Counselling Psychology
Communication
and
Skills
Prof. Craig Jackson
Head of Psychology
BCU
Counselling Psychology
The application of psychological knowledge to the practice of
counselling
(Woolfe, 1996)
Counselling psychology appears to sit somewhere between scientific
psychology, at least as traditionally defined, and more the more
creative realm of artistry, reflection and self-awareness.
(Orlans & Van Scoyoc, 2009)
Counselling is however, just part of a broader group of therapies
used in the treatment of a range of individuals’ problems, largely of a
psychological nature.
The British Psychological Society states that:
Counselling Psychology is distinctive in its competence in the
psychological therapies, being firmly rooted in the discipline of
psychology whilst emphasizing the importance of the therapeutic
relationship and process
It continues to develop models of practice and research which marry
the scientific demand for rigorous empirical enquiry, with a firm value
base grounded in the primacy of the counselling / psychotherapeutic
relationship
Now considered a well established branch of applied professional
psychology concerned with the integration of psychological
theory and research with therapeutic practice
Counselling Psychology competencies are grounded in values that aim
to empower those who use their services, and places high priority on
anti-discriminatory practice, social and cultural context and ethical
decision-making
The Purpose of Counselling Psychology
Counselling Psychology comprises a branch of applied psychology
that focuses on:
1.
Personal and interpersonal functioning across the life
span
2.
A holistic view of emotional, social, vocational,
educational, health-related, developmental and
organisational concerns
3.
The delivery of evidence-based psychological therapy
4.
The potential for development and growth of all clients
Emphasis on the use of “self”
Requires a high level of self-awareness and competence in relating
the skills and knowledge of personal and interpersonal dynamics to
the therapeutic context.
Requires an understanding and acceptance of one's personal
history combined with an explicit use of psychological theories to
analyse the process of a particular therapy, or counselling situation.
Engaging in personal therapy
(McAteer, 2009)
[In this context, personal therapy can encompass a number of different
psychological interventions].
Counselling Psychology in Practice
As a form of psychological intervention, counselling psychology
serves in a number of ways, including:
1. Helping people with physical, emotional, behavioural and
psychological ‘disorders’.
2. Help people improve their well-being.
3. Alleviate distress and maladjustment.
4. Resolve crises.
5. Increase clients’ abilities to live more highly functioning lives.
What’s missing here?
Nature of Problems addressed in
Counselling Psychology
Counselling Psychologists together with Psychotherapists work
therapeutically with clients who are themselves experiencing a
variety of problems. These often comprise:
Effects of childhood sexual abuse.
Relationship breakdown
Domestic violence
Major psychological trauma
Symptoms of psychological disorders e.g. anxiety,
depression, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress
disorder and psychosis
Psychosocial Stress: a contributory factor
in the onset of Psychological problems.
Evidence from research indicates that stressful life episodes
can contribute significantly to a range of mental and
psychological disorders.
In assessing the nature of a clients’ problem (or problems),
stressful life episodes are most frequently the underlying cause.
Such life stresses will include:
Bereavement and other forms of loss
Unemployment and loneliness
Emotional deprivation and insecurity
Home situation e.g. poor housing
Relationship issues
Life Events Inventory
Jackson (2009)
Factors relating to the Onset of Psychological
Conditions
• Events occurring in the clients’ life around the time of onset.
• Exposure of the client to persistent stress.
• Ability or inability to handle emotional reactions.
• Previous history of stress disorders and changes in the clients’ life
situation and when they occurred.
• Reactions to feelings of anger and frustration.
• Indications from the person’s early history of insecurity, anxiety and
frequent illness leading to some form of psychological morbidity.
When confronted with a client presenting with psychological
problems, an important factor that the counselling psychologist
has to be aware of are what constitute elements of the problem
from the clients’ perspective?
If addressing a stress related problem, then a primary reason the client
has sought therapeutic assistance is due to their inability to cope with
the issues confronting them.
i.e. they are unable to manage their personal circumstances due to their
lack of coping strategy, together with a failure to see a likely solution to
their difficulties.
