Psychology FINAL Assignment

Running head: PERSONAL APPROACH TO COUNSELING

1

Personal Approach to Counseling

Ashley Rehfeld

CNDV 5311 04

PERSONAL APPROACH TO COUNSELING 2

Personal Approach to Counseling

Entering this course, I had an overview of what counseling meant and what counselors

do. This course has led me understanding human nature from a counselor point of view, but also

personally. In having a better understanding of human nature, I can see the role of a counselor

clearer. My view of human nature and what is understand the role of a counselor to be, help me

lean towards certain theoretical approaches more than others. In these approaches, each has

concepts more useful in my future professional setting. Of course, the approaches that I gravitate

to are going to strengths and limitations within my future profession.

Philosophy of Human Nature

When you actually think about human nature it is very interesting. Are humans innately

good or bad? How I see it, humans are innately good. Humans are caring, we take care of others

and are concerned when others are not doing well. In taking care of others, humans provide

emotions (whether happy or sad). Humans help others learn. Humans help each other grow into

different individuals. Humans make decisions that are not always good. Humans make the

decision to do bad things because of how we view the situations around us.

What motivates us? I strongly believe the world around us motivates us as humans. We

see others doing something, eating something, buying something, trying something new and we

want to do those same somethings. We want to those somethings because someone around us

has it or has done it. The world around us motivates us for the better most of the time. We want

to be better individuals because of the good and bad around us. Of course, humans also motivate

themselves. Each day, we have to motivate ourselves to function and to do whatever it takes to

be the best individual we believe we can be. So, as I see it, the world and ourselves motivate us.

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What is the cause of stress and suffering? There a so many factors in one’s like that

causes stress and suffering. I believe, we cause most of our own stresses due to overthinking.

Depending on the situation and how we perceive it, that is when stress and/or suffering arises

within our mind.

How does change occur? For change to occur, I think one must change their mindset.

One must see things differently than they once did. In order to change, one must see that change

needs to occur for the better and one must want the change to happen.

How do we grow? Many things in one’s life help them to grow. To me, growing means

changing. Not that one is changing to be completely different in order to grow, but something

has changed in one’s life to help when grow external or internally. We grow when we realize

change has occurred within our mind to see things differently in the world around us.

Counselor Role

In today’s world a school counselor is one of the most vital positions within the school

walls. With the rise of so many mental health concerns in children and many needing social-

emotional support, an active school counselor is extremely important. Building relationships

with the students that need support, but also building a rapport with all students on the campus is

a must. These relationships are specifically important for the students that a counselor services,

as they should be judgement-free, especially during discussions. Students within the session

should feel free to discuss anything without feeling they are wrong. Counselors should show

empathy for the students, this way students feel like that are safe to speak and open up. School

counselors need to help and guide students to set goals, make changes, and overcome obstacles.

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Counselors can work with students and help them see that in setting goals for themselves, we

know what steps to take to reach that goal. Whether the goal is to do better in school, at home,

or with friends if a goal is set and known, it will be easier for one to see the plan and the steps to

take to achieve that goal.

In being a school counselor, there are many different roles to do besides servicing

students in small groups and individually. School counselors, in the elementary setting,

implement guidance lessons for classes. Within these guidance lessons, counselors proactively

assist all students to develop skills for education, career, personal, and social growth during the

school year (NISD, n.d.). In my district, school counselors are also responsible for standardized

assessment preparation and data. Counselors interpret standardized test data to make decisions

in student development (NISD, n.d.). The role of a school counselor effects each person that

enters the campus, whether it’s directly or indirectly. A school counselor’s role is to make a

difference in student, by helping them grow during the year and beyond, by given them skills to

use in and out of the classroom.

Theoretical Approach

A school counselor should use a variety of approaches to help meet the individual needs

of the students. As a school counselor, I could see myself using person-centered counseling,

rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT), and solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT).

Person-Centered Counseling

Created by Carl Rogers, in person-centered counseling, the client, in my case the student,

develops an understanding of self in the environment that helps them resolve their situation

without direct intervention (Ackerman, 2020). During the sessions the client will lead the

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discussion, but the counselor will keep an open questioning position to create empathy and

courage for the client. Person-centered counseling, I believe will work with students, as students

want to be listened to and the school counselor is the person, they are seeking connection to.

Neukrug (2018) stated, Rogers believed when a person is with another person that demonstrates

genuineness, empathy and unconditional positive regard, person one will feel safe to experience

themselves (p. 247). Some key concepts of this approach, I believe in student will benefit from

are need for positive regard, self-determination, and nondirective counseling.

