Counselling Principles
1. Principle of Acceptance: Accept the client with his physical, Accept the client with his physical, psychological, social, economical and cultural psychological, social, economical and cultural conditions.
2. Principle of Individualisation: At the foundation of mental health practice is a belief in the uniqueness of the individual and his or her intrinsic value. Each individual's nature is capable of integrating and directing its own forces in a manner distinct from that of any other individual's nature. The therapist regards each client's problem as unique and works with the client to find the most satisfactory way for him or her to deal with his or her personal problem circumstance. This principle reminds the therapist that when interacting with the client, he or she is not dealing with an inanimate object or a lower entity.
3. Principle of Communication: Communication between the therapist and the client is critical in counselling. Communication can be either verbal (spoken or written) or nonverbal (using gestures, signs, or actions to convey a message). The majority of human-relations issues originate as a result of inadequate communication. A message is sent by the sender and received by the receiver in communication. True communication occurs when the meanings of the phrases and other symbols used and acted upon by the sender and receiver are shared and have the same meanings. The communication is fluid if the sender's message is appropriately or correctly understood by the receiver.
4. Principle of Confidentiality: This principle serves as a solid foundation for the appropriate application of mental health intervention. It contributes to the development of a therapist and client relationship. This can range from simple factual information to highly confidential information. A person may be unwilling to discuss specific facts about his or her personal life with anyone unless the person with whom the information is given is trustworthy. He/she must be confident that the counsellor will not use it to cause discomfort, ridicule, or damage to his/her reputation. It is impossible to aid a client in counselling unless the client provides all of the information required by the counsellor. For this to occur, the client must have complete trust in the process that the information given to the counsellor would be kept confidential and used exclusively for the purposes specified.
5. Principle of Self-determination: The client's right to self-determination is emphasised by this idea. Every individual has the right to determine what is best for him or her and to choose the methods by which to achieve it. In other words, it emphasises that the counsellor should not force decisions or solutions on the client merely because he or she has sought assistance from him or her. Without a doubt, the client has gone to mental health support because he or she has been unable to manage the situation on their own. Therefore, the counsellor should promote and include the client in making excellent and acceptable judgments by supporting and guiding him or her in developing right insights about his or her social environment. The client is thus assisted not only in realising his or her potential, but also in feeling independent and like a person of worth and dignity.
6. Principle of Non-judgmental Attitude: The non-judgmental attitude principle assumes that the counsellor should enter the professional interaction without prejudice. That is, he or she should not develop any judgments on the client, whether positive or negative, worthy or undeserving. He or she must treat the client as though he or she has come to him or her for assistance, and he or she must be willing to assist the client without being swayed by others' judgments about the client or his or her predicament. This allows the counsellor to establish a solid professional relationship because both the counsellor and the client are free to express their comprehension of each other. It should be stressed, however, that a non-judgmental attitude does not exclude making professional judgments regarding the problem scenario and the various solutions being evaluated.
7. Principle of Controlled Emotional Involvement: The notion of regulated emotional engagement protects counsellors from becoming too emotionally invested in their clients' problems or becoming too objective. In the first example, the counsellor may over-identify with the client because they see many parallels between the client's problem situation and other life situations or with the client's personality. This could jeopardize the professional relationship as well as judgments regarding the client's issue. The therapist may become to sympathize with the client by overindulging in the client's life, which may infringe on the client's right to self-determination and independence.
2. Principle of Individualisation: At the foundation of mental health practice is a belief in the uniqueness of the individual and his or her intrinsic value. Each individual's nature is capable of integrating and directing its own forces in a manner distinct from that of any other individual's nature. The therapist regards each client's problem as unique and works with the client to find the most satisfactory way for him or her to deal with his or her personal problem circumstance. This principle reminds the therapist that when interacting with the client, he or she is not dealing with an inanimate object or a lower entity.
3. Principle of Communication: Communication between the therapist and the client is critical in counselling. Communication can be either verbal (spoken or written) or nonverbal (using gestures, signs, or actions to convey a message). The majority of human-relations issues originate as a result of inadequate communication. A message is sent by the sender and received by the receiver in communication. True communication occurs when the meanings of the phrases and other symbols used and acted upon by the sender and receiver are shared and have the same meanings. The communication is fluid if the sender's message is appropriately or correctly understood by the receiver.
4. Principle of Confidentiality: This principle serves as a solid foundation for the appropriate application of mental health intervention. It contributes to the development of a therapist and client relationship. This can range from simple factual information to highly confidential information. A person may be unwilling to discuss specific facts about his or her personal life with anyone unless the person with whom the information is given is trustworthy. He/she must be confident that the counsellor will not use it to cause discomfort, ridicule, or damage to his/her reputation. It is impossible to aid a client in counselling unless the client provides all of the information required by the counsellor. For this to occur, the client must have complete trust in the process that the information given to the counsellor would be kept confidential and used exclusively for the purposes specified.
5. Principle of Self-determination: The client's right to self-determination is emphasised by this idea. Every individual has the right to determine what is best for him or her and to choose the methods by which to achieve it. In other words, it emphasises that the counsellor should not force decisions or solutions on the client merely because he or she has sought assistance from him or her. Without a doubt, the client has gone to mental health support because he or she has been unable to manage the situation on their own. Therefore, the counsellor should promote and include the client in making excellent and acceptable judgments by supporting and guiding him or her in developing right insights about his or her social environment. The client is thus assisted not only in realising his or her potential, but also in feeling independent and like a person of worth and dignity.
6. Principle of Non-judgmental Attitude: The non-judgmental attitude principle assumes that the counsellor should enter the professional interaction without prejudice. That is, he or she should not develop any judgments on the client, whether positive or negative, worthy or undeserving. He or she must treat the client as though he or she has come to him or her for assistance, and he or she must be willing to assist the client without being swayed by others' judgments about the client or his or her predicament. This allows the counsellor to establish a solid professional relationship because both the counsellor and the client are free to express their comprehension of each other. It should be stressed, however, that a non-judgmental attitude does not exclude making professional judgments regarding the problem scenario and the various solutions being evaluated.
7. Principle of Controlled Emotional Involvement: The notion of regulated emotional engagement protects counsellors from becoming too emotionally invested in their clients' problems or becoming too objective. In the first example, the counsellor may over-identify with the client because they see many parallels between the client's problem situation and other life situations or with the client's personality. This could jeopardize the