Person Clients example essay topic

Carl Rogers (1902-1987) is "best known for his contribution to client-centred therapy and his role in the development of counselling" (web) Rogers therapy was originally called 'non-directive' because Rogers felt that the therapist should not lead the client in anyway. Rogers felt that he had influenced his clients too much with his non-directive ness and soon changed the name to 'client-centred' therapy. One of the ways in which Rogers describes his therapy is "supportive, not reconstructive" (web) and he uses the analogy of learning to ride a bicycle to explain: 'when you help a child to learn to ride a bike, you can't just tell them how, they have to try it for themselves. You can't hold them up the whole time, if they fall, let them because if you hang on they will never learn.

This is the same in therapy if you are helping the client to achieve something, then they will not achieve it if they are dependent on you the therapist. Rogers emphasised that the helper, the therapist has to have essential qualities in order to be able to work successfully with a client, these three qualities are: Congruence which is genuineness / authenticity Empathy, which is having the ability to feel what the client is feeling, have an accurate understanding of the clients feelings Respect, which is having positive regard towards the client, having acceptance. If a therapist has all three qualities "clients will improve" ( , top-psychology. com/0045-carl%20 R... therapy. ht) Knowledge of this is very important when working with any body in a counselling situation; therefore firstly you have to be aware of your self, both behavioural and psychological before you can develop further any personal and interpersonal understanding. "To become more aware of and have a deeper understanding of ourselves is to have a sharper and clearer picture of what is happening to others" (Burnard, P 1997 p. 68).

I have to know what I think and what I feel, and why I think and feel these things. When I have developed a sense of self-awareness this will then enable me to understand what I am really like. With self-awareness I can learn to distinguish my own problems from the problems of others. This in turn will help me to understand them. When communicating with people listening is one of the key interactive skills to possess. "Listening to others is the crux of working in the health care field.

If we can listen and not judge or condemn others, we are already working in a therapeutic way" (Burnard, P p. 12 1992) There are numerous ways of encouraging listening by attending carefully to what the other person is saying. A great way of showing that you are listening to the person is through non-verbal communication, there are a lot of aspects of this including: eye contact, facial expressions, hand gestures, touch, head nods, proximity to others, and using speech that isn't exactly words e.g. 'um' and 'ah'. It is vital that you show the client that they are being listened to as every body has the right to be listened to. Facial expressions are an equally important factor not only for myself to be aware of my own but to watch for the other persons because "the face provides a rich source of information regarding the emotional state of an individual.

In fact some theorists regard facial expressions as the next most important source of information to language itself". (Hargie, O et. al. p. 50 1994) therefore by being aware to look at the person / clients facial expression when they are talking I will have more knowledge and understanding of exactly what they mean. The client will realise I am being attentive and by smiling when the person is talking I am showing that I approve of what the they are saying, I will come across as non-threatening and warm. Keeping eye contact is another important key feature to remember when Touch is extremely important as it is a human basic need and it is doubly important if a client is upset or feeling low as it expresses warmth and empathy, it gives the client a sense of understanding and encouragement as well as showing them the emotional support they need.

The proximity in which you and the client are in is a major factor; make sure you are not in their face so to speak but not half away down the room either. Make sure there are no barriers to communication for example the surroundings in which you choose to meet is it a public place, is it too hot / cold, are there people in and out, pre-occupation is there too much going on. Be careful you yourself as the therapist are not causing a barrier to communication / listening by non-verbal communication meaning the folding of your arms, legs or leaning back on the seat. While listening I should make comments e.g. 'Ah' or 'Oh' but without interrupting the client and only when necessary also I should nod my head again only when appropriate to let the client know I am still listening.

When needed the art of probing should be introduced be used in a tactful way and not to find out information for personal satisfaction but in order to help the client more successfully, probing can be done by asking questions again tact is needed. Paraphrasing is used not only to show that you are listening but it is also a chance for the listener to understand what they have said an example of this was one I read on the website web it was when Carl Rogers had a client who said 'I hate men' and he reflected by saying 'you hate all men' and then she realised she didn't mean all men she didn't mean her brother or father she just meant that she had lost trust in men, because of what her boyfriend had done to her, broken her trust. There are stages in the process of help and these were adapted by Egan these stages are stage one: understanding the client's perspective, telling the story and identifying the current situation for the client. Stage two: exploring alternative perspectives with the client, working in greater depth on a problem and establishing how the client would like their situation to change. Stage three: exploring with the client the different possible ways of achieving their preferred goals and making definite plans of action.

Stage four: the client themselves put the plans into action, evaluates to what extent the goals have been achieved. (J and L Lindon, 2000 p. 121)

Bibliography

Burnard, P (1997) Effective Communication Skills For health professionals, 2nd Ed, Stanley Thornes, England p.
68, P. 48 Burnard, P (1992) Communicate! A communication skills guide for health care workers, Edward Arnold, Great Britain, p.
12 Davenport, G, C (1991) An Introduction To Child Development, Stanley Thornes, London, p.
155 Hargie, O and Saunders, C et. Al. (1994) Social Skills in Interpersonal Communication, Routledge, London, p.
50 Lindon, J and L (2000) Mastering Counselling Skills Macmillan LTD, London, p.
121 Petrie, P (1998) Communicating with Children and Adults -Interpersonal Skills for Early Years and Play Work, 2nd ed.
Arnold, London p. 26 West, J (1996) Child Cantered Play Therapy 2nd Ed, Arnold, London, P.