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Jan 9, 2024
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Week 2 Worksheet
: Attending, Encouragers, Documentation, and Reflections on Feedback and PWDN
I.
Nonverbal Microskills—Attending Behaviors
Instructions:
Watch the Faculty media for Week 2, which demonstrate the opening stage of three
counseling sessions. Select
one
of the three Faculty mock counseling sessions. Observe the use of
nonverbal microskills of the Faculty who is the counselor, and the reactions of the mock clients. Record
your observations below in answer to the prompts. Be specific and use objective language.
Check one:
☒
Dr. Matthew Buckley (Family)
☐
Dr. Stacee Reicherzer (Couple)
☐
Dr. Stephanie J.W. Ford
(Individual)
Nonverbal Attending Behaviors (SOLER Skills):
Which of the SOLER skills did the counselor you selected
demonstrate during this segment of the counseling session? Be specific. What did they do? In your
observation of the nonverbal responses of the client(s), what message did the counselor’s use of the
SOLER skills get across? What response did you observe in the behavior of the client(s), which suggested
this was the message that was understood?
Response:
Dr. Buckley demonstrated a lot of the nonverbal skills that we have been discussing. As he
opened the session, we had relaxed body posture and was making direct eye contact. He also uses
several hands gestures that indicate it is an open and relaxed environment. Dr. Buckley’s facial
expressions are serious yet friendly towards the clients. The counselors use of the SOLER skills, I believe
are taken well by the clients. The clients seemed nervous and apprehensive at the beginning but as the
session goes on, they seem to be more comfortable talking to the counselor. Dr. Buckley’s voice remained
calm the entire session and always insinuated a calm environment. He continues to head nod throughout
the session which demonstrates understanding. The clients nodded in agreement or openly agreed with
the counselor when he reiterated a point of gave some insight and this suggests that his message has
been understood.
Facial Expression Skills:
What did you notice about the facial expressions of the counselor? What did the
client(s) do in response to those facial expressions? Based on this interaction, what message did the
counselor’s use of facial expression get across to the client(s)?
Response:
Dr. Buckley’s facial expressions stayed serious and neutral pretty much throughout the
session. He was not very expressive with his face, but he gave calming and reassuring head nods as well
as small smiles towards all the clients. The client’s responded well to Dr. Buckley’s approach even though
it wasn’t overly friendly; the clients still opened up and explained their situation thoroughly. Based on
this interaction, I think that the counselor’s facial expressions demonstrated that he was curious about
their situation, willing to help, and understanding of everyone’s feelings.
Tone of Voice and Pacing of Speech Skills
: What did you notice about the tone of voice and pacing of
speech of the counselor? In your observation of the nonverbal responses of the client(s), what message
did the counselor’s use of voice and pacing get across to the client(s)? What specific behaviors did you
observe in the behavior of the client(s) which suggested this was the message that was understood?
Response:
I noticed that the counselor spoke very slowly and clearly when reiterated sentences or
situations that the clients described. This is to ensure no confusion is had between counselor and clients.
Dr. Buckley’s tone of voice was soft and relaxed for the majority of the session. He was very even
tempered and was not reactionary when the client described why they came in and his feelings of anger.
I think the counselor’s calm and even voice gave the message that he was understanding the situation
Week 2 Worksheet
: Attending, Encouragers, Documentation, and Reflections on Feedback and PWDN
and was prepared to handle this type of situation. I think this preparedness gave off the message that Dr.
Buckley knew how to proceed with the family. The client’s, in turn, spoke very calmy and were exhibiting
similar hands gestures to the counselor. I think these behaviors showcase that they’re beginning to relate
to the counselor and feel more comfortable as the session goes on.
II.
Minimal Verbal and Nonverbal Encouragers—A
Counseling Skills Experiment
Instructions:
The microskill called “minimal verbal and non-verbal encouragers,” or “encouragers” for
short, refers to the many interjections with which signal our presence and our interest to the person(s)
with whom we are talking. Encouragers consist of minimal verbal prompts (such as, “oh,” “mmm-hmm,”
and “ah-hah”) and non-verbal prompts (such as, head nods, smiles, lifting the eyebrows, or tilting the
head). Without realizing it, use of these encouragers cannot only prompt the person with whom we are
conversing to speak but, also, they can increase certain kinds of verbalizations over others.
Complete this experiment face-to-face with a willing adult volunteer. Let your volunteer know that you
are going to conduct a “counseling skills experiment” and that you will tell them more what it is about
after you have done it.
