Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy

1. Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy Psych422 Chapter 2: The Counselor: Person and Professional Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 2

2. Questions? • What are the personal characteristics of effective counselors? • List two major personal qualities, or strengths, that you think will help you as a counselor? * • What one life experience do you believe has had the greatest influence on your ability as a therapist? Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 2

3. The Effective Counselor • The most important instrument you have is YOU • Your life experience, who you are, and how you struggle to live up to your potential, are powerful tools • Be authentic • Serve as models for our clients • Your own genuineness can touch your clients • Be a therapeutic person and be clear about who you are • Be willing to grow, to risk, to care, and to be involved Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 2

4. Effective counselors • Warm, accepting, caring • Know who they are • Open to change • Sincere, honest, & authentic • Invested, willing to take risks • Good boundaries • Live in the present • Sensitive to culture…………..more Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 2

5. Questions? • What motivated you to be a counselor?* • How would you respond if you were required to participate in personal psychotherapy as a basic part of your degree program?* Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 2

6. Counseling for the Counselor • In your experience of being a client you can: • Consider the motivation for wanting to be a counselor • Understand the feelings of being a client • Find support as we struggle to be a professional • Deal with personal issues, increase your self-awareness, and know the impacts for being a counselor • Be aware of and be assisted in managing the counter-transferences • Therapists can help their client no further than they have been willing to go in their own life. Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 2

7. Questions? • Can we be value-free in counseling? • What might you do if one of your values sharply contrasted with your client’s values?* Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 2

8. The Counselor’s Values • Be aware of how your values influence your interventions • Recognize that you are not value-neutral • Your job is to assist clients in finding answers that are most congruent with their own values • Find ways to manage value conflicts between you and your clients • Begin therapy by exploring the client’s goals Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 2

9. Questions? • What is an example of a belief, attitude, or assumption of yours that could block/enhance your effectiveness in working with diverse client populations?* • What can you do to increase your awareness and knowledge in the area of cultural diversity?* • What do you see as your major challenge in becoming a culturally skilled counselor?* Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 2

10. Multicultural Counseling • Become aware of your biases and values • Attempt to understand the world from yourclient’s standpoint • Gain a knowledge of the dynamics of oppression, racism, discrimination, and stereotyping • Study the historical background, traditions, and values of your client • Be open to learning from your client Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 2

11. Multicultural counseling Competence • Awareness of one’s own assumptions, values, and biases (awareness of self) • Understanding the worldview of culturally diverse clients (understand others) • Developing appropriate intervention strategies and techniques (appropriate Skills) *Adapted from Sue, D. R., & Sue, D. (2004).Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice (4th Edition). New York: John Wiley & Sons. Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 2

12. Questions • What are the common concerns or anxieties for a beginning counselor?* • What are the common irrational standards for a beginning counselor? • What are the possible reasons when a client is silent? Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 2

13. Issues Faced by Beginning Therapists • Anxiety and self-doubts • Skills vs. being ourselves • Carry clients issues in our daily life • Unrealistic beliefs: • no rooms for mistakes, I need to provide the “right” way to help (perfectionism) • Unselfishly giving (please others) • Worry no answers or solutions, fear of silence, fear of missing something (need in control) • Every client should get better (personalizing) • Be effective all the times (need to be valued) Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 2

14. Staying Alive – It’s a Prerequisite • Take care of your single most important instrument – YOU • Know what causes burnout • Know how to recognize burnout • Know how to prevent burnout Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 2