PSY3120 A1 - Grade: D PDF

Preview

Summary

MOCK VIDEO REFLECTION ...

Description

1

Counselling Video and Self Reflection Task

Submitted as PSY3120 Mock Counselling Video and Self Reflection Tutor – Ms. Leila Nair Allocated Class – Due date – Word Count – YouTube Link -

2

First Session Summary Sam is a 20-year-old woman who I saw for the first time a few weeks ago. I began the session by welcoming Sam and reminding her of the confidentiality agreement. During the first session, Sam spoke of her experience of a panic attack which occurred moments before attending a party. She mentioned feeling sick, trembling hands, rapid breathing and feeling the same way as having a heart attack. Sam revealed a history of anxiety and constantly felt worthless compared to her friends. Furthermore, she mentioned her dissatisfaction concerning work and studies, while also feeling uncertain about her future. The purpose of the first session summary was to remind Sam of the discussion that took place in the previous session in order to set the tone for the current session. Through Sam's response, it was evident that I was able to achieve the said objective. The summary was concise and highlighted all the important points. However, I refrained from mentioning her fear of her partner leaving her and the partner's lack of understanding of her anxiety. Encouragers Throughout the session, I encouraged Sam to tell her story by using both verbal and non-verbal cues. Initially, I used ‘hmm' (1:07) as an encourager to enhance rapport and to ensure that she was aware that I was attentive. Furthermore, I used ‘hand gestures' as she hesitated to talk about her sleep problems (1:25). This helped Sam to elaborate on her sleep problems and more importantly discuss the negative thoughts that were affecting her sleep. I also used ‘head nods' throughout the session, particularly (3:53) when she was talking about her physical symptoms as her face changed indicating discomfort. I recognised that these small cues encouraged Sam to continue talking and re-assured that I was interested in listening to her. However, I could use more verbal encouragers such as keyword repetition. At 2:14 I could have repeated her fear of ‘dying alone' and having a ‘heart attack' to comprehend her thought process.

3

Paraphrasing I used paraphrasing to demonstrate my understanding of what Sam had told about an important statement, in a concise manner. For instance, when Sam said ‘I want to be normal, I don't want to feel like this. I want to feel okay.' I paraphrased it as, ‘feeling safe and relaxed' (3:14). This was to examine my accuracy in comprehending what she was feeling and to help her feel understood. Sam accepted this by nodding her head, which was an indication that she felt heard. This also helped me to build a strong empathetic bond thereby, allowing me to be within her frame of reference. However, I did not use paraphrasing as often as I should have to better understand Sam's thoughts. At 4:10 where she talks about her body's reaction I could have paraphrased her descriptions. Questioning I predominantly used open questions with Sam, which encouraged her to express her story without restraint. The purpose of questioning is to further establish rapport. After the first session summary I posed an open question (00:46), and after a moment of reflection, Sam expressed the challenges she faced during the week. I wanted her to explore what triggers her anxious thoughts and to recognise if her thoughts were specific to a situation. Allowing her to reflect on her episodes would help her identify her anxiety better and be aware of anxietyprovoking situations. However, there was an instance where I used a leading question (5:55). It influenced Sam's response inhibiting the free expression of her attitude towards crying. Furthermore, I did not use closed questions which is a convenient and rapid way of obtaining factual information. Quality of Presence I used both verbal and non-verbal cues appropriately. For instance, when Sam was talking about the nature of panic attacks I responded by saying ‘It must be really tiring and frustrating'

4

(5:10). This response did not affect the flow of the conversation and encouraged Sam to further express her feelings. I maintained eye contact throughout the session with a moderate tone of voice. Nevertheless, initial moments where my voice was unsteady (00:26) and instances where I fiddled with my pen could have been perceived as being nervous. Facial expressions were congruent with my empathetic responses. I was seated in an open posture position to show interest in listening, but I could have leaned forward more often to demonstrate to Sam that I am interested and listening. I also used the word ‘difficult' too often during the session which shows that I need to improve on my empathetic responses. Conclusion These skills are important in counselling to help the client gain clarity, enhance effective communication, demonstrate empathy and attentiveness and most importantly help the client view the problem in different perspectives. While certain skills were more effective than others, such as verbal encouragers and questioning, the need to improve these micro skills were highlighted through the course of this reflection.

5

6...