M2 Discussion: Engagement and Counseling Skills in a First Session. M2

M2 Discussion: Engagement and Counseling Skills in a First Session
Name
Institution
Date
Dr. Oaklander ways of engaging Blake in the counseling session and building a relationship
Dr. Oaklander used creative counseling approach to tap the visual, auditory, and experimental learning style belonging to Blake. Through creative counseling, angry Blake goes through a learning process and manages her anger. Through modeling clay, she drew her attention and focus, which relaxed her feelings and created comfort with Dr. Oaklander (Schimel and Jacobs, 2011). Dr. Oaklander used contact notion to help her offer therapy to Blake through having contact with self and environment. Dr. Oaklander believes that ideal contact involves having person’s intellect, emotions, senses, and body present to solve a problem. A good contact ensures that all self-aspects meet personal and environmental needs. According to Dr. Oaklander’s withdrawal and contact are counterparts. When people have contact with their situations they feel free to open up. However, contact is broken where there is withdrawal. Some clients withdraw to feel safe from certain situations.
Three micro skills that Dr. Oaklander used in this session and examples for each
Attending behavior
Dr. Oaklander realizes that relationship is important to nature people carefully. It forms the foundation of therapeutic process and is a powerful therapy. Dr. Oaklander remains himself without using teacher and other patronizing forces. She does not judge and manipulate others.

She does not place expectations on any client although she remains optimistic. She accepts people as they are, through accepting their rhythms and being present through contact (AIPC, 2009).
Contact
Dr. Oaklander is quick to note when the client makes contact, loses it, and avoids contact. She works with what is present for both parties. She helps the client feel comfortable through sustaining contact of the body, expression, senses, emotions, and intellect. She applies contact skills such as touching, language, sound, gesture, smelling, tasting, and hearing (Mortola, 2012).
Resistance
Resistance occurs when clients become self-protecting. She helps end resistance through respecting and accepting the resistance. She helps children soften to some extent. Through accepting the resistance, the child softens and takes risk of doing a new task. Through therapy sessions, the child grows out of resistance (SchimmeL & Jacobs, 2011).
Strategies that Dr. Oaklander used to assist Blake with developing self-awareness and growth
Dr. Oaklander helps Blake develop self-awareness through defining the self, which talking about herself, allowing Blake to make drawings, model clay and use music to define the self.
Making choices strategy is an approach where the client receives many opportunities for them to pick on one. Owning projections strategy helps to develop self-awareness. Many techniques are projective because they tap into a person’s individual nature and experiences (Oaklander, 2000). When a child owns various projections, they reveal who they are and processes they are taking in life. The extent into which they have known themselves and their boundaries are intensified. The freedom to draw certain pictures makes them feel respected and begin to realize their importance in life as Dr. Oaklander listens.
Dr. Oaklander did especially well in her session with Blake because she her realize herself and the tasks she can undertake to relieve anger. She taught her to engage in physical activities and think of ways to solve her problems with hurting other people. Blake realized that she could move away from her mother and think about setting measurable goals. Through engaging in other activities, she will express her feelings through modeling. After therapy sessions, Blake will have appreciated all people and created a good relationship to help her explain how she feels. The session assisted Blake to relax, develop, and grow his self-esteem.
References
AIPC. (2009). Five counselling micro skills. AIPC Article Library. Retrieved from http://www.aipc.net.au/articles/five-counselling-microskills/Oaklander, Violet. (2000).The therapeutic process with children and adolescents. Gestalt Review, 1(4), 292-317.
Schimmel, C., & Jacobs, ED. (2011).Ten creative counselling techniques for helping clients deal with anger. American counseling association, 1-13.
Mortola, P. (2012).CPSY 590: Expressive arts therapy. Lewis and Clark College, 1-9.