Communication Strategy in Pastoral Counseling

In order for the counseling process to be effective for the client the characteristics and behaviors of the mental health counselor must be effective. To be an effective mental health counselor the process must include both the art and science of helping clients when they struggle. This paper will address both effective and ineffective characteristics of the given transcript along with an explanation of how a counselor’s characteristics or behaviors influence a session with a client.

I believe counseling is a collaborative partnership between client and counselor. Furthermore, this collaborative partnership is built from trust and acceptance of both client and counselor. I hope in conjunction with clients to understand the issues and concerns so to help them tap into their wisdom, creativity, and strengths to meet their current challenges. I believe in a comprehensive perspective through which clients can better comprehend themselves in the framework that our thinking about events can lead to emotional and behavioral upset. Moreover, counselors are to provide a safe environment for clients to explore their challenges and identify ways to move differently in overcoming these challenges.

As human being we receive and perceive information in a wide variety of different ways. The understanding of communication to one person might be the total opposite to another person. Counselors within the human service field have to obtain the abilities and skills to interact and communicate with clients in a counseling setting. In doing so a counselor has to possession ability to use verbal and non-verbal communication skills, ask open and close ended question during the sessions, use reflective techniques, and identify explorations,

Counselling is an activity whereby a person helps another one through verbal interaction. However counselling should not be mistaken for advice giving, or an attempt to solve a person’s problems. Counsellors are expected to be professional, while at the same time possessing qualities essential in creating an atmosphere of mutual trust and confidentiality with the client. A good relationship between a counsellor and a client, ensures that at the end of the day, the therapy is successful. Rogers (1951) strongly believes that the moment a client feels that the counsellor is on their side, providing them with the comfort that they seek, they become more motivated to change. This somehow highlights the importance of a positively established relationship between a counsellor and a client. This essay will assess

As a counselor, being aware of the theoretical approaches and which ones best suit your perspective on human nature, complications, and change for an individual is vital. Not only is understanding the approaches important, but the counselor’s own values and personal philosophy are equally fundamental for the counselor to do their job efficiently.

As Sole describes in her book, Making Connections: Understanding Interpersonal Communication, ” Listening involves hearing, but it is much more than just the physiological act of your ears perceiving a sound and transmitting the auditory sensation to your brain. Listening is a complex psychological process that can be defined as the process of physically hearing, interpreting that sound, and understanding the significance of it. (Sole,K. 2011)

The potential impacts of using specialist communication skills and techniques in the counselling setting fall into a broad spectrum. When counsellors use the active listening skill and unconditional positive regard, clients will feel encouraged and supported in telling their story allowing them to convey their feelings. This can also be supported and further enhanced through the use of reflection of feeling, which gives the client an opportunity to examine, decipher and understand their own emotions. The

In the event a counselor encounters a client in a dysfunctional state of equilibrium, it is important that they approach the situation in such a way that the client will be open to the intervention. To do this a counselor should calmly approach the client and first get their names. From there offering a brief introduction of themselves as the counselor, conveying empathy and being authentic, this will immediately establish a connection between the client and the counselor. Another important key factor in this phase of the intervention is that the counselor has to clarify their intent. In other words, informing the client of what to expect this allows the client to view the counselor as a means of support (James & Gilliland,

Case conceptualization explains the nature of a client’s problem and how they develop such problem ( Hersen, & Porzelius, p.3, 2002) In counseling, assessment is viewed as a systematic gathering of information to address a client’s presenting concerns effectively. The assessment practice provides diagnostic formulation and counseling plans, and aids to identify assets that could help the client cope better with concern that they are current. Assessment is present as a guide for treatment and support in the “evaluation process. Although many methods can be employed to promote a thorough assessment, no one method should be used by itself” (Erford, 2010, p.269-270). Eventually, it is the counselor's job to gain adequate

This application paper will discuss my personal theory of counseling or psychotherapy in a number of different areas. Specifically, I will discuss the seven areas of interest. First, I will discuss and describe

In the counseling profession, having knowledge of the theoretical approaches and which ones will be essential based on your standpoint of human nature, problems, and changes for an individual is important. Having a clear understanding of the approaches is key, but the counselor’s knowledge of his or her own principles, life experiences and viewpoints will define how the counselor will effectively perform their job.

Those not thoroughly educated in communication tend to confuse the terms “hearing” and “listening.” Although they appear to mean the same thing, utilize the same body part, and are both required for functional communication, there is a great difference between these two actions. Hearing involves the perception of sound using the ears, while listening is based upon giving attention to the sound being perceived. Additionally, because these concepts are different, there are also several different ways of improving hearing and listening. Thus, there are several differences between these two concepts, and it is important to signify these differences in order to practice effective communication.

As everybody is different and comes from different backgrounds, therefore give us all different values and beliefs, it is important to have an effective client-counsellor relationship based on four main areas of duty of care 1. Helper competence, 2. Client autonomy, 3. Confidentiality, 4. Client protection (Nelson-Jones, 2008). There will be times throughout the sessions with clients that your own values and belief creep in, and you do make judgement, therefore you as a counsellor have to know and acknowledge this happen and understand why it is happening.

Brownell (1987) found in her study of listening behaviors that there are five factors. The factors included sensitivity and considers emotional component of a message; understands and recalls information accurately; objective and nonjudgmental; concentrates and encourages information sharing and provides

I always felt that practical communication is a core aspect of ministry evangelism. How individuals exchange messages through the use of symbols and behavior both verbal, oral and nonverbal is a strong determinant of its effectiveness (Wallace, Rosenfeld, Bodary, & Waggenspack, 2009). Effective communication combines a set of skills that includes being a good listener in order to understand what is being said to me by others. Learning and practicing good communication skills will help me to develop an understanding of my emotions and aims supporting the information I relay to others.The impact of good communication skills upon my family, work relationships, and ministry affects my connection with them in the areas of trust, esteem, and understanding.