Counselling Tutor Podcast

Latest Episodes:

031 – Dealing with Your Own Emotions – Karpman’s Drama Triangle – Managing Your Time as a Trainee Counsellor Jan 21, 2017

Show notes

In episode 31 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly talk about how to deal with your own emotions when counselling clients bring up intense emotions during the session. 'Theory with Rory' takes a look at Dr Stephen Karpman's Drama Triangle. Finally, the presenters offer tips on managing your time as a trainee counsellor. Dealing with Your Own Emotions Our clients may well bring heavy material when they come to us for counselling, and it is natural for us - in standing with them in this - to experience intense emotions too. Empathy is very important for counsellors, so it is good to feel these emotions (and to complete the empathy circle by communicating that empathy), but it is important to maintain the ability to manage the session as the counsellor. How do we do this if the feelings become overwhelming for us? Ken and Rory offer the following tips: It is fine to get a tear in your eye and to have to reach for a tissue yourself. Clients will benefit from your empathy. However, always remember that the heavy material is not your own. Watch for parallel process - when the material a client brings parallels something you are struggling with yourself. Be aware too of the possibility of countertransference, where the client reminds you of someone from your past. If your self-awareness leads you to realise that parallel process or transference is occurring, discuss this with your clinical supervisor. If you keep struggling with a particular type of material, consider personal therapy to explore the reasons for this in greater depth. Karpman's Drama Triangle This is a social model of communication, developed by American psychiatrist Dr Stephen Karpman. He was a student of Eric Berne, who founded Transactional Analysis. The concept was first described in a 1968 journal article. The Drama Triangle explains how we sometimes take on unhelpful roles subconsciously. The three corners of the triangle represent roles - Victim, Rescuer and Persecutor. The Victim, who feels helpless, looks for a Persecutor to add to their feeling of oppression, and a Rescuer to save them. The Persecutor is happy to blame the Victim, while the Rescuer experiences guilt if they do not help the Victim (who thus remains helpless). The three roles can be quite fluid, with people moving between them. Although it is often not taught on person-centred courses, the Drama Triangle is a useful model to apply both to everyday life and to counselling. Rory provides an example observed in real life, of a beggar (the Victim) asking passers-by for money to enable him to buy a train ticket back to his hometown. A woman (the Rescuer) stops and gives him £20 for this purpose. The following day, she passes the same way and is surprised and horrified to see him there, still begging. At this point, she becomes angry with him and accuses him of duping her (so transforming into the Perpetrator). So how can we avoid getting drawn into the Drama Triangle? Self-awareness is key here. For example, those who are motivated to become counsellors tend to have a strong desire to help, but if this is simply a form of psychological medicine for us, we are likely to disempower the people we are trying to help. Personal development (gained through self-reflection, group work, personal therapy and clinical supervision) is vital. Managing Your Time as a Trainee Counsellor In the UK, there is only around five months left now until courses finish for the summer, given that there are often also half-term breaks and an Easter holiday. It can feel rather daunting for counselling students to think how much they have to fit in between now and then - for example, exams to revise for, and external portfolios to get together. Rory and Ken offer tips on how to reduce your stress levels during this busy time: Remember that you are not the only one feeling this way - Many counselling students feel stressed at this time of year about all there is to get done. Listen back to Counselling Tutor Podcast 6, where we give you ideas on tackling assignments. Break down what you need to do into manageable chunks. Remember: the way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time! Bear in mind that leaving things until the last minute reduces your options for getting support. Try to put together a plan for the rest of the academic year - putting aside even a small amount of time each day makes a massive difference. If you feel you've not got the time to do this, think about how you're currently spending your time. For example, could you cut out some TV watching? BingeClock allows you to enter the name of your favourite TV show, and then tells you how much time you could have saved if you'd not watched it: the results can be scary! Ensure you use any resources and support available to you through your learning institution. If in your final year, check early when your clinical and managerial supervisors are going to be on holiday, so you can get them to sign off any documentation before they leave. If you're struggling with a deadline, talk to your tutor as soon as you realise, rather than rushing it and risking not passing. Try to practise good self-care, taking some time for yourself when you can. Try our Counselling Study Resource! This provides input that is global across all levels and awarding bodies - and so is suitable for all students of counselling and psychotherapy.

