Midterm Reviewer Counseling Psychology

MIDTERM REVIEWER COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY
ISSUES FACED BY BEGINNING PSYCHOTHERAPISTS
1. Dealing with Anxieties

 Most beginning counsellor have AMBIVALENT Feelings.
 Our willingness to recognize and deal with these anxieties is a mark courage.
 Self-doubts are normal but we have to learn how to deal with them.
2. Being and Disclosing Ourselves
 If you feel self-conscious when you begin counselling, you may have a tendency to be
overconcerned with what the books says and with the mechanics of how to proceed.
 Novice psychotherapists tend to be too professional or too human.
3. Avoiding Perfectionism
 One of the most common self-defeating beliefs with which we burden ourselves is that
we must never make mistakes.
 Though we know that humans are not perfect, we often feel that there is little room for
error.
4. Being Honest About Our Limitations
 We often fear of losing our clients’ respect once we say our limitations.
 Be honest enough with yourself and with your client to admit that you cannot work
successfully with everyone.
5. Understanding Silence
 It is not uncommon to feel threatened by silences to the point of doing something
counterproductive to break the silence and thus relieve our anxiety.
 Pursue the meaning of silence.
6. Dealing With Demands From Clients
 Therapists feel they should extend themselves in being helpful, they often burden
themselves with the unrealistic idea that they should give unselfishly, regardless of
how great clients’ demands may be.
7. Dealing With Client Who Lack Commitment
 Some clients seem to have very little investment in counselling or psychotherapy and
we are challenged to establish a working relationship.
 In working with involuntary clients, it is very important to prepare them for the
process by discussing the fundamentals of psychotherapy.
8. Tolerating Ambiguity
 Many beginning therapists experience the anxiety of not seeing immediate results,
They ask themselves: “Am I really doing any good to my client?”, “Am I just deceiving
myself that we are making progress?”, or “Is the client benefiting from this therapy?”
 Do not get plagued by your self-doubts and skepticism.
9. Becoming aware of your Countertransference
 If a counselor is unaware of their personal dynamics, they are in danger of being
overwhelmed by client’s emotional experiences.
 If we become lost in client’s struggles and confusions, we cease being effective agents in
helping them find solutions to their problems.
 “let clients go”
10. Developing A Sense of Humor
 Psychotherapy is a responsible matter but it need to be deadly serious.
 Both clients and therapists can enrich a relationship by laughing.
 It is important to recognize that laughter or humor does not mean that work is not
being accomplished.
11. Sharing Responsibility With The Client
 One mistake is to assume full responsibility for the direction and outcome of the
therapy.
 Another mistake is for you to refuse to accept the responsibility for making accurate
assessments and designing appropriate treatments plans for your clients.
12. Declining to Give Advice
 Quite often, clients who are suffering come to a therapy session seeking and even
demanding advice. This want a therapist who can resolve a problem or make a decision
for them.
 A common escape by many clients is not trusting themselves to find solutions, use their
freedom, or discover their own direction.
13. Defining Your Role as a Counsellor
 The central function of counselling/psychotherapy is to help clients recognize their own
strengths, discover what is preventing them from using their strengths and clarify what
kind of person they want to be.
14. Learning to use Techniques Appropriately
 Relying on techniques too much can lead to mechanical counselling/psychotherapy.
 Avoid using techniques in a hit-or-miss fashion.
15. Developing Your Own Counselling Style
 Psychotherapists-in-training need to be cautioned about their tendency to mimic the
style of a supervisor, therapist or some other model.
 You may initially borrow styles from others but remember to find an approach that is
distinctive to you.
16. Maintaining your Vitality as a Person and as a Professional.
 Consider how you can apply the theories you will be studying to enhance your life from
both a personal and a professional stadndpoint.
 Self-monitoring
 Self- care
QUALITIES OF AN EFFECTIVE THERAPIST
Characteristics of and Effective Psychotherapist
1. Effective counsellors/psychotherapists have an identity.
2. Effective therapist respect and appreciate themselves.
3. Effective therapist are open to change.
4. Effective therapists make choices that are life oriented.
5. Effective therapists are authentic, sincere and honest.

6. Effective therapists have a sense of humor.
7. Effective therapists make mistakes and are willing to admit them.
8. Effective therapists generally lives in the present.
9. Effective therapists appreciate the influence of culture.
10. Effective therapists have a sincere interest in the welfare of others.
11. Effective therapists possess effective interpersonal skill.
12. Effective therapists become deeply involved in their work and derive meaning from it.
13. Effective therapists are passionate.
14. Effective therapists are able to maintain healthy bounderies.
ETHICAL ISSUES IN COUNSELING PRACTICE
Major Ethical Considerations in Counseling
1. PUTTING CLILENT’s NEEDS BEFORE YOUR OWN

