HSE-220_Course Discussion Posts

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HSE-220 Discussions Module 1 1-1 Discussion: Five Stages of Counseling My name is Kristie, and I am an Air Force retiree after serving for 24 years. I am originally from Missouri, but my final assignment with the Air Force brought me to Hampton Roads, Virginia. I am the mother of two amazing young men (15 and 13). While I spend most of my downtime with my family (or doing homework), I also volunteer at my son's schools and as a Girls on the Run coach within the community, combining social and emotional learning concepts with running for 3rd–8th-grade girls. I am pursuing a BA in Human Services with a Child and Family Development concentration to build on my BA in Psychology with the same concentration. My ideal job would involve combining my military background with my degree studies and my desire to help young people build their emotional intelligence toolbox and break the cycle of becoming adults without these skills by identifying gaps in services, resources, and tools available in schools and communities. The five stages of counseling are: empathic relationship, story and strengths, goals, restory, and action (Ivey et al., 2016) Stage 1: Empathic Relationship—Initiating the Session This stage focuses on building rapport and trust between the client and counselor. It involves creating a supportive environment, establishing the structure for the session, and outlining goals for the session. It's the initial phase where the counselor works on making the client feel comfortable and ready to open up. Stage 2: Story and Strengths—Gathering Data Clients share their stories, concerns, strengths, and resources during this stage. It involves active listening on the part of the counselor and asking follow-up questions to understand the client's perspective related to their concern, including thoughts and feelings. Using the 5 Ws (who, what, when, where, and why), we can get a comprehensive view of the client's concern/situation. Stage 3: Goals—Mutual Goal Setting In this stage, the client and counselor collaborate to set clear and achievable goals. This step is essential for guiding the counseling process and keeping sessions on track while working to achieve the client's desired outcomes. Stage 4: Restory—Working This stage is all about encouraging the client to explore and come up with solutions to their concerns while the counselor guides them through exploring alternatives, redefining their story, exploring new perspectives, and working towards resolution. Stage 5: Action—Concluding This stage is about translating the knowledge gained throughout the session into action for the client. It's about empowering clients to take steps toward positive change in their lives. Based on my experiences as a supervisor, mentor, coach, friend, and parent, the first 4 stages would be less challenging for me for the most part. Obviously, some clients will be more challenging than others, but I feel like I have a foundation of experience with these stages that will allow me to be flexible. I do, however, feel that the last stage might be a challenge; based on previous experience in the roles mentioned above, it's always hard to have done all the work to get them to be able to take actionable steps towards change and then watch them not follow through. It's that old adage, "You can lead a horse water, but you can't make them drink." as a counselor, you can give your clients all the tools for success, but you can't make them apply them. Reference: Ivey, A. E., Ivey, M. B., & Zalaquett, C. P. (2016). Essentials of Intentional Interviewing: Counseling in a Multicultural World (3rd ed.). Cengage Learning

Module Two 2-1 Discussion: Preparing for the Skills Demonstration Assignment When preparing to sit down with a client, an essential step before the meeting is to clear your mind of any personal issues that might be distracting and set an intention to be present with the client. This is a practice that I use before talking to my children or before having to sit down with young airmen for counseling or feedback sessions when I was in the military. When participating in the module three activity, I plan to use my attending, empathy, and observation skills to create a supportive environment that promotes open and effective communication. I'll do this by focusing on verbal following, visuals, vocal quality, and body language (3Vs + B) (Ivey et al., 2016). Verbal following involves active listening and paraphrasing or summarizing the client's words while asking open-ended questions to clarify or gain more understanding. Visuals require eye contact and facial expressions; maintaining appropriate eye contact lets the client know that you are engaged in what they are saying, and facial expressions can display concern or empathy. Vocal quality is an essential aspect of counseling; you want to maintain a calm and empathic tone. Finally, body language is about adopting an open and non-threatening posture, and avoiding defensive or closed-off body language is key. Positive gestures (such as nodding in agreement) can enhance communication and foster a sense of connection. As a parent of two teenage boys, I practice these skills daily when hearing different stories about either friends, classmates, or teachers. One thing I learned to do is to ask them if they are telling me something to vent or if they are looking for advice. This step has been a game changer in that it prevents me from giving unwanted advice or telling them how I would have handled something "when I was younger." Also, as a parent, it is our nature to want to fix things for our children, but I have learned the importance of letting them work through the problem and identify possible solutions. One area I struggle with is my face speaking before I do sometimes. For example, if I am listening and get confused about something, I have to focus on not letting my face show my confusion. Or if I get an idea while listening, I tend to smile. References: Ivey, A. E., Ivey, M. B., & Zalaquett, C. P. (2016). Essentials of Intentional Interviewing: Counseling in a Multicultural World (3rd ed.). Cengage Learning