Need for positive regard.

Children have a need for positive regard by important people in their lives; they need to

feel loved, supported, and appreciated (Neukrug, 2018, p. 248). School counselors are an

important person in the students’ lives. To show this positive regard to students, school

counselors can make eye contact, be open, and accepting when building a relationship.

Self-determination.

In person-centered counseling, this concept is the process of looking inside to make self-

choices, instead of allowing others to direct one’s life (Neukrug, 2018, p. 250). With a student, a

school counselor can guide them to understand that it is important to make choices for them self.

At the school age, this is important for students to understand, as they will be influenced by the

outside each day, but with this understanding the student can look within to make the right

decision for them.

Nondirective counseling.

In providing nondirective counseling, a student would feel free to look inside themselves

and discover who they are and initiate positive growth and choices (Neukrug, 2018, p. 250). A

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school counselor does this by offering a facilitative session and being genuine and empathetic

with the student.

Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT)

Developed by Albert Ellis, rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT) motivates the

growth of rational thinking to facilitate healthy emotional behavior (Good Therapy, 2015). In

other words, how we think influences how we feel. Using this approach as a school counselor

will help the students realize that their thoughts are what control the feels that they are having.

Some key concepts of REBT to use as a school counselor are unconditional acceptance, rational

and irrational beliefs, and the ABCDEs of feelings and behaviors.

Unconditional acceptance.

Students need to be praises for their successes, through the unconditional acceptance

concept of REBT, school counselors can do this with students during sessions. Neukrug (2018)

stated, “accepting that we are fallible human beings, and that some things in life may be unfair or

unjust, helps us move on and make better, more effective choices (p.324). Students will be able

to build positive self-esteem and not rely on others to feel good about themselves. This concept

will help the student develop a rational belief system with feelings that have a positive view on

life (Neukrug, 2018, p. 325).

Rational and irrational beliefs.

Students can have many different beliefs (good/rational or bad/irrational) about situations

in school and out of school. A situation that causes one to feel poorly, is how one filters the

situation through their cognitive distortions, which impacts the development of irrational beliefs

(Neukrug, 2018, p. 327). School counselors can use this concept to help students see their bad

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beliefs in a different way. School counselors can show the student how to see their irrational

belief in a different way that helps them have more rational beliefs.

The ABCDEs of feelings and behaviors.

This concept of REBT can teach students how beliefs are the cause of emotional and

behavior responses, and not that situations cause our emotional behavior (Lieber, 2018). For a

school counselor working with a student, the ABCDEs of feelings and behaviors can be helpful

in the explanation as it is a blanket outline to guiding that student to understanding their

irrational thoughts. The ABCDEs are known as activating event (A), irrational belief (iB) of the

activating event, the consequences (C) in feelings and behaviors, dispute (D) the irrational belief,

and develop new effective responses (E) (Neukrug, 2018, p.329).

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)

This theoretical approach, created by Insso Kim Berg and Steve De Shazer, focuses on

finding a solution to the problem as soon as possible. In counseling students, school counselors

are limited in time spent with students during sessions, so in this approach being brief a student

can make growth in the short amount of time. With the focus being on the solution rather than

the problem, will help students shift their thinking. “Of course, you must discuss the problem to

find a solution, but beyond understanding what the problem is and deciding how to address it,

solution-focused brief therapy will not dwell on every detail of the problem you are experiencing

(Ackerman, 2019). For school counseling not dwelling on every detail is significant to

maximizing growth in as little time as possible. SFBT has many concepts, but for me I feel in

school counseling I could use non-pathologizing, exceptions and client strengths, and basic

assumptions.

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Non-pathologizing.

As a school counselor, I believe you must approach each session with a student in a

nonjudgmental way. Counselors that take a non-pathologizing stance address clients in a

positive way, with the belief a strength-based approach can be helpful (Neukrug, 2018, p.489).

When a counselor desires to help a student find a solution in a positive way, the counselor has

built that trusting relationship with that student, which will help the student throughout the

process.

Exceptions and client strengths.

With this concept of SFBT, a counselor will ask about times the student has felt good

about themselves and help them realize how they successfully survived so that the process can be

supplemented and used in the future (Neukrug, 2018, p. 490). Often students dwell on the

problems in their life, a school counselor can use this concept to shift a student’s focus to a time

in a similar situation that they felt good about themselves.