Sit facing your volunteer. First ask the volunteer to
think about
one of the best
and
one of the worst
meals they can remember. Next, let them know that you will set a timer for 2 minutes each time. Ask
them to talk about each of these meals until they indicate they are finished, or the timer stops them.
While they tell you things about the bad meal
, use encouragers like “ah-hah,” smiling, nodding, and
showing interest with your facial expressions
. While they tell you about the good meal
,
keep your body
still and your face blank. (This may not be easy for you!)
When the time is up, ask them this question:
“Please choose just one thing to add about just one of these meals you just described.” Notice to which
meal they referred, and whether it was the one you reinforced by use of encouragers or the description
that you did not reinforce. Then, tell your volunteer what you were trying to do, and process their
experiences of your nonverbal interactions with them as they talked about each kind of meal. Remember
your volunteer’s comments when processing their personal reactions to the use, or lack of use, of
encouragers during their “food monologue.”
Reflect upon this experiment here.
In at least three paragraphs, describe exactly what
happened, what you learned about the significance of encouragers, and what you learned about
your ability to intentionally use or refrain from using them
.
I conducted my experiment with my willing adult friend Corrin. I told her that I was
conducting an experiment and that she would be debriefed at the end of the experiment. I
asked Corrin to think about one of the best meals that she has ever had and one of the worst. I
let her think for about 10 seconds to give her time to remember the two meals. I then set a
timer for 2 minutes and asked her to talk about the bad meal first. Now, my friend Corrin loves
to talk and so she used up the whole 2 minutes of time. I used “encouragers” like smiling,
nodding, and saying “mhm.” From my perspective, she was responding really well to my
encouragers and continued talking in a really descriptive way about the bad meal. Her two-
minute timer was up, and we moved onto the next phase of the experiment.
The second part of the experiment was asking Corrin to talk about the really good meal,
with the same 2-minute timer, but with no encouragers. I started the timer, and she began
Week 2 Worksheet
: Attending, Encouragers, Documentation, and Reflections on Feedback and PWDN
talking. I stayed neutral in my face and body language. I had very calm and serious facial
expressions without looking angry. As I previously said, Corrin likes to talk so again, she did meet
the two-minute mark, but she was definitely less chatty in this round. Without my comments
and reassurance, I think the conversation was a little drier and more forced.
When this second round was up, I asked Corrin, “Please choose just one thing to add about
just one of these meals that you just described.” I first thought than Corrin was going to keep
going on about the worst meal she had ever had because that conversation was much livelier
and I commented during that one but to my surprise, she kept talking about the best meal. I
think she felt as if she had something to prove because I seemed unimpressed with the second
exchange. I believe that her response was reinforced by my lack of encouragers.
To conclude the experiment, I told Corrin what the purpose was, and I asked her what her
thoughts were on the experiment now that she knows why I did it. She said that she definitely
noticed a change in my body language and energy in the second conversation, whereas the first
conversation was much more engaging, and she said she could’ve talked for hours! Now that she
knows what encouragers are, she said that she felt they definitely made a difference in her
comfort level and her confidence that I was actively listening. Corrin continued and intelligently
stated that we may not even notice that we use nonverbal communication everyday but this
experiment shows how important it can be.
III.
Documentation—Case Note Preparation Activity
Instructions: Select one of the three Faculty mock counseling sessions, in the classroom resources this
week. After having viewed this segment and using simple and objective language, fill in the three blanks
below. These are the three components of one particular style of case note (the DAP note, which stands
for data, assessment, and plan). You are asked to complete a DAP note for each of the three recorded
mock counseling sessions you submit as assignments this term. This is an introduction to writing a case
note. Use objective language (“the client said”, and refrain from using first person, e.g. “I think…”)
Data:
Briefly summarize the client(s) story and what you observed, with your eyes and ears, about the
client(s).
Dr. Buckley is a family counselor and so naturally, a family of 3 came in, in search of counseling. The
father began talking and he stated that he works out of town a lot and is gone most weeks from Monday
through Friday. Recently, he got to come home early and flew in on a Thursday night. He came home and
heard his daughter and wife upstairs in a sort of commotion. He goes upstairs to find his daughter
throwing up in the bathroom, his wife comforting her, and the pungent smell of alcohol. He is coming to
therapy with the issue that he does not support the use of alcohol in his house, especially with his
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