Module Four 4-1 Discussion: Practicing Your Skills in Other Settings Hello Class! This week, the majority of my conversations involved my teenage children. The conversations with my oldest son (16) were mostly related to his school activities (classmates, teachers, and assignments). As many of you can imagine, as a teenager, he has a LOT to say about school. This week, it seemed everything annoyed him, so he vented a lot. While I typically ask if he wants to vent or wants advice, this week I just let him talk. Deliberately practicing single-word encouragers like "tell me more" or "that must be frustrating or distracting" (when talking about kids not being on task) allowed him to be more open and continue the conversation despite sometimes going on tangents. The conversations with my younger son typically revolve around sports knowledge he wants to drop on me or video game information, which I need help with to keep up. It's usually a series of "oh, really" or "interesting" moments. This week, I practiced the brief restatements in my conversations with him, and funny enough, I felt like I retained more of the information and could carry the conversation with him further, as I believe he felt like I was participating versus him just having a one-sided conversation.

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Module Five 5-1 Discussion: Implementing Genuineness for Client Change Managing the dangers and skills of self-disclosure in therapeutic practice involves balancing authenticity and professional boundaries. Appropriately timed and relevant self-disclosure can foster rapport and trust between therapist and client, potentially deepening the relationship and facilitating client insight (Ivey et al., 2016). However, excessive or inappropriate self-disclosure can blur boundaries, undermine the client/counselor relationship, and detract from the client's needs. As a therapist, counselor, or interviewer, you must carefully consider the purpose, timing, and content of any self-disclosure, ensuring it serves the client's goals rather than your personal needs. It's essential to ensure that self-disclosure is relevant to the client's issue and is brief, returning the conversation to the client to maintain the effectiveness of the process or relationship. Countertransference, or the therapist's emotional reactions to the client, is common in therapy and requires being attuned to feelings, thoughts, and behaviors that may be triggered by the client's words or actions (Guarnotta, 2023). Countertransference becomes problematic when it interferes with human services professionals' ethical responsibilities to support their clients. Some problematic countertransference examples include pushing clients to do more than they are ready for, giving unwarranted advice, getting frustrated when clients do not progress the way you feel they should, or talking too much about yourself in an unhelpful way (Guarnotta, 2023). Human services professionals should examine the underlying issues within themselves to ensure their feelings do not interfere with the counseling or therapy process. Strategies for managing countertransference include setting an intention before each session to be present and focused on the client, establishing clear boundaries, maintaining empathy toward the client, and practicing self-care. References: Guarnotta, E. (2023, November 6). Countertransference: Definition, examples, & how to respond . Choosing Therapy. https://www.choosingtherapy.com/countertransference/#:~:text=Examples%20of %20Countertransference&text=Negative%20countertransference%20may%20manifest%20as,many %20personal%20details%20about%20themselves. Ivey, A. E., Ivey, M. B., & Zalaquett, C. P. (2016). Essentials of Intentional Interviewing: Counseling in a Multicultural World (3rd ed.). Cengage Learning

Module Six 6-1 Discussion: Using Counseling Frameworks and Ethical Principles For the given scenario regarding Mrs. M, I would apply a combination of multicultural counseling and therapy (MCT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for a holistic approach. MCT emphasizes the importance of understanding and respecting a client's cultural background, including how it influences their life experiences (Psychology Today, n.d.) It can be inferred that Mrs. M's distress is likely influenced by her cultural background as an immigrant from India. CBT is commonly used for depression and anxiety and emphasizes understanding connections between a client's thoughts, emotions, and behaviors and creating new thinking patterns (APA, n.d.). By exploring Mrs. Ms's feelings of anger and worry towards her mother and possible obligation for her care through a culturally sensitive lens, a therapist/counselor can help make sense of Mrs. M's emotions and develop ways to reframe her feelings in a way that aligns with her cultural values/beliefs. Ensuring confidentiality, informed consent, cultural competence, and licensing and certification in applying MCT and CBT techniques is essential regarding ethical and legal principles. References: American Psychological Association. (n.d.). What is cognitive behavioral therapy? American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/cognitive-behavioral Psychology Today. (n.d.). Multicultural Therapy . https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapy-types/multicultural-therapy