030 – Levels of Qualification – Tuckman’s Team Development Model – Self-Actualisation versus the Actualising Tendency Jan 14, 2017

Show notes

In episode 30 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly explain the levels of counselling qualification in the UK. 'Theory with Rory' takes a look at Dr Bruce Tuckman's team development model. Last, the presenters examine the difference between the actualising tendency and self-actualising. Levels of Qualification There is a wide range of counselling qualifications on offer, and it can be very confusing to know which to choose. In the UK, qualifications can currently be mapped to levels, as follows: Level 2 - GCSE level Level 3 - A level Level 4 - first year of degree Level 5 - foundation degree Level 6 - bachelor's (honours) degree Level 7 - master's degree Level 8 - doctorate Courses that allow you to qualify as a counsellor could be at any level from 4 to 7. Which level is right for you depends on your background, interests and goals. For example, Level 4 is perhaps the fastest way to get in front of clients, while an ambition to work in the NHS would make it advisable to study for a degree. Ken and Rory advise that in general it is best to avoid online courses in counselling, as this is a subject area where interaction with people really matters, to develop both skills and personal awareness. Whichever level you choose as the qualifying stage of your counselling training, always check that the course requires you to get at least 100 hours' practice with clients, as this is required to become a member of the BACP. For information on BACP accreditation of courses, see Podcast 7. Our Counselling Study Resource provides input that is global across all levels and awarding bodies - and so is suitable for all students of counselling and psychotherapy. Tuckman's Team Development Model Personal development (or process) groups are an important part of counselling training. Students' emotional (affective) and academic (cognitive) development is enhanced when group members work cooperatively together. This facilitates students' application of counselling theory to themselves and others (both peers and, in turn, clients). It can feel like personal development groups have no real structure, but in fact tutors often use the model developed by Dr Bruce Tuckman, a US psychologist, to assess how the group is developing. This model describes four stages, each of which must be done through for the group to be fully effective: Forming - in which members try to work out what they should be doing, often looking to the tutor for guidance or trying to appoint a leader; common feelings here include uncertainty, anxiety, confusion, fear and helplessness Storming - where the group grows in confidence and perhaps rejects tutor input; members challenge each other, and may feel angry, frustrated, hurt, wary and resentful Norming - at this stage, members accept each other and individual differences, and are open to input; feelings often include hope, courage, relief and mindfulness Performing - the group tries to solve problems and misconceptions, feeling empathic, relaxed and confident. In 1975, Tuckman added a fifth stage: adjourning. This describes the stage of ending, which happens at the final stage of counselling courses. A range of feelings may be experienced at this stage, including loss, sadness, happiness, excitement and gratitude. It is important to remember that not every group is going to fit this model, but it can be a useful guide to how many groups evolve as their members learn to work together. You can read more about Tuckman's model in Rory's handout, which is free to download. Self-Actualisation versus the Actualising Tendency The actualising tendency describes the idea, developed by Carl Rogers, that humans have an innate ability to grow and develop in spite of their circumstances, however difficult. Rogers used to illustrate this concept using the analogy of potatoes (see Podcast 22 for the full story and a useful handout). Self-actualisation, meanwhile, describes the pinnacle of Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, representing the 'nirvana' of human living. Very few people achieve this level; Maslow used to cite Eleanor Roosevelt as an example of one who had.

029 – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder – Elisabeth Kübler-Ross –Student Overwhelm Jan 07, 2017