Basic assumptions.

The basic assumptions give the student a different way to look at their problem. If a

school counselor can guide the student to looking at their problem different using some basic

assumptions, it will help the student in other situations to reflect and make changes in reactions

as needed. Neukrug (2018) states these basic assumptions are (p. 492-493):

1. Change is constant and inevitable.

2. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

3. If it works, do more of it.

4. If it’s not working, do something different.

5. Clients come to us with resources and strengths.

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6. Small steps can lead to big changes.

7. There is not necessarily a logical relationship between the solution and the

problem.

8. The language for solution development is different from that needed to describe a

problem.

9. No problems happen all the time; there are always exceptions that can be utilized.

10. The future is both created and negotiable.

Critical Evaluation of Approach

Anything we do in life has strengths and limitations. My personal approach to

counseling is no different. I believe that a strength is building relationships with students,

parents, and staff. In having a good rapport with the community of the school, you as a

counselor can make such a difference in and out of the school walls. The theoretical approaches

I chose are ones I feel need some sort of relationship built with the client in order for them to be

effective. For any approach to be successful, clients must buy in to what the counselor is saying

or not saying and how they are being guided through a session. Having that therapeutic

relationship makes the approach much more effective for the student in any situation. I believe

the strengths of my person approach to counseling are it is flexible, yet structured, and goal

oriented.

Being in a school and having a diverse group of students will and can have its limitations.

As a school counselor, you will have approaches that you find have limitations with certain

groups of students. This could be because of the student's cultural upbringing and how they

perceive discussion, if it’s a directive approach not all cultures like being directed and some have

issues with leading discussion with others. When thinking of cultural limitations, you have to

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look at how positive behaviors are different between cultures. Also, depending on a student’s

socioeconomic background this could limit understanding and how they view change that an

approach wants them to make. With limitations, I believe a counselor will have to adjust. In

building those relationships with students and families a school counselor is aware of what some

of those limitations may be before a session occurs.

Case of Jasmine

A senior in high school, Jasmine, 18, comes from a close family. She finds it easy to talk

to her parents about most of her problems. Her current problem is different, she does not feel she

can talk to her parents about it. Jasmine has been sexually active with her 15-year-old boyfriend

for the past year. Not on birth control, she has ended up pregnant. The boyfriend has questioned

that they baby is his and she has seeked advice from a few girlfriends. Jasmine is nearing the end

of the first trimester and she does not know what to do.

Values

My values in Jasmine’s case, I know it is something difficult to discuss with your parents,

but I believe when she was becoming sexually active, she should have talked to her parents about

the precautions to take. I feel abortion is a choice that is available, if needed. It may not always

be the choice you want to make, but to me you must look at the situation. In terminating a life,

one must think about the impact that life would have on their everyday life and it means lots of

change, can they handle that change. It also means, not regretting the decision if abortion is her

decision. Adoption is another choice available. This choice involves the child growing and

bonding with you for the duration of the pregnancy. This may be even harder to give up in the

end. It will mean moving on with your life knowing that you have a child out there that may

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never know about you. Again, you must look at the situation you are in to decide the choice that

is best for you. I believe the choice is yours to make. I don’t think that anyone should judge you

based on the decision you mad for yourself, even if it not the decision they would make.

I do not think the value I have will affect the way I would counsel Jasmine. I think the

way I see it; my values will help me to be nonjudgmental in her case and help guide her to

making a decision that works for her.

Presenting Concern

Jasmine has a few presenting concerns that need to be identified. She is pregnant and

needs to make a decision about having the baby. She is 18 years old and plans on going away to

college, so depending on her decision she may not be able to go away as planned. Jasmine has

not discussed this situation with her parents. She is close with her parents and usually is able to

discuss problems with them, but this situation she has not been able to discuss with them for

maybe the reason of feeling she let them down. Jasmine is struggling with herself on what to do.

She is needing someone to talk with that she feels safe with to guide her through this process.

She needs to know that she is not being judged for the situation she is in and for any decision she

decides to make.

With Jasmine, the first concern I would address would be talking with her parents about

what is going on. I feel that she close with her family and they have helped her through other

situations throughout her life, this is another situation where their support is needed probably

more than ever. Once, Jasmine opens ups to her parents about what is going on, I believe the

other concern of what to do will, they will help her get through that decision.

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Strategies and Techniques

There is a variety of strategies and techniques to use with Jasmine as I feel at this point,

she can benefit from so many.

