Counselling and psychotherapy

Counselling and psychotherapy The objective of the final assessment was to video a short counselling session, and then to write a reflective essay critiquing the session in light of the particular counselling method selected. The logistics of the interview were made difficult by a recent move to a country area, where I did not have access to recording equipment, a DVD burner, or classmates willing to volunteer to act as the client. After a few technical difficulties, I was able to record a session using a webcam. It was then that I found that I was unable to burn the file to a disc, and after looking through the entire town for a business that would burn it to disc, finally transferred the file to a memory stick to be posted. Approach The chosen approach was person-centred counselling, where the client is at the centre of the method, unlike some other forms of counselling where technique is more pronounced. The approach, founded by Carl Rogers in the 1940s, has also been called non-directive which also emphasises that the counsellor is not giving advice and directions, but rather a format where the client can look at and consider their own feelings and options. Rogers also focused on the present rather than the past, as opposed to the Freudian approach, as well as a closer focus on feelings. In addition, Rogers used the term client rather that patient, to highlight the fact that the person being treated was taking responsibility for their own selves, rather than being reliant on the counsellor. In the person-centred approach, it is the client who ultimately makes all decisions, looks at alternatives, and takes responsibility and ownership of their own lives and choices. Dryden Mytton (1999) identify three important areas in person-centred counselling. The first is creating an environment in which the client can freely express their emotions. Approval and understanding from the counsellor towards the client is stressed. The outlook of the counsellor is also important, and the counsellor must trust the client to be able to cope with their problems, and undertake change and development. The counsellor is there to provide support and empathy, and unconditional positive regard. The counsellors own feelings and world-view must also be taken into account there must be congruence between the counsellor and client there need to be a genuineness of emotion, with the counsellor being really there in the moment of the session. The theory behind the person-centred approach puts forward that as long as there is unconditional positive regard, empathic understanding and congruence, all the core conditions for theraputic improvement or problem solving are met, and positive change will occur. As I counsellor using a person-centred approach, I would be trying to establish the core conditions, and be non-directive. Using this approach I do not try to cause anything to happen, or prevent any thing from happening, it is the client who does the real work. One of the better analogies Ive heard to describe this approach is it is the counsellors job to hold up a mirror for the client we need to comb our hair, and can do an okay job without the mirror, but unusually there are spots we cannot see without the assistance of the mirror, and maybe can do a better job if we can view our hair from a different angle. It may take some extra time, and we may have to hold the mirror just so to catch that awkward angle, but we can see so much more, hopefully in a more sympathetic and kinder light. Evaluation Trini agreed to not only record the session on her webcam, but to be the client as well. This was appreciated, especially as the only from of counselling that Trini is familiar with is either around the kitchen table with family, or with an ordained minister. When asked as to what subject she would like to discuss, that would not to substantial or in-depth, Trini requested that we discuss baby names, as it is only a few weeks until the birth of her next child, and a decision was still to be made about names. The setting was chosen to more due to the location of the webcam, as much as for privacy and fewer distractions from noise outside or children. There was not much choice in seating, but it was comfortable for Trini, who has reached quite an uncomfortable stage in her pregnancy is not able to sit for too long in any one position. In addition to the physical environment, I tried noticeably tune in to improve communication as described by Egan (2007; 71). The acronym SOLER is used by Egan to sum up these key skills: I tried to establish and keep eye contact as much as possible, although I found this harder when taking notes of names for Trini. I think I will need a bit of practice to get to the point where taking notes is not a distraction for both myself and the client. Throughout the session I tried to always facing Trini, maintain eye contact as much as possible, stay calm and relaxed, lean forwards without being too overt; more of an incline of the head rather than the entire body. Throughout the session I tried to encourage Trini to do most of the talking, ask as many open questions as possible, and pay attention to what the client way saying and how it was said, and listen without expressing criticism or judgment. The session was also very brief, partly due to it being an assessment rather than a normal session of fifty to ninety minutes, besides Trini being unable to sit comfortable for any length of time. After becoming used to longer practice sessions in class, if felt very strange to take such a short time. Because of time constraints, information about privacy and confidentiality was provided prior to the session. No sensitive matters were discussed, but it was still important for Trini to know how the recorded information would be treated and stored. I started the session with thanks and what would you like to talk about, which I prefer due to its simplicity and directness. Improvement for future The physical location of the session could definitely been improved, but there was little that could be changed due to technical restraints. Counsellor Challenges The line between talking too much and talking too little. Fight the need to jump in, to talk, to fill in the gaps sometimes silence is just fine. Burnout trying to do much, insufficient supervision and support Taking breaks, and not doing too much. Personal and professional development. Develop more effective techniques learn more about different problems. Learn more about specific problems effecting people living in remote or rural communities. In such a small community, being extremely vigilant concerning privacy and confidentiality, offering alternatives where needed. Personal and professional implications I have to have sufficient and specific training to address different kinds of issues that present in rural communities I dont want to try to treat problems outside my range of experience. I need to be able to listen to the client, and hear the changes that they want to make and their goals for therapy it is not about me. I need to be able to clearly communicate how I can help the client solve for themselves whatever problem or concern they have. I cannot make any promises or guarantees, but I can walk with the client as they go through the problem solving or decision making process. I need to continue to be non-judgmental of any clients life choices, behaviour, or the problems that they face. I need to be able to keep up-to-date with any changes in legislation and policy to be able to provide accurate information about client rights, confidentiality and informed consent, and appropriate duty of care towards my clients. I need to find a balance in my own work life, incorporating adequate supervision and continued education. If I am not able to deal with my own emotional issues, feelings and what is happening in my life, I will not be able to efficiently help others to cope with their own problems and emotional issues. References Bolton, R. (1986) People Skills: How to Assert Yourself, Listen to Others and Resolve Conflict. New York: Prentice-Hall. Brammer, L.M. and MacDonald, G. (1996) The Helping Relationship, Process and Skills 6th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Burnard, P. (1999) Counselling Skills for Health Professionals 3rd ed. Cheltenham: Stanley Thorne. Dryden, W. and Mytton, J. (1999) Four Approaches to Counselling and Psychotherapy. London: Routledge. Egan, E. (2007) The Skilled Helper: A Problem Management and Opportunity Development Approach to Helping 8th ed. Pacific Grove: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company. Heaton, J.A. (1988) Building Basic Therapeutic Skills. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Cognitive Dissonance Essay