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In episode 29 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly discuss post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 'Theory with Rory' takes a look at the life and work of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. Finally, the presenters discuss the feelings of overwhelm often faced by students of counselling and psychotherapy. PTSD Although the term 'PTSD' came into the psychotherapeutic lexicon following the Vietnam War, the phenomenon was recognised longer ago by other names, for example 'going Asian' following the Korean War, and 'soldier's heart' or 'shellshock' in the Second World War. PTSD is experienced by people who have been in very stressful situations (not just in the military) where they believed their or others' lives were at serious threat. It is a very debilitating condition, which can vary in severity. Although our role as counsellors is not to diagnose mental-health conditions, we may suspect a client is suffering from PTSD if feelings of terror are triggered by certain situations or senses (e.g. the smell of diesel or sound of fireworks). In this case, a referral to the GP (with the client's permission) is recommended. Current treatments include medication, and eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR). Also, clients are often hugely comforted by knowing that what they are going through is normal given the situation they have experienced. For more on this important topic, see Rory's lectures in the Counselling Study Resource (CSR), including one on brain plasticity. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Born in 1926 in Zurich, Switzerland, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross developed a strong social and work ethic from an early age. Later qualifying from Zurich Medical School, she moved to the USA to train as a psychiatrist. There, she also received training in psychoanalysis. Horrified by seeing how dying patients were treated in hospital, she began to give lectures to students to help them understand how terminally ill patients were experiencing end-of-life care. Her desire to educate people about death and dying continued, and Kübler-Ross developed seminars based on qualitative interviews with terminally ill people. This work led to her psychological hypothesis on the process of dying, sometimes known as 'the five stages of grief' or 'DABDA': Denial - 'It's not really happening.' Anger - 'Why me? It's not fair.' Bargaining - 'I will alter my lifestyle; that will make things right.' Depression - 'I'm so sad; why bother?' Acceptance - 'I can't fight it; I may as well prepare for it.' Although this model has gained wide acceptance in the world of counselling and psychotherapy, it has also incurred a number of criticisms, for example: that it was developed as a model of dying, but has since been applied to bereavement too that it may not fit all clients (some of whom may go through the process in a different order, miss a stage, or even not experience any of the stages) that it may encourage counsellors to be prescriptive and apply the model rigidly, rather than seeing clients as having their own unique experiences that how people deal with death and dying is environment-dependent. Kübler-Ross will be remembered for her pioneering work in the field of loss and grief, her care for people with AIDS, and her contribution to founding the hospice movement. She also wrote many books, perhaps most notably On Death & Dying: What the Dying Have to Teach Doctors, Nurses, Clergy & Their Own Families. Kübler-Ross died in 2004 in Arizona. Rory has written a useful handout on the life and work of Kübler-Ross; he is also planning a lecture on complicated grief, which is expected to be available in the CSR in early 2017. Student Overwhelm Counsellor training can be a time of great stress, with the workload of assignments, placement and supervision as well as possible problems in relating to other students on your course and to your tutors. Many people have times when they think about giving up. Ken and Rory offer a number of tips on how to get through dark times: Don't bottle up your feelings - speak up to your tutor, supervisor, personal-development group and/or placement coordinator, as appropriate. Remember that you are in control - could you slow down a little for a while to make things easier? Be kind to yourself - you have achieved so much already. Remember that counsellor training is by nature demanding, as those who become counsellors are special people.

028 – Online Counselling – Cognitive Dissonance Theory – Referring Clients Dec 10, 2016

Show notes

In episode 28 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly discuss online counselling. 'Theory with Rory' focuses on cognitive dissonance, and the presenters end by discussing onward referrals in counselling. Online Counselling This is a growth area in counselling, with continual technological developments. For example, some counsellors work by email, video or chatroom, or even have Second Life identities. Online counselling is different from face-to-face work in various important ways, for example: location of client - who may be outside the UK, where counselling is subject to different laws and ethical requirements psychological contact - one of Carl Rogers' necessary and sufficient conditions, which may be much harder to achieve online disinhibition - that is, clients tending to be unusually open, revealing big things fast technological issues - such as poor connections, making it difficult to check that your client is safe security problems - for example, Skype is not a secure, private and confidential medium. These issues make it vital to think carefully about and to train properly in online counselling before offering it. Cognitive Dissonance Theory Rory shares the story of Leon Festinger's cognitive dissonance theory. Born in 1919, Festinger studied social psychology under Kurt Lewin at the University of Iowa in the USA. Lewin believed that human behaviour is a product of the individual and their environment. 'Cognitive dissonance' describes when a person has conflicting beliefs or values. Festinger's cognitive dissonance theory suggests that this makes the person feel uncomfortable, and so leads them to adjust one of the beliefs or values, harmonising these in order to reduce the discomfort we feel. In one of the most bizarre pieces of social research ever carried out, Festinger and two colleagues infiltrated a doomsday cult. They described their experiences in a book, When Prophecy Fails. In Illinois, Dorothy Martin (given the alias in the book of Marian Keech, to protect her identity) claimed to receive messages from beings on a planet she called 'Clarion'. A cult developed and - based on Martin's messages - believed that the world would end on 21 December 1954, but that a spacecraft from Clarion would come at midnight on 20 December to rescue members. They gave up jobs, relationships and belongings to prepare for departure. Assembling on the night of 20 December, the group awaited the spacecraft, but it never came. As the time ticked by, they found explanation after explanation for why this might be, all to avoid having to accept that they had been mistaken in their initial belief. Finally, Martin claimed to receive another message from Clarion, explaining that the cataclysm had been averted by the group spreading light in its faithful vigil. So how does cognitive dissonance theory apply to counselling? One area that it relates to is clients in abusive relationships. Because people have often invested heavily in such relationships (for example, financially, or in terms of children), they may tend to remain in them and to find ways to justify to themselves that the abusive behaviour is somehow acceptable. As therapists, we need to realise that abusive relationships are complex, and to understand the investments that clients may have made in those relationships and so that may blind them to the truth. Gentle challenge from the counsellor - through offering the core conditions - can allow clients to re-examine their reality to reinvest in a better life. Referring Clients As a counsellor, it is important to be open to the idea of making referrals when this is in the client's best interests. When student counsellors are on placement, the clients they see have usually been screened by a more senior therapist in the agency. However, it is still possible for more complex difficulties (e.g. psychosis) to become evident once counselling starts. Ken and Rory discuss some key considerations in referring clients: Think about how to 'cradle' the client, avoiding giving them the 'jolt' of sudden referral (which could make them feel rejected/abandoned, or feel branded as having serious problems that cannot be easily dealt with). Ensure you know the 'go-to' person in your agency, so you can discuss the need for referral. Take the issue to your supervisor too. Plan ahead, build a 'little black book' of other counsellors and agencies, so you are aware of other help available to clients. When explaining to the client that you need to refer them, relate the reason to you not them - i.e. 'My skill set is not the right one to help you' rather than 'Your problems are too complex for me to deal with'. Adapt the referral process in line with the length of time you have been seeing a client. Rory sums up his recommended approach as follows: 'We hope for the best and plan for the worst.'

