Demonstrate my understanding of Counselling L2

Looking back at my old work feels rewarding, by this I mean I can see my growth, knowledge learnt and the person I have become, as If you are on your own journey then you will understand that it is not easy to look at who you are and be able to like yourself.

Im not saying I like myself 100% , but I do like the person I am becoming :))

Question

Demonstrate your understanding of the terms counselling, counselling skills and other helping relationships.

My understanding of the term counselling is that it is always at the request of the client who is having difficulty or feeling any distress in their life. The counsellor provides the client with the core conditions and allowing the client to grow and understand themselves in their own way. This is always done in a private and confidential place having a beginning, middle and an end. Counselling is done in a one to one way building trust, listening and understanding feelings. Counselling is a way to self-help and you won’t find a counsellor trying to solve your problems for you but they will travel your journey with you.

My understandings of the term counselling skills are skills you learn over time in your own development and are always learning in helping people to change as they learn to think things through for themselves, by developing skills in active listening and responding appropriately it enables you to become a better listener for the client, helping to make your relationship stronger and genuine.  

My understanding of the term other helping relationships is that you can and have lots of different types of relationships around you in your every day life without knowing you have them, like with your doctor, hairdressers, faith/church, schools, friends and family and your neighbours, some are stronger relationships than others. However many of these people you may find helpful some if not most does not have the training or a contract or any boundaries and may not be confidential; most of these people will try and fix your problem, or want to do things for you. This can sometimes be hurtful if people are prejudging you or if you don’t feel you have been heard, this can lead to relationships breaking down. 

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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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My understanding of the reasons for using drugs & alcohol.

 I know that alcohol  and drugs have been an important part of our society and culture for many centuries. As people of all ages across the Uk have an intimate relationship with alcohol and drugs, with positive as well as negative effects in the short and longer term.
We often drink alcohol and take drugs because we wish to alter our mood or change our mental state. This may involve the desire to stop our feelings of anxiety or depression, or other low-lying mental health or mood problems.

I know that most people who use drugs and alcohol don't go on to become dependent, but people that do can cause serious harm to themselves and their families. There are many reasons why people choose to use drugs and alcohol, and it can be hard trying to understand them. Drugs and alcohol change the way people think, feel and behave.

 Some reasons that people use drug and alcohol may include that they find experience of altering their perceptions is fun. They might enjoy the feelings of excitement and confidence that some drugs  and alcohol may bring. It can also be a means of escape, by this I mean people use substances to forget about their problems in life. There may be peer pressure, or finding themselves in a situation where that substance use seems quite ordinary in their life. An example of this is that many people first misuse alcohol as part of a friendship group where others are drinking, whether it's a night out or at a friends house. Another way may be experimentation like trying drugs or alcohol as this is common among young people as a way of experimenting with the adult world. Some people may move from this experimental use to a more regular substances as part of their lifestyle, this is what I would call recreational use. People who regularly misuse drugs or alcohol may do it in binges, meaning they deliberately take large quantities of something to have fun or to release a form of stress from their day.

Dependency or addiction occurs when someone's ability to control their drug or alcohol use becomes impaired, meaning they cannot choose to stop in the same way of that a person who is just experimenting or recreational user can. Not all drugs are the same of course, for example heroin can make the user physically addicted and the needs to take more in order to prevent withdrawal. Some other drugs like cocaine and amphetamines do not produce such a severe withdrawal symptoms but can be just as psychologically addictive. However addiction does not discriminate from person-to-person or from rich to poor it can affect anybody across the board.

Hello and welcome to my blog.......

I guess I start with my name! its Katherine and I wanted to write a blog on general things in counselling, as this is my area of study.........

I guess this blog page will grow as I do, so you need to know some information about me?

Well I work as a Hotel manager at present and study as trainee integrative counsellor, which I am in my final year. (now qualified to level 5 in CBT)

I live and work in London, which I love (by the way this is said in a Northern accent)

I was born in the North East of England and moved South at the age of 13.

I am 34 and have no children. ( yet!)

I live with my partner and a rescued border collie dog, named Blue (don't ask !)

and very excited about starting this blog.

Wish me luck :))