Friday, February 03, 2012

Good Counselling Methods and Techniques

By Xander Davenport


Effective Counselling

Counselling is both a science and an art, making it maybe one of the hardest disciplines. It is a science as it follows a definite set of rules. It is also a skill because the efficacy of a counselling session depends, to a great extent, on the strategies and techniques employed by the counsellor.

When are saying that a counselling service is effective? What makes a counsellor effective?

A counsellor should always be prepared to listen. Most counselling clients just want somebody to take the time and listen to them; someone is going to understand their anxiety, depression, anger and grief. It would be a unpleasant experience for a patient if they feel they are blocked because he has a counsellor who talks more and listens less.

Counseling should be a location for the patient to feel at ease. A good counselor should have the ability to make the patient feel safe to divulge their thoughts and feelings.

A counselor should also be sensitive to know if the client wants him to share his thoughts too. A self-disclosure on the part of the counsellor may help the customer understand that he's not alone; and that someone else is going thru the same problems and was able to cope. But the counselor should remember this is helpful only if the client asks him to do so.

A good counselor isn't quick to offer solutions. Most clients don't need someone to tell them what to do. They just desire somebody to hear them. But the counselor may give his advice only when the client asks for it.

The client should not feel that he is judged. A good counselor should not project as if he is condemning the client. He should be tactful with his remarks and avoid harsh statements like, If I were you, I would never do that.

At the ultimate analysis, effective counseling is one that permits the client to be who they are, thus permitting them to recover from their predicament.




About the Author:



1 comment:

Counselling Purley said...

Thanks for sharing such a wonderful post. I really like the information which you have shared in your post. Depression is an illness that affects the whole body. It changes the way we eat, sleep, communicate and go about our daily business. Depression is also an illness that many people have a problem acknowledging.