027 – Keeping a Journal – Bowlby and Attachment Theory – Posture in Counselling Dec 03, 2016

Show notes

In episode 27 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly discuss the benefits of keeping a journal and how to do so. 'Theory with Rory' looks at John Bowlby's work on attachment. Finally, the presenters discuss posture in counselling. Keeping a Journal On counselling courses, we are encouraged to keep a journal. We may feel resistant to this idea to start with, and wonder what we will find to write about, but there are many benefits, including providing: a record of our progress, which we can look back on useful material to draw on when writing self-awareness assignments practice in naming feelings - not just the 'primary colours' of the main emotions (anger, sadness, happiness etc.) but all their 'subtle shades', so enhancing your ability to use a wide range of emotion words in client work an opportunity to identify 'edge-of-awareness' issues to explore further, including in personal counselling. The idea of starting a journal may seem daunting, especially for people who may not be naturally keen on writing, e.g. people with dyslexia. Ken and Rory offer tips on overcoming this reticence: Just make a start, writing about whatever comes to mind - it probably seems harder in prospect than when you get going. Try to set aside some quiet time each day to write in your journal. Don't worry about neatness or spelling - after all, it's only you who has to read it! If you really can't face writing, try audio-recording your thoughts and feelings instead. Hearing the tone of what you're saying can even help to reveal your emotions. Bowlby and Attachment Theory John Bowlby's attachment theory portrays a universal truth - common to all modalities - that the experiences of childhood feed into the people we become. Attachment theory came into its own in the 1950s, with the most recent breakthrough happening as recently as the late 1980s, when Mary Main, together with Judith Solomon, introduced a new infant-attachment classification: 'disorganized/disoriented'. Born in London in 1907 - the fourth of six children of physician Sir Antony Alfred Bowlby and Mary Bridget Mostyn - John Bowlby was brought up by a nanny and nursemaids, seeing his mother only once a day. When he was ten years old, he was sent away to boarding school. It may be these personal experiences that led him to develop an interest in developmental psychology. Having qualified as both a doctor and a psychoanalyst, Bowlby took on the role of Deputy Director of the Tavistock Clinic, London (supporting children with emotional and behavioural difficulties), at the end of the Second World War. In 1949, he was commissioned by the World Health Organization to write a report on refugee children separated from their parents. Entitled Maternal Care and Mental Health, this led to widespread changes in how children in institutionalised care were looked after. Bowlby was later joined by researcher Mary Ainsworth, who developed his ideas in an experiment called 'the strange situation'. Watching through a one-way mirror, researchers observed the reactions of children in a play room. Having entered the room with their mother, a stranger (one of the researchers) would then enter and the mother would leave (distressing the child). When the mother returned and the stranger left, the way that the child reacted indicated their attachment style. Rory summarises Bowlby's ideas as follows: Children between the ages of six and 30 months are very likely to form emotional attachments to their care-givers. These attachments can be shown in how the children behave towards those who care for them. Children seek to be close to their care-givers, especially in times of distress or when they wish to explore the environment. Attachment is an important aspect of psychological health, in particular the ability to form and sustain close relationships. Attachment theory can help us understand why some clients have difficulties in relationships, and can help them untangle themselves from a difficult past to engage in a more positive and emotionally fulfilling future. Rory has provided a free download of an attachment style questionnaire, an exercise designed to stimulate self-reflection and discussion among students. To find out more about attachment theory, watch Rory's three detailed lectures on attachment theory in the Counselling Study Resource. Posture in Counselling Gerard Egan developed the acronym 'SOLER' to suggest the best posture in counselling: Sit straight. Open posture. Learn towards the client. Eye contact. Relax This is a good starting point, but it is important to true to yourself, developing your own style, and to take account of cultural differences, e.g. in eye contact. Watch what your clients do, and take your lead from them.

