Counselling Level 2 work.

Back in 2009 I started my counselling training journey with a level 2 course. I will post some of the written work that I did, I am now on my second year of level 4 and will qualify in June 2016. Even though I am an Integration trainee counsellor, I lean towards Person Centred as my core modality. I will be posting my work and journey, so feel free to ask any questions.

Name and describe the Counselling skills that demonstrate active listening is taking place and give examples. 

The first skill used to demonstrate active listening is Reflecting, this is when you are repeating the clients words to them in the same order they were used. This is done so the client feels you heard them correctly, the client then can continue knowing you are following their story.

The second skill used to demonstrate active listening is Paraphrasing; paraphrasing is done when you repeat back some of the client’s words, but in your own wording and not in the same order. Making sure you don’t interpretive any of words or your feelings. When paraphrasing is used it makes the client feel understood and that you heard what they have said.

The third skill used to demonstrate active listening is Basic Empathic Responding; this is when you listen sensitively and accurately to the client, also to understand how the client is feeling even by the tone of voice they use. Understanding were the client is in the here and now with thoughts and their feelings. By this the client is made to feel acknowledged sensitively and accepted which helps build the relationship in trust.

The forth skill used to demonstrate active listening is Summarising; summarising is focusing on the main points and saying them back to the client in your own words, this helps to check you are accurate in what you have heard . This will keep the session focused and moving forward or can bring it to an end; this can be useful by recalling what was said at the last session, to begin at a new one. 

The fifth skill used to demonstrate active listening is Open Questions, which is asking a question with the intent of getting a longer answer; it can make the client think more deeply on an answer this helps to keep the client talking which in return helps deepen the relationship between you and the client.

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