.

• ADVOCACY – MOST DIRECTIVE ROLE OF A CONSULTANT (GIVE

STRONG RECOMMENDATIONS/SUGGESTIONS TO CONSULTEE).

• TRAINER OR EDUCATOR – FACILITATES SKILL ACQUISITION IN

THE CONSULTEE.

• COLLABORATOR – COLLABORATE WITH CONSULTEES AS JOINT

PROBLEM SOLVERS IN ALL STEPS OF CONSULTATION PROCESS,
EXCEPT THE IMPLEMENTATION STAGE.

• FACT FINDER – GATHERS INFORMATION AND PROVIDES THE 14

CONSULTEE WITH THE INFO.
 GENERAL SKILLS FOR A
CONSULTANT

• PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH

ORIENTATION
• KNOWLEDGE OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR
• COMMUNICATION AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
• SKILLS IN GROUP WORK- SOMETIMES THE
CONSULTANT WORKS WITH GROUPS OF
CONSULTEES. 15
GENERAL SKILLS FOR A CONSULTANT

• PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS

• SKILLS IN WORKING WITH
ORGANIZATIONS
• SKILLS IN WORKING WITH CULTURAL
DIVERSITY
• KNOWLEDGE IN ETHICAL VALUES AND 16

PROFESSIONAL WORK SO THAT

 BENEFITS OF CONSULTATION
(IN SCHOOL)
 ALLOWS COUNSELORS TO HAVE A FAR-REACHING, LASTING IMPACT ON
THE SCHOOL’S INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

 EXTENDS THE COUNSELOR’S REACH TO MORE STUDENTS BY WORKING

WITH THE ADULTS IN A STUDENT’S LIFE WHO CAN MAKE A MAJOR IMPACT
ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC, CAREER, AND SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL LIVES.

(DIRECT SERVICE DELIVERY, SUCH AS INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING,

REACHES ONE STUDENT AT A TIME, WHILE CONSULTATION INDIRECTLY
IMPACTS MANY STUDENTS BY WORKING WITH THE ADULTS IN
STUDENTS’ LIVES..).

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 BENEFITS OF SCHOOL
CONSULTATION

 WORKS WITH PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND ADMINISTRATORS TO

BENEFIT A STUDENT OR REMOVE A BARRIER THAT IS IMPEDING
PROGRESS FOR A STUDENT.

 EFFICIENT USE OF TIME SUCH THAT SCHOOL COUNSELORS

SPEND THEIR TIME WHERE THEY CAN IMPACT THE MOST
STUDENTS.

 IN A SUCCESSFUL CONSULTATION, KNOWLEDGE GAINED CAN

BE TRANSFERRED TO NEW SITUATIONS, IDEAS DEVELOP INTO
PLANS THAT CAN BENEFIT MANY MORE STUDENTS, AND
PROFESSIONAL SKILL IS ENHANCED. 18