026 – Using Social Media as a Counsellor – The Oedipus Complex – Paid Media – Personal Development Groups Nov 26, 2016

Show notes

In episode 26 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly discuss your personal use of social media as a counsellor. 'Theory with Rory' examines the Oedipus complex, and the final episode of 'Person-Centred Business' looks at paid media (advertising). Last, the presenters discuss personal development (PD) groups. Using Social Media as a Counsellor Ken and Rory discuss how careful we must be as counsellors about what and how much we show of ourselves on social media, e.g. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Whatever we write there may be recorded for ever - even if you subsequently delete a post, it could already have been captured as a screenshot. Nowadays, potential employers often look at job applicants' social media profiles as part of assessing their suitability, as do potential clients seeking a private-practice therapist. Counselling is a profession, and we are expected to behave in a professional manner, reflecting the good standing of the role. The Oedipus Complex This is a key part of Sigmund Freud's ideas on child development. He first set out this concept in his book The Interpretation of Dreams. It is based on the Greek myth of Oedipus, told in a trilogy of plays by Sophocles. Tragic hero Oedipus was said to have accidentally killed his father and married his mother, so bringing disaster to his city and family. According to Freud, boys aged three to five years develop a sexual desire for their mothers and see their fathers as rivals for the mothers' attention. Freud terms this the phallic stage, and believes it is important in developing sexual identity. These days, the Oedipus conflict may seem uncomfortable and confusing to us, but we may nonetheless be able to spot some elements of truth in it. For example, we might hear a young boy say, "I'm going to marry Mummy when I grow up." And many youngsters like to sleep between their parents in bed, so literally coming between them. In another example, some adult women may feel they are expected to mother their male partners. It is important to remember that Freud lived in very different times, when gender roles were rigidly enforced. Nowadays, mother figures are not always female, and father figures are not always male. In fact, Carl Jung, who worked with Freud, claimed that there is a similar relationship between young girls and their fathers; he called this the Electra complex. Paid Media Podcasts 24 and 25 described how to build a website. To drive traffic to your website, it can be useful to use paid media (i.e. any online advertising that you pay for to bring in enquiries). Common examples of this include: Facebook adverts - these target people of certain profiles, also using their browsing history. Ken feels this type of advertising can be quite invasive, as other people might see the person's profile and so find out that the person has been looking for counselling. Google AdWords (pay-per-click adverts) - if you do a Google search, the first few results that appear will be paid-for adverts (shown by 'Ad' appearing to the left of the website address in the search-results list). If you advertise using Google AdWords, you specify the relevant keywords, and then you are charged each time someone clicks on your listing. Entries in counselling directories - you tend to pay a yearly fee to appear in these. Ken provides the following top tips on using paid media: As you'll have a limited number of words to promote your service, hone your elevator pitch. Be specific in the geographical area you target (thinking of how far people might reasonably be willing to travel to get to you) - this is particularly important in Google AdWords, where you might otherwise be paying for clicks by people who are too far away to use your service. Make sure the 'landing page' on your website (i.e. the page where the link you provide goes to - you can choose which page this is) is an effective one - see podcast 24. Monitor your return on investment (ROI) - that is, whether what you have paid for advertising is effective. For example, if you pay £10 to advertise, how much money comes in as a result of people responding to this advert? ROI can be checked using Google Analytics, but this is quite technically complicated. Instead, it is easier simply to ask people who make enquiries: 'How did you find me?' Personal Development Groups PD groups (sometimes known as 'process groups') are a core part of counselling training, complementing the input on theory and skills by providing a safe space for developing self-awareness. There, you can look at changes you're going through, find the courage to explore them, and get others' views. PD groups can vary greatly from meeting to meeting, depending on the members present and what is being discussed. They can be very challenging, but also very enriching. They offer an opportunity both to increase self-awareness and to practise empathic listening.

025 – Introjected Values – Gerard Egan – Building a Website 2 – Gender in Counselling Nov 19, 2016

