Explain the importance of closing a session
Each counselling session is likely to be emotive which will leave the client vulnerable to the outside world of the counselling room. Since some difficult topics are likely to be discussed and the client is likely to express a variety of emotions, it can be hard to bring a session to an end. Sometimes it can feel that the timing of the endings is insensitive to the clients needs. It is extremely important to summarise accurately and sensitively to confirm to the client that they have been heard. It demonstrates empathy and understanding and it allows for clarification where necessary. Even when a client is aware of the time boundary, they can be so absorbed in talking about something deeply emotional. It is important to re- assure the client that they are welcome to discuss this in more depth at the next meeting. Closing the session gives the client opportunity to confirm practical details for further sessions, such as dates, times, number of further sessions needed. This will define boundaries and make the client feel safe and establish trust that the counselor has a commitment to helping the client resolve their
Explain the possible impact of diversity on the use of counselling skills in a session.
Prejudice is, for good or ill, a part of our nature. It is instilled in us from birth onwards. All we can hope to do is to combat it, and the first tool in our armoury must be that of awareness. Without this, it is very difficult, perhaps impossible, for the counsellor to explore how it might be influencing the counselling relationship.
The Essay on Maintaining Good Client Relations
Establishing and Maintaining Good Client Relations Total Quality Management, customer satisfaction index, zero defects, client service - all are buzzwords of management in the 1990s. Yet what is all this about anyway? After all, lawyers and law firms successfully made it through the '80s without all the commotion about quality and service. Why all the fuss now? Is this just another fad, some ...
Difference, prejudice and discrimination are issues that all counsellors need to address as part of their personal and professional development. Counsellor need support and training on these complex issues as this will help the counselor understand the experience of discrimination, as well as explore their own – often unconscious – attitudes to others, based on gender, sexuality, race, culture or mental health, social class, biological sex, gender-role identity, marital status and values and religion.
