Assignment Persuasive Essay
They are delivered by trained practitioners who work with people over a short or long term to elf them bring about an effective change or enhance their wellbeing’. Counseling and psychotherapy is very much intertwined. Both counseling and psychotherapy can be used on a one-to-one basis, as a couple or in a group. While they are quite similar, there are distinctions. Counseling helps an individual identify any problems that may occur and will then enable them with the necessary tools to deals with and resolve any issues.
Counseling skills also tend to come in to play on a day to day basis, for example a nurse may use counseling skills when existing to patients or teachers may counsel students going through crises such as exams (Sanders, 2011: 12). An individual may use counseling as and when the problems arises rather than long standing issues. For example one may seek professional help when there has been a death in the family, relationship difficulties, money issues or addiction. The American psychologist and psychotherapist Carl Rogers has played a big part In how counseling Is dealt with in Britain, through his ‘client centered approach’. This approach as described by Rogers, Is seed to help the client ‘activate the self healing process located In the client themselves by providing basic or core’ helping conditions’. The client centre approach is associated with both counseling and psychotherapy without distinction. Psychotherapy can be a lengthy process, it is more about deconstructing the clients concept of themselves and then reconstruct the individual, which can take time depending on the severity of the Issue.
Psychotherapy helps with chronic Issues and feelings that reoccur. Psychotherapy Is designed more o help people with psychological problems that have built up over a long period in their life. This helps the individual identify and understand the reasons behind such problems. These issues are thought to started from early relationships in childhood. The training required for psychotherapy and counseling can be different, although current laws state that anyone can become either a counselor or psychotherapist having not had any formal training. While this may be the case, to become a psychotherapist can Involve up to three to four ears of training, including personal therapy. While becoming a counselor also has formal training, it can to be used in more cases where training hasn’t been given, such as a teacher, nurse or priest.
In our personal lives we may also be quicker to offer advice in a situation we understand such as stress at work or exams, money and relationship problems, which can take the form of counseling, although it is not likely to offer advice when an individual discusses a deep rooted issues such as child abuse, issues that began when they were a child and have affected their life as an dull. It can be harder to offer help if you do not understand the problem, which is where professional psychotherapy comes in to play. Evaluate the key requirements to be an effective counselor. The key requirements to becoming an effective counselor will come down to different attributes. Firstly the qualifications of a counselor is necessary to show a potential client that the person you will be dealing with has had professional training. Experience is also essential. An example of where experience may come in to play is hen a person is being counseled for addiction, be that drugs or alcohol.
It may help the patient in battling their addiction if the counselor has been through the same experiences and therefore able them to relate to what the patient may be experiencing. Counseling comes in many forms that we need to distinguish what is actually counseling and what is a parent or a friend offering advice. The counselor is not emotionally involved with the client so therefore their input is objective and does not hinder their response to the issue that is being discussed. The American Psychologist Carl Rogers spoke of how there are six conditions when being an effective counselor.
The counselor needs to make psychological contact with the client that needs to be helped, the client is vulnerable or anxious, the counselor is genuine, non-judgmental, warm and unconditional positive regard (Sanders, 2011 : 36). These attributes are imperative for trust between counselor and client. Counselors need to have the ability to leave personal opinions aside, this can allow the counselor and client to build a good relationship. A good counselor will be able o show you the obstacles in your life and how to make a change to overcome them.
An example of a good counselor is helping the client recognize behavioral patterns that may hinder a personal relationship. Help the client see their part in the conflict and help them deal with ways of communicating in a effective manner. The counselor can be honest and say things to the client that may not be welcomed but through training this will be done in a non aggressive way. Counselors need to also tailor all treatment to the needs of the individual. The counselor needs to be able to concise the needs of the client and even if a problem is similar to that of a previous client, the treatment may not be the same.
The ability to differentiate will ensure treatment is more productive. As a counselor you will also need to place all your attention on to their needs, show respect, be patient and compassionate, know your limits and be responsible for your actions. The counselor also needs to ensure that the client does not become dependent at all times, boundaries need to be set. Evaluate the conditions for which it would be appropriate to see a counselor or psychotherapist The appropriate time for a client to seek the professional help of a counselor or psychotherapists is down to the individual.
Firstly the potential client needs to come to the realization by themselves that there is an actual issue. Forcing a client in to a session would be detrimental to any progress being made. Once the recommended for them to seek help. Counseling and psychotherapy needs both dedication from both the helper and the one needing help for it to be effective. The counselor or psychotherapist will build a therapeutic relationship that will develop ND become stronger as the weeks progress. This relationship allows the client to feel safe and enable them to open up about the issues that have had a negative impact on their lives.
A time to seek help is usually in the time off crises or life changing moment, it can also occur when a long term issue begins to have a negative impact on your life. Individuals with issues that arise such as a death, divorce, depression, money worries, relationship difficulties, anxiety and addiction would benefit from help as it can have a damaging effect on their daily life. These issues old cause loss of Job due to the inability to hold down employment, the ability to look after children or could even result in the loss of the home and therefore would require assistance when learning how to cope.
More serious issues such as chronic illness, anorexia or personality disorder would require assistance from a psychotherapist as these can not only affect your day to day life but they can also be life threatening. Counseling and psychotherapy would help an individual on how to deal with such changes or issues and enable them to manage such life changes or issues on a day to day basis to avoid any long term damaging effects.
Counseling and psychotherapy is appropriate when a client needs constructive help, the helper would not have a emotional connection to the client and could therefore create an environment based on honesty. This environment will push the client out of their comfort zone and show them what needs to be done in the future to move forward. The client can express their feelings without the fear of consequence. In conclusion, this essay has shown that while there are distinctions between counseling and psychotherapy, they are also very similar.
Through this essay I have demonstrated firstly the distinctions between counseling and psychotherapy. I believe although quite similar they are also used for different purposes. Counseling more for short term help, dealing with exams or a relationship breakup. Psychotherapy I believe is more long-term and to treat re-occurring issues that have developed over many years. Secondly, I also have demonstrated that to be a counselor you need to have a set of skills that enable a client to believe they are in a safe and trusting environment, with no Judgment.