Show notes

In episode 25 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly discuss introjected values. 'Theory with Rory' looks at Gerard Egan's model of counselling, and 'Person-Centred Business' suggests what pages and content you will need on your website. Finally, the presenters discuss gender in counselling. Introjected Values Ken and Rory discuss the difference between introjected values and conditions of worth, illustrating each with real-life examples. The concept of introjects comes from Carl Rogers' person-centred theory; Rogers believed that introjects get in the way of people being their true (organismic) selves, causing them to adopt others' values as their own truths. Challenging the introject of how women 'should' look (as implied by, say, magazine covers), Rory recommends The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf. A common condition of worth, meanwhile, is: 'Big boys don't cry.' Gerard Egan Currently Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Organisation Development at the Loyola University of Chicago, Gerard Egan wrote The Skilled Helper - one of the most widely read books on counselling and communication skills - in 1975. Egan's integrative model draws from the work of Carl Rogers and Robert Carkhuff (co-creator with Charles Truax of the Empathy Scale, available as a free download in Counselling Tutor Podcast episode 8). Egan developed a non-coercive way of helping people reach their own goals, based on three questions/stages: What is going on (i.e. the current scenario)? This stage subdivides into the story, blind spots and leverage. What do I want instead (i.e. the preferred scenario)? Here, the helper and client look at possibilities, the change agenda and commitment. How might I get to what I want (i.e. action strategies)? The process concludes by examining possible strategies, identifying the best fit and making a plan. Rory identifies the counselling skills that are needed at each stage. For example, in stage 1, the counsellor needs to use silence to listen to the story; reflection and paraphrasing to identify blind spots; and focusing to create leverage. Questioning is important at stage 2, which includes supporting clients to create objectives that are SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound. Egan believed strongly that first impressions are lasting impressions, and so that establishing a sound therapeutic relationship from the start was vital to success. Key to ensuring that the client developed this trust in the counsellor was the concept of SOLER: sitting squarely, open posture, leaning forward and looking interested, eye contact, and relaxing. Egan's model is quite directive, and so in some ways fits better with cognitive behavioural therapy, transactional analysis and motivational interviewing (a technique used by health professionals) than with the person-centred approach. Nonetheless, there are many connections and common features with Rogers' work. Rory asserts that much person-centred counselling training these days has integrative elements. Indeed, Egan's model - though not as widely recognized as some other psychologists' work - could be said to form the basis of much modern counselling. Building a Website 2 Following on from last week's podcast on whether to design your own website or commission a professional to do so, Ken explores the pages and content you need. You will be able to use much of the material already discussed in 'Person-Centred Business' - for example, the elevator pitch (in which you define your offer), explained in podcast 21, is ideal to use at the start of your home page. The home page is the 'front door' of your website: do include a recent photo of yourself, and try to put yourself in the shoes of visitors (who may be feeling very vulnerable). In addition to the home page, Ken recommends including: an 'About' page - describing how your skills and experience enable you to help clients contact details - how they can get hold of you (including different methods, and considering issues of confidentiality) fee information - for transparency other useful information - on your style, philosophy, what counselling is, where it takes place, challenging the idea that those who come to counselling are weak etc. Gender in Counselling Traditionally, our culture thinks of gender as binary - i.e. you are either male or female. But there is a move towards seeing gender as based on phenomenology (subjective experience) rather than taxonomy (categorisation). As a counsellor, it is important not to make assumptions about what gender means to a client, but to see this from the client's own frame of reference. The 'person of tomorrow' (to use a phrase of Carl Rogers') may be free to choose where they fit on the gender continuum, rather than having this prescribed for them.

024 – Choosing Your Modality – Irrational Thoughts – Building a Website 1 – Dealing with Personal Triggers Nov 12, 2016