Module Seven 7-1 Discussion: Taking the First Steps Toward Change The imagined client (George) is a male in their mid-30s with no children, struggling with indecision on moving forward with filing for divorce after one year of separation. Therapist: You're grappling with a significant decision regarding your relationship. Can you tell me more about what's been going on? George: Yes, I've been amicably separated from my wife for almost a year now, but neither of us seems to be able to make the final decision to file for divorce. Part of me still hopes things improve, but another part feels like it's time to move on. Therapist: This is completely understandable. On the one hand, there's the desire to hold onto the hope of reconciliation, while on the other hand, there's a recognition that moving forward might be the healthiest option for you. Have you thought about what might happen if you continue to remain in this state of indecision? George: I worry that I'll continue to feel stuck and unable to fully move forward with my life. It's like I'm in limbo, and it's affecting my mental and emotional well-being. Therapist: That's a valid concern. It's important to recognize that staying in limbo can prevent you from moving forward with new opportunities and experiences, either together or on your own. Let's explore some possible consequences of remaining in this state. If you continue to delay making a decision, you might miss out on opportunities for personal growth and happiness. Additionally, prolonging the uncertainty could lead to increased stress and emotional unrest. How does that resonate with you? George: It makes sense. I don't want to keep feeling like I'm in limbo forever. I want to feel empowered to take control of my life and make the best choices for me. Therapist: Absolutely. It's important to prioritize your own well-being and happiness. So, what steps can you take to work through this indecision and move closer to a resolution? George: Maybe, I can start by gathering more information about the divorce process to understand what it would entail practically. Additionally, I could arrange a sit-down discussion with my spouse to openly share both of our feelings and perspectives regarding the possibility of reconciliation or moving forward with divorce. Therapist: Those are excellent steps to take, George. Taking action, whether it's gathering information or initiating a conversation with your spouse, can be a significant step forward in finding clarity and resolution. Remember, this process may bring a range of emotions. I am here to support you along the way. George: Thank you.

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Module Eight 8-1 Discussion: Assessing Best Practices for Future Client Treatment I've thoroughly enjoyed this course! Drawing from my experience as a senior non-commissioned officer in the Air Force, I found that many of the concepts of interviewing and counseling resonated with my existing knowledge. However, this course has exceeded my expectations by reinforcing my skills and introducing new techniques that have significantly enriched my professional toolkit. One aspect that particularly stood out to me was the emphasis on encouraging, paraphrasing, and summarizing during counseling sessions (Ivey et al., 2016). These active listening techniques have proven to be game- changers in fostering rapport and understanding with those I engage with, including family, friends, co-workers, and the young people I coach. By implementing these strategies, I've noticed a remarkable improvement in communication and trust within my relationships. Specifically, the young people I work with tend to open up and share more when they feel seen and heard. I was intrigued by the introduction to decisional counseling and logical consequences. These approaches offer a structured framework for guiding individuals toward making informed choices and taking responsibility for their actions (Ivey et al., 2016). The module on decisional counseling, in particular, provided me with practical tools to empower my kids and the young people I coach to identify their options and make sound decisions in line with their goals. For example, my son wants to maintain a 4.0 GPA while working to make the varsity lacrosse team. We sat down, and he worked through the decisions he needed to make (video game time, extra practice time, doing homework right away) to meet his goals and what it would look like depending on his choices. This allowed him to take ownership of the work he needed to do versus being told or preached about what he needed to do. The impact of this course on my personal and professional development has been profound. Not only has it honed my existing skills, but it has also equipped me with innovative strategies to address complex challenges effectively. I've already begun integrating decisional counseling and logical consequences into my parenting, coaching, and supervision approach, and the results have been remarkable. Working predominantly with young people, I've witnessed them using their critical thinking skills to evaluate their behavioral choices and potential negative and positive consequences, similar to navigating a choose-your-own-adventure journey. Good luck to everyone as they continue their education journey! Kristie Reference: Ivey, A. E., Ivey, M. B., & Zalaquett, C. P. (2016). Essentials of Intentional Interviewing: Counseling in a Multicultural World (3rd ed.). Cengage Learning

HSE-220_Course Discussion Posts

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