Help Needed

Respond to the following in a minimum of 175 words:

· What environmental conditions do you think are ideal for making client action plans succeed?

· What kind of support from family, friends, or others is essential?

· How can you help clients whose loved ones are ambivalent about the changes the client really wants and needs to make in his or her life? 

Respond to classmates or instructor in a minimum of 175 words:

D.H.

When considering the appropriate environment for the counseling session, it is important to seek the comfort of the client. To have an inviting atmosphere can help the client be put at ease when participating in this experience. Creating an action plan for the client will be based on how much they want to expose of themselves. Building rapport can help the client feel comfortable to share the intimate details of their life to help them set their goals. In a recent article, it stated “environmental conditions are not just referring to the physical environment. It also includes how you greet people, how you talk to them and other aspects of non-verbal communication such as eye contact and body language and how you make them feel in your care” (Counselling for Maternal and Newborn Health Care: A Handbook for Building Skills. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2013). The environment whether in-home or a facility should be welcoming, free of distractions, comfortable and ensure privacy. The client’s action plan should align with things they are willing to commit to and have supports to hold them accountable. 

Essential supports from family, friends and other community members should be consistent, reliable and they should expect some resistance from the client because the goal may at times seem unachievable. These supports should stay strong and encourage their loved one or community member that they can achieve their goals set. These supports should be ready to hold the person accountable in attaining the goals with help. 

As for the client whose family may be ambivalent about the changes they are trying to make and need in their life, an option of including them into the session could help. Also, giving the client assistance in explaining to their family why they want to make these changes and why they need them to be supportive of them. Finally, if the loved ones cannot get on board with the care and changes their loved one is receiving and making, I would encourage the client to find other supports that could help them get through this moment in their life. Whether it be friends, coworkers or community supports. 

Reference:

Counselling for Maternal and Newborn Health Care: A Handbook for Building Skills. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2013. 5, PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN THE COUNSELLING PROCESS. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK304189/

Instructor:

Tom is your new client. This is your third session with him. He has been in a relationship with a young woman for six months and has decided that the relationship is not healthy for either of them. He wishes to withdraw gently from the relationship because he believes that she is emotionally fragile. He keeps asking, “What do you think I should do?”

Tom’s goal has been to clarify his relationship with his friend. He indicated in the second session that she wanted to get married and he has not been able to make that commitment.

Your assessment of Tom is that he is a responsible person, somewhat unsophisticated socially, but caring. He indicates no serious emotional issues other than his relationship.

What would be your greatest concern in this session?

Instructor:

Counselors in schools and community settings are often pressured by time and budget to make assessments in the first sessions, and to conduct counseling as quickly as possible. What unique difficulties do these pressures pose when working with young children?