Show notes

In episode 24 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly discuss how to choose the modality you will practise. 'Theory with Rory' looks at irrational thoughts, and 'Person-Centred Business' explains how to build a website. Last, the presenters suggest how to deal with personal triggers as a counsellor. Choosing Your Modality In choosing which counselling modality to practise, it is very much a case of 'horses for courses' - the presenters use the analogy of different styles of music, played by different instruments. In his book To Lead an Honorable Life, John Shlien (a student, colleague and friend of Carl Rogers) comments that 'all theory is autobiographical'. In other words, the theory and modality you chose must be meaningful to you and fit with your personal philosophy. Different modalities are right for different clients and presenting issues. Whichever modality you choose, the therapeutic relationship is key, as is thorough training. Irrational Thoughts Rory sets the scene for the theory slot by referring to M Scott Peck's book The Road Less Travelled. The underlying philosophy here is stoicism: an acceptance that life is neither fair nor easy, and that self-control and mental toughness are needed to overcome irrationality. Epictetus, a first-century stoic philosopher, said: 'What really frightens and dismays us is not external events themselves, but the way in which we think about them. It is not things that disturb us, but our interpretation of their significance.' Humans have a tendency to think irrationally when they are feeling emotional. Rory goes through the 11 irrational beliefs put forward by Albert Ellis, the American psychologist who developed rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT): It is a dire necessity for adult humans to be loved or approved by virtually every significant other person in their community. One absolutely must be competent, adequate and achieving in all important respects or else one is an inadequate, worthless person. People absolutely must act considerately and fairly and they are damnable villains if they do not. They are their bad acts. It is awful and terrible when things are not the way one would very much like them to be. Emotional disturbance is mainly externally caused and people have little or no ability to increase or decrease their dysfunctional feelings and behaviours. If something is or may be dangerous or fearsome, then one should be constantly and excessively concerned about it and should keep dwelling on the possibility of it occurring. One cannot and must not face life's responsibilities and difficulties and it is easier to avoid them. One must be quite dependent on others and need them and you cannot mainly run one's own life. One's past history is an all-important determiner of one's present behaviour and because something once strongly affected one's life, it should indefinitely have a similar effect. Other people's disturbances are horrible and one must feel upset about them. There is invariably a right, precise and perfect solution to human problems and it is awful if this perfect solution is not found. Rory goes on to discuss intrusive thoughts; these are experienced by around one in four people. He gives an example based on driving on the motorway, and thinking about the possibility of purposely crashing. It is important to remember that thinking and acting on that thought are two very different things, and that such thoughts are part of being human and are 'normal' (whatever that might mean). Building a Website 1 In the first of a number of pieces on building a website to promote your counselling business, Ken asks whether you need a website. He believes you do - it is a great place for potential clients to find out about you, what your offer, and your style. He goes on to discuss whether to build the website yourself or to pay a professional to do so. There are various low-cost or even free options if you wish to build your site yourself, for example Weebly and Wix. Hosting companies also provide DIY templates - for example, 1&1, 123 Reg, GoDaddy and Hostgator. However, the software on all these is limited in ways that may not be immediately obvious. Ken recommends WordPress, which is free. WordPress.com again offers a template-based approach, while WordPress.org allows you to download the WordPress software to your domain provider. Another option is to ask a professional to construct your site. Many web designers will do so for a very reasonable price these days. Dealing with Personal Triggers To be able to deal with personal triggers in the counselling room, we must understand our own process, and so be able to spot and avoid parallel process. Personal development is key, and is continual even for experienced therapists. This may take place through personal counselling, supervision, and professional discussion and personal-development group at your learning provider. Sometimes, it may be necessary to take a break from counselling if you are dealing with a tough personal situation (e.g. bereavement or divorce). Not facing up to your own process risks damaging both you and your clients.

023 – Lone Working – Stereotypes – Creating a Brochure – Referencing Nov 05, 2016

Show notes

In episode 23 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly discuss lone working. 'Theory with Rory' looks at stereotyping, and 'Person-Centred Business' explains how to create a brochure about your services. Finally, the presenters describe how to get the referencing right in your assignments. Lone Working If your counselling work involves you visiting clients in their homes, or seeing clients alone at your home, it is important to consider how best to ensure you stay safe. Rory and Ken give some top tips on this: Plan ahead for every eventuality. If working for an agency, make sure you are aware of its lone-working policy. Develop a system so that if you fail to return from an appointment, someone can find out where you were going. Always carry a mobile phone, but do not over-rely on it - in an emergency, it would not necessarily be straightforward to use it, and trying to do so may even distract you from what is going on around you. The Suzy Lamplugh Trust offers excellent advice and resources to help keep lone workers safe. Stereotypes Our experience of past events can influence how we view future interactions (so acting as a type of defence mechanism), but we do not always need direct experience in order to stereotype. For example, we can be heavily influenced by the media and by authority (e.g., government). The term 'stereotype' was coined in the 1920s by Walter Lippman, in his book Public Opinion. Charles Ramirez Berg, Professor of Media Studies at the University of Texas, described aspects of stereotyping in his book Latino Images in Film: Stereotypes, Subversion, and Resistance. Rory describes seven of these aspects: Stereotypes are applied with rigid logic. Stereotypes may have a basis in fact - termed the 'kernel of truth' by psychologist Joshua Fishman. Stereotypes are believed - with psychologist Gordon Allport theorising that attitude to a group is usually bonded to a belief about the group. Stereotypes are simplified generalisations - the complete opposite to what counselling and psychotherapy are all about. Stereotypes can be ideological - created by power and authority to achieve dominance of their ideas. The in-group stereotypes itself - meaning that clients who are members of such groups may struggle to see themselves as individuals. The antidote to stereotyping is knowledge - meaning we must educate ourselves (through our own research - not by asking clients) if we are to provide the best service to our clients. Rory uses examples to illustrate how these aspects of stereotyping relate to the world of counselling and psychotherapy, including a story of what can happen if a counsellor relies on stereotypes as the basis of offering supportive services to individuals. Creating a Brochure In podcast 22, Ken looked at providing a free introductory meeting with a potential new client. At this, it is useful to give them some written materials, e.g. a copy of your contract and a brochure. You can also display brochures in public places (e.g. health centres and libraries) for people to pick up. Here, Ken looks at the content, structure and low-cost printing of your brochure. He advises using an A4 tri-fold format (i.e. A4 folded into three). This size fits standard brochure stands. It gives six long thin panels on which to display your information: front panel back panel introductory panel (the panel you see when you open the front panel) the three inside panels (which together form one A4 landscape sheet). Ken describes the content he would suggest including on each panel, and provides hints on how you can design and print brochures at home using templates from Microsoft and LayoutReady. Referencing To pass your assignments, it is important to reference all your sources accurately. If you are not used to referencing, it can feel like trying to crack a secret code; here, Ken and Rory take the pain out of this process. The key requirement is that the person reading your work must be able to access any source you have drawn from (for quotes or particular ideas). There are different systems of referencing, so make sure you follow the one that your course provider requires. One of the most widely used is the Harvard system. Rory refers to some online resources that make Harvard referencing much easier: reference generators from Queen's University Belfast and the University of Sunderland, and a barcode scanner. Another good source of support is Rory's guide Getting Your Assignment in Order, available on the Counselling Study Resource (CSR).