Solving a cognitive dissonance is a good way to look at all your cards on the table, so to speak. The definition of cognitive dissonance is â€Å"A feeling of discomfort caused by a discrepancy between an attitude and a behavior or between two attitudes.† (S.Carpenter, K. Huffman 2010). This is means that cognitive dissonance is a problem that involves how you feel and what you are doing to cause the problem. For an example: a man has stolen a car. He feels upset that he has stolen the car but he is in desperate need of money. The man’s attitude is that stealing is wrong and his behavior is that he has stolen a car. To solve this cognitive dissonance, the man will have to either change his attitude (change his belief that stealing is wrong) or his behavior (Give back the car and never steal again). To solve cognitive dissonance you will have to, like I put it, put your cards on the table and resolve your problem(s). Like the stealing man I referenced, he noticed his problem was either his attitude for the whole thing or his behavior. To avoid cognitive dissonance, you can completely ignore the problem. Someone can be a doctor that chain smokes even though they have warned their patients of the dangers of smoking and completely ignore the attitude (guilt for being a hypocrite and endangering their own lives) and the behavior (smoking) and be a smoker without thinking anything wrong or good about it. One example of cognitive dissonance that happened to me is the first and only time I cheated on a test back in high school. I needed to pass an exam because I was out sick for a month and my grade was low. A student was selling the test answers for five dollars and I bought one. When I took the test, I was felt guilty for cheating. My attitude was that cheating was wrong yet my behavior was that I was cheating on my test. I choose to fix my attitude on the grounds of that I REALLY needed to pass the test with flying colors and I felt that studying wasn’t going to cut it. It turns out that the test answers were from the wrong test and everyone who bought the answers, like me, failed. Luckily the teacher hated the turn out so much that she allowed everyone to retake it. I got a 95% on my own. I never cheated again.

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Characteristics of Squamates Reptiles

Squamates (Squamata) are the most diverse of all the reptile groups, with approximately 7400 living species. Squamates include lizards, snakes, and worm lizards. There are two characteristics that unite the squamates. The first is that they shed their skin periodically. Some squamates, such as snakes, shed their skin in one piece. Other squamates, such as many lizards, shed their skin in patches. In contrast, non-squamate reptiles regenerate their scales by other means—for example, crocodiles shed a single scale at a time while turtles do not shed the scales that cover their carapace and instead add new layers from beneath. The second characteristic shared by squamates is their uniquely jointed skulls and jaws, which are both strong and flexible. The extraordinary jaw mobility of squamates enables them to open their mouths very wide and in doing so, consume large prey. Additionally, the strength of their skull and jaws provides squamates with a powerful bite grip. Evolution of Squamates Squamates first appeared in the fossil record during the mid-Jurassic and probably existed before that time. The fossil record for squamates is rather sparse. Modern squamates arose about 160 million years ago, during the late Jurassic. The earliest lizard fossils are between 185 and 165 million years old. The closest living relatives of the squamates are the tuatara, followed by the crocodiles and birds. Of all living reptiles,  turtles  are the most distant relatives of the squamates. Like crocodilians, squamates are diapsids, a group of reptiles that possess two holes (or temporal fenestra) on each side of their skull. Key Characteristics The key characteristics of squamates  include: the most diverse group of reptilesexceptional skull mobility Classification Squamates are classified within the following taxonomic hierarchy: Animals Chordates Vertebrates Tetrapods Reptiles Squamates Squamates are divided into the following taxonomic groups: Lizards (Lacertilia): There are more than 4,500 species of lizards alive today, making them the most diverse group of all squamates. Members of this group include iguanas, chameleons, geckos, night lizards, blind lizards, skinks, anguids, beaded lizards and many others.Snakes (Serpentes): There are about 2,900 species of snakes alive today. Members of this group include boas, colubrids, pythons, vipers, blind snakes, mole vipers, and sunbeam snakes. Snakes have no limbs but their legless nature doesnt stop them from being among the worlds most formidable reptilian predators.Worm lizards (Amphisbaenia): There are about 130 species of worm lizards alive today. Members of this group are burrowing reptiles that spend most of their life underground. Worm lizards have sturdy skulls that are well suited for digging tunnels.