In such circumstances, the client is unable to cope due to:
a)
the ‘unknown’ aspects – uncertainty.
b)
fear or apprehension of consequences.
c)
underlying anxiety or depression.
d)
inability to understand concepts.
Lost
Inertia
The Nature of Therapeutic Activity
The therapist, notably those using a person-centred (humanistic)
approach, can offer an active collaborative relationship which can
both facilitate the exploration of underlying issues affecting the
client and can empower those clients to confront change.
Others working in therapeutic roles would seek to achieve similar
outcomes for their clients, but may well be employing other
Interventions that entail different approaches.
e.g. cognitive and behavioural approaches; psychodynamic approach.
Therapists working in Counselling Psychology will therefore find
themselves working with:
Individuals.
Couples and / or family groups.
Individuals and/or groups of all ages across the lifespan.
Organisations
Therapeutic Activity
In general terms, the provision of psychological therapy will
include the following activities:
Assessment: whereby the psychologist seeks to gain an understanding
of the difficulties from the client's perspective, taking into account the
wider context.
Formulation: developing an explanation of how and why the particular
difficulties have arisen and are experienced by the client.
Planning and implementing: a course of psychological therapy
Evaluating: the outcome of the therapy.
Assessment - Diagnosis - Treatment
Fundamental Counselling Skills:
Although there exist a number of therapeutic approaches, from a
counselling psychologist perspective, the humanistic (personcentred) approach based on the work of Carl Rogers is the most
commonly used.
Rogers (1957) cogently argued that the nature of successful
counselling involves the counsellor communicating core attitudinal
conditions to the client.
These ‘core conditions’ are:
Empathy: the power or ability of identifying oneself mentally with
another person (the client).
Acceptance: to be willing to believe in and accept the client for the
person they are. View the person positively.
Genuineness: openness and honesty towards the client.
I’m no Saint!
Whilst counselling practice has been heavily influenced by the work
of Rogers developed during the 1950s and 1960s, this form of therapy
has moved on. The more widely used approach is that developed by
Gerard Egan’s (1975, 1882) model.
This model is eclectic in that it advocates the use of different stages in
the helping process, and at each stage, the counsellor has a different
fundamental task:
Stage 1:
To encourage the client to engage in “affective” self-exploration.
Stage 2:
To promote dynamic self-understanding & enable the client to view
themselves from a more constructive perspective.
Stage 3:
To promote constructive action on the part of the client.
Applied settings in the field of Counselling
Psychology
Today, counselling psychologists practice in a number of settings,
both clinical and non-clinical. These include:
1. Primary care (General Practice) settings
2. Community Mental Health Teams
3. Tertiary settings for psychiatric in-patients
4. Specialist services for older adults, those with eating disorders,
personality disorders, learning difficulties, and in general health
care settings where psychological services are offered
5. Prison and probation services / Forensic settings
6. Workplace Counselling / Occupational Health
Applied settings in the field of Counselling
Psychology
7. Social services
8. Voluntary/charitable organisations
9. Employee assistance programmes
10. Student / School / University counselling departments
11. Private practice
Reference sources:
Egan, G. (2000). The Skilled Helper. California. Brookes/Cole.
Jackson CA. (2013). Does workplace counselling actually
work? Management of Health Risks Special Report, 170: 1-3
Jackson CA. (2009). The Life Events Inventory - Comment. Occup
Medicine, 59: 208.
McAteer, D. (2009). Counselling Psychology as a Career. NIBPS/PSI.
Orlans, V. & Van Scoyoc, S. (2009). A Short Introduction to Counselling
Psychology. London: Sage.
Sander, P. (2002). First Steps in Counselling. A students' companion for
basic introductory courses. (3rd edn). Ross-on-Wye: PCCS Books.
Woolfe, R. & Dryden, W. & Strawbridge, S. (Eds.) (2003). Handbook of
Counselling Psychology. London: Sage.