022 – Client Notes and Confidentiality – Actualising Tendency – Offering a Free First Meeting – Research in Practice Oct 22, 2016

Show notes

In episode 22 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly talk about client confidentiality and its many grey areas. 'Theory with Rory' looks at the actualising tendency, and 'Person-Centred Business' considers offering a free initial meeting in private practice. The presenters conclude the podcast by discussing the importance of research in practice. Client Notes and Confidentiality Counselling notes can be accessed by: the client themselves (under the GDPR or the General Data Protection Regulations 2018) the coroner (if the client has died) the police (if the client gives you their written permission, or otherwise by court order) It may be unclear exactly whether the term 'notes' refers simply to the clinical notes (where the factual themes are recorded briefly in writing) or also to the counsellor's process notes (which by nature may include conjecture). Counsellors working in the NHS should be aware that if a client dies, the executor of their will or a relative can request the health records to be released. Podcast 11 looked in detail at note-taking. Particular issues to bear in mind in terms of client confidentiality - and so to cover in contracting - are: what the limits of confidentiality are who can access which notes for how long notes are retained agency policies on disclosure, and on sharing notes with other bodies where there is inter-agency working The Actualising Tendency The concept of the actualising tendency is commonly associated with Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers, but in fact it was first introduced by Kurt Goldstein, a German neurologist and psychiatrist, in 1934 in a book entitled The Organism. However, the idea did not gain traction until 1943, when Maslow's paper 'A Theory of Human Motivation' was published in Psychological Review. This formed the basis of the model that would later become known as 'Maslow's hierarchy of needs'. Many people assume that all humanistic psychologists think the same, but in fact there were differences between Goldstein's, Maslow's and Rogers' views of the actualising tendency. Goldstein first put forward the concept as a theory of motivation, whereas Maslow related it to the human desire to be the best that you can be. Maslow also asserted that certain conditions needed to be fulfilled - that is, meeting physiological, safety, relationship and esteem needs - in order to self-actualise. Maslow believed that only 1% of people reach self-actualisation. In 1959, Rogers outlined his own ideas on the actualising tendency in a book chapter, 'A Theory of Therapy, Personality and Interpersonal Relationships'. While he shared Maslow's values relating to the intrinsic goodness of human nature, and the innate capacity of individuals for personal growth, he disagreed that the actualising tendency was self-driven and automatic. Instead, Rogers argued that people need the right emotional environment in order to grow emotionally; in particular, we must receive empathy, genuineness and acceptance. Rogers wrote about this too in his final book, A Way of Being, in 1980, seven years before his death. He illustrates this with the story of potato plants kept in unfavourable conditions, which nonetheless demonstrated a tendency to try their best to grow. Rory provides a quotation relating to this, available in the handout that you can get below. Just like potato plants, we humans have an innate drive to be the very best we can be, given the circumstances in which we find ourselves. Offering a Free First Meeting Following a potential client's initial enquiry, counsellors in private practice may wish to offer an initial session free of charge. Ken discusses the benefits to both parties of doing this, and the issues that you need to bear in mind in order to act ethically and respectfully in this situation. Ken has found that over 90% of people who come for a free first meeting do continue to paid counselling. Research in Practice Rory likens research to a wedge of cheese, with the thick end being the substantial research that takes place in the higher-education environment, and the thin end representing the continuing professional development that we must all commit to doing. The Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, 2016, p. 13) states: 'We value research and systematic inquiry by practitioners as enhancing our professional knowledge and providing an evidence-base for practice in ways that benefit our clients.' In the UK, all qualified counsellors have completed a research project as part of their training. It is vital that we research any unfamiliar issues relating to our clients, e.g. through reading and the internet.

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