Dr Berenson's Counselling Skills

Introduction

This paper will evaluate the case study of Dr Berenson's counselling session and what micro skills and methods he actively used with efficacy or deficiencies within the counselling session in "Helping Rose". The case study examines Rose being a disheartened mother experiencing emotional stress and guilt, not being able to change her five year old daughter's behaviour in sleeping in her own bed. Rose's daughter repeatedly cries to get her own way to sleep in her mother's bed; consequently Rose had gone to some exhaustive methods to encourage her unwilling daughter to change her sleeping activities unsuccessfully, as a result Rose decided to seek help from a professional therapist.

Although there are many and diverse approaches a counsellor can take, and by way of explicit areas of specialty, good counsellors share common attributes such as formal introduction, empathy, active listening, body language, respect, paraphrasing and using open and closed questions when appropriate. Egan (1990) suggests that active skills such as listening are crucial to developing relationships and to helping others who are experiencing turmoil or crisis. These skills are not special, they are simply extensions of the basic skills that are needed to maintain or develop interpersonal relationships. Corey (2005) suggests also suggests that effective counselling is a personal matter that involves individual relationship, and substantiates that honesty, sincerity; acceptance, understanding, and spontaneity are basic ingredients for a successful outcome.

Key: Dr Berenson (counsellor) and Rose (client).

It was observed that in the initial part of the interview there was no formal introduction by Dr Berenson. Welcoming the client is vital part of the meeting to enable the client to feel in a safe and trusted environment, as well as taking the time in explaining the appropriate conditions of the interview. Lazarus (1987) suggests that the counsellor is required to reassure the clients session is in strict confidence; this helps to develop trust and engagement. In some cases it may be that a student in training may join the session on condition that the client is pre warned and is comfortable and is willing to accept the trainee if this occurs.

The session started immediately with Rose explaining her dilemma and frustration; Um. I have a five year old little girl, and um, up until recently, or since she was born, or up until recently she was very seldom slept in her own bed through the whole night; Dr Berenson responded with, Mmmm, and Ummm, this suggested that Dr Berenson was actively listening in the commencement in the early stages of session, active listening can assist the client to experience deeper evaluation and finding solutions. Ivey and Ivey (2003) suggest that when a counsellor first meets with a client; he must indicate to the client that he is interested in listening to them, give them comfort and he is there to help.

Dr Berenson appeared to encourage Rose to talk and open up about her predicament, these are important micro skills that are used by the counsellors, another important skill is maintain eye contact; this is imperative and respectful when speaking or listening to the client showing genuine interest with what the client is saying. Egan (1990) suggest that the skilled helper, concentrates on the client's non-verbal and verbal communications and relating them to the client's story and verbal communication which includes body language, expressions, reactions, verbal communication articulates the client's experiences, behaviours and feelings. In this example, Dr Berenson used active listening skills showing care and building vital trust with Rose, this essentially validated Dr Berenson's active listening skills and paraphrasing allowed Rose to continue with her story knowing that she was easy-going and giving in with her daughter's reluctant behaviour hence why she was seeking external help,

This was evident when Dr Berenson said; Dr Berenson; because you tried all these, eh, techniques and now you're left wondering about um, your resources. Rose; right this is it, they seem to run out after a while. Dr Berenson; The external resources run out. Rose; yes. Dr Berenson used consistent skill and paraphrased to ensure Rose he is actively listening to her, this efficiency shown by Dr. Berenson undoubtedly showed empathy and respect.

Empathy is a vital skill used by counsellors; this signifies the closeness and depth of understanding the clients view and emotional state. The counsellor's ability to show empathy is to recognize with the clients feelings and emotionally put themselves in the place of the client. The ability to empathize is directly dependent on your ability to feel your own feelings and identify them. Rogers (1961) suggests that empathy is defined empathy as 'the ability to experience another person's world as if it were one's own, without ever losing that "as if" quality'. It is through this relationship, the intense and personal experience of real contact with the client. Although empathy is sometimes confused with compassion, however both are similarly related empathy follows and is a pre-requisite for compassion. Mears and Thorne (1988) suggest that empathy involves the counsellor's capability to understand the feelings and experience of the client, to reflect upon this experience whereas suspending their own judgments and tolerating their own anxiety, and communicating this understanding to the client.

There were several instances where Dr Berenson used inappropriate skills such as constant interruptions. This can discourage the client and hinder on the client, counsellor relationship, in this case Rose. Egan (2002) suggests that there are instances where a counsellor inadvertently interrupts and use inappropriate counselling skills that can obstruct the therapeutic process and relationship between the listener and the client. Rose; well I think the care and love is as full as it possibly could be, um at home. Dr. Berenson; (interrupts) and says but you don't want to express it by the numbers. Rose; no um, you mean referring to the times she does?It's evident that client Rose was confused by the interruption, also how Dr. Berenson inappropriately suggesting the love for her daughter is not full enough. Conversely Dr. Berenson's response should have been more sensitive to