M2 Discussion: Engagement and Counseling Skills in a First Session

M2 Discussion: Engagement and Counseling Skills in a First Session
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Counseling micro-skills are skills that a counselor may use to enhance communication with clients for better outcomes. The skills enable the counselor to build working alliance effectively and engage the client in a discussion that is meaningful and helpful. The skills also enable the counselor to build rapport hence establishing trust with new clients and allow a free-flowing communication (Tryon, 1986). In the case of Dr. Oaklander’s and Blake’s session, the counselor employed three micro-skills to get Blake to explore and express his feelings regarding his current life situation. She was very effective in using these micro-skills because she was able to develop a relationship with Blake and to get him to open up his feelings.
Dr. Oaklander in the session was able to reflect what Blake had told him about having made a whale from clay by informing Blake that he was not any different from the whale as he could swim and consume fish too. By so doing she showed that she was interested in listening to all Blake had to share and that she understood. She was able to listen and give Blake time to process his own words which made him feel accepted and self-aware. This skill helped her build a “trusting relationship” with Blake who saw that she was not only listening to him but also valued him as a person. Through reflection, Blake was able to understand himself which is an important factor in his own growth.

Blake was also able to understand deeper aspects of him through the relevance Dr. Oaklander showed between him and the whale.
The other micro-skill that Dr. Oaklander used was focusing on Blake’s feelings especially the feeling of anger Blake had when he thought no one was taking him seriously. Focusing assists the counselor to direct the client express themselves on the reason they sort the session and may involve prioritizing issues that may need swift resolutions (Venter, 2017). In most cases, this skill is usually used in later stages of counseling. In this case, Dr. Oaklander was able to explain to Blake his opinions are as important as anyone else and that no one should make him feel otherwise. Focusing, as a skill helps the person seeking, counselors accept themselves as they are and develop a deeper sense of connection in their lives (“Five Counselling Microskills,” 2009). There are other areas a counselor can focus on, and in this case, Dr. Oaklander discussed though not in depth about Blake’s family. She, however, chose to fully focus on Blake’s feelings of anger thereby making the session about him, his experiences and feelings which made Blake feel empowered to change
Lastly, Dr. Oaklander was able to incorporate the use of questioning in her session with Blake. This skill helps the counselor find new discussion areas. She particularly used open-ended questions which basically do not allow the client to answer with yes/no or a few words but rather allow him/her to speak freely hence allowing the counselor to obtain plenty of information and concerns. She was able to get Blake to talk more about his feeling by getting to know what he does when he is frustrated. Open-ended questions enable the counselor to gather facts, identify when the problem started in addition to having the client talk more about their feelings. The micro-skills were appropriate as far as engagement and counseling skills are concerned.
References
Five Counselling Microskills. (2009). Retrieved 31 January 2018, from http://www.aipc.net.au/articles/five-counselling-microskills/
Tryon, G. (1986). Client & counselor characteristics & engagement in counseling. Journals of Counseling Psychology, 33(4), 471-474. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//0022-0167.33.4.471
Venter, D. (2017). Counselling Microskills: Focusing. Retrieved 31 January 2018, from http://www.counsellingconnection.com/index.php/2009/07/27/focusing/