I would use empathy, as a technique from person-centered counseling. Right now,

Jasmine needs to feel she is being her and understood. Neukrug (2018) stated, understanding can

be expressed in different ways, reflecting the meaning and affect of what has been expressed

accurately to show the client they were heard; simply nodding head or touching the client during

their deepest moments (p. 254). Being understood will help Jasmine in seeing that her family is

her support system and can offer her so much support.

Being an ambassador, from solution-focused brief therapy, is a technique I would also

use with Jasmine. I believe this can be integrated with empathy. Jasmine needs someone to be

respectful of her situation, be curious of what she feels, and accept her for the choices she has

made. A solution-focused therapist comes to the relationship humbly and is curious about

client’s situation, respectful of the client’s way of being, and accepting of what they are being

told (Neukrug, 2018, p.494).

Staying within the solution-focused brief therapy, another technique I would use with

Jasmine is use of presuppositional questions, specifically preferred goals questions and solution-

oriented questions. I believe Jasmine needs to see that change is happening in her life not matter

the decision she makes. Asking her preferred goals questions, will help her identify where she

wants to end up and it will also let me know how she wants her life to look and how long she

thinks it will take for a positive outcome; these questions focus on the future not on the problem

(Neukrug, 2018, p. 495). In asking Jasmine solution-oriented questions, she can zero in on how

her life would be different if there was not this problem (Neukrug, 2018, p. 495).

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Critical Evaluation of Approach

Jasmine being 18 years old, pregnant, and about to graduate high school, sets for some

limitations when trying to help her through her case using my personal approach. What is she is

afraid to open up fully? What if culture is keeping her from talking to her parents about this

situation? What if I do not have a good rapport with her for her to feel safe with me? As I was

going through to decide what techniques to use with Jasmine all those questions came pouring in

my head. I had to trust that I could be the best support for Jasmine at this time and that is why

she came to my office. Which lead me to thinking about some strengths. If Jasmine did not feel

I was a safe person to talk with, then she may not have ever walked in my office. I realized I

have made a good relationship with her, at least good enough for her to feel she can trust me to

guide her in the right direction when dealing with this situation. My personal approach is

nonjudgmental, which in Jasmine’s case is completely necessary for her to feel accepted in her

decisions she has made and will make.

Professional Compliance

As a school counselor there are many different expectations to uphold, whether it be state

law, district policies, or your counseling code of ethics. In having a certificate to practice within

a school, you want to make sure you are doing what is right in order to keep your job and

certificate, as well as doing what is needed to support the student. You must first follow state

law to make sure you are doing what is necessary legally. You also want to make sure you are

ethically doing what is correct for your counseling certification to not be taken away. Lastly,

you also want to make sure you know your district’s policy on the situation, as you do not want

to lose your job. ASCA (n.d.) states, it is important to know state laws on the subject, as well as

school board policies; you will want find out how pregnancy was confirm and if sex was

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consensual on both sides; understand relationship with parents to provide advice to inform

parents. In Jasmine’s case, she is 18 years old, even though she is still in high school, in the state

of Texas she is an adult and does not need her parents’ consent or acknowledgment. Knowing

her background with her parents, they are close, talking with her and letting her know it is in her

best interest to have her parents involved in the situation.

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References

Ackerman, C. E. (2020, March 18). 10 Person-Centered Therapy Techniques Inspired by Carl

Rogers [ PDF]. Retrieved March 31, 2020, from https://positivepsychology.com/client-

centered-therapy/

Ackerman, C. E. (2019, November 19). What is Solution-Focused Therapy: 3 Essential

Techniques. Retrieved April 4, 2020, from https://positivepsychology.com/solution-

focused-therapy/

American School Counselor Association (ASCA). (n.d.). Legal & Ethical FAQ. Retrieved April

5, 2020, from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/school-counselors-members/legal-

ethical/legal-ethical-faq

Good Therapy. (2015, March 7). Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT). Retrieved April

3, 2020, from https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/rational-emotive-

behavioral-therapy

Lieber, A. (2018, November 19). REBT: A Smarter, More Effective Approach to Treatment.

Retrieved April 4, 2020, from https://www.psycom.net/rebt/

Neukrug, E. (2018). Counseling Theory and Practice (2nd ed.). San Diego, CA: Cognella.

Northside ISD. (n.d.). Guidance & Counseling: Roles of a professional school counselor.

Retrieved April 2, 2020, from https://nisd.net/guidance-counseling/gc/guidance-

counseling-requirements