 The counselor’s primary responsibility is the welfare of the client.
 Remember that our top priority is our client’s welfare therefore we have to terminate
the therapy if it is doing more harm than good.
 We do not conduct counselling or psychotherapy if we are physically, mentally or
emotionally unfit to do so.
2. The Right of INFORMED CONSENT
 We discuss with our clients the nature and anticipated course of the therapy, potential
risks or conflicts of interests, commitments and limits of confidentiality.
 It requires counselors to provide each client with an overview of what counseling will
entail so that the client can decide whether to participate.
3. CONFIDENTIALITY
 The client must feel safe in disclosing information to the counselor for the counseling to
be effective.
There are two purposes for confidentiality:
1.) protecting the client from the social stigma often associated with being in therapy
2.) promoting the client’s vital rights that are integral to the client’s welfare.
 Psychotherapists should also discuss to their clients the limitations on confidentiality.
 The major exception to the principle of confidentiality is when client pose a clear and
imminent danger to themselves or others such as a client who threatens to commit
suicide or kill someone.
NO Confidentiality
 Danger to self or others

 Child abuse
 Abuse of elderly
 Abuse of Dependent Adults
RECORD KEEPING
We keep appropriate records with our clients and protect them from unauthorized disclosure unless
regulated by the law
Tarasoff and the Duty to Warn
 The Tarasoff case set the legal precedent, clinical psychologists have understood that there are
limits to their confidentiality agreements with clients and they have a duty to warn people
toward whom their clients make credible, serious threats
 Development of duty to warn
4. PRIVILEGE COMMUNICATION
 It refers to a legal protection for clients, preventing a counselor from disclosing
confidential communication in court without their permission.
 The client owns and controls the privilege and can therefore determine whether or not
a counselor may disclose confidential information in a court or law.
The following are the exceptions to the exercise of privilege communication (Corey, Corey and Callanan,
1998):
1. When a counselor is acting in a court-appointed capacity such as conducting a psychological

examination.
2. When a counselor determines that a client has a high risk of suicide.
3. When a client initiates a law suit against a counselor
4. When a client uses a mental condition as a claim or defense in a civil action.
5. When a counselor suspects that a client under the age of 16 is the victim of a crime such as child
abuse or neglect.
6. When a counselor determines that a client requires hospitalization for a mental or psychological
disorder.
7. When a client reveals intent to commit a crime or is assessed to be dangerous to the self or others.
5. MALPRACTICE AND COMPETENCE
 It is an act or omission by a counselor that is inconsistent with reasonable care and skill used by
other reputable counselors and that results in injury to the client.
 Knapp (1980) notes that courts do not assume that malpractice exist if a counselor has made a
mistake in judgment, since it is possible to make such a mistake and still exercise reasonable
care.
Professional Competence
 Most common situations in which legal problems are most likely to occur.  Administering
drugs
 Giving Birth Control Advice
 Giving Abortion-related advice
 Making Statements that might be defamatory
 Assisting in searches of student’s lockers
 Violating confidentiality and the privacy records
6. WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE
 If the client is below 18 years of age, we usually seek informed consent from the parents or
guardians. But we have to check the cognitive capacity of the client to decide on his or her own.
7. Managing MULTIPLE RELATIONSHIPS
 Dual (or multiple) relationships, either sexual or nonsexual, occurs when counselor assumes two
(or more) role simultaneously or sequentially with a client.
 Dual relationships can be problematic and violate ethical and legal standards when professional
roles conflict.
Learn ways on How to minimize the Risk
1. Establish Personal and Professional Boundaries.

> Boundary crossing
> Boundary Violation
2. Social Media and Boundaries
8. REFERRALS
 We have to make sure that referrals with colleagues are discussed and consented by our
clients.
 We ensure that the recipient of the referral is competent enough to handle the concerns of
the client.
9. INTERRUPTION
 We assume orderly and appropriately resolution of responsibility for our client
10. TERMINATION
 We terminate the therapy when:

1. Our client no longer needs it.
2. Our client does not gain any benefits from it.
3. Our client would be harmed by continuing it.

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MIDTERM REVIEWER COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY

ISSUES FACED BY BEGINNING PSYCHOTHERAPISTS

1. Dealing with Anxieties

QUALITIES OF AN EFFECTIVE THERAPIST

Characteristics of and Effective Psychotherapist

1. Effective counsellors/psychotherapists have an identity.

2. Effective therapist respect and appreciate themselves.

3. Effective therapist are open to change.

4. Effective therapists make choices that are life oriented.

5. Effective therapists are authentic, sincere and honest.

7. Effective therapists make mistakes and are willing to admit them.

8. Effective therapists generally lives in the present.

9. Effective therapists appreciate the influence of culture.

10. Effective therapists have a sincere interest in the welfare of others.

11. Effective therapists possess effective interpersonal skill.

13. Effective therapists are passionate.

14. Effective therapists are able to maintain healthy bounderies.

ETHICAL ISSUES IN COUNSELING PRACTICE

Major Ethical Considerations in Counseling

1. PUTTING CLILENT’s NEEDS BEFORE YOUR OWN

 Danger to self or others

Tarasoff and the Duty to Warn

1. When a counselor is acting in a court-appointed capacity such as conducting a psychological

2. When a counselor determines that a client has a high risk of suicide.

3. When a client initiates a law suit against a counselor

4. When a client uses a mental condition as a claim or defense in a civil action.

5. MALPRACTICE AND COMPETENCE

6. WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE

7. Managing MULTIPLE RELATIONSHIPS

Learn ways on How to minimize the Risk

1. Establish Personal and Professional Boundaries.

2. Social Media and Boundaries

 We assume orderly and appropriately resolution of responsibility for our client

 We terminate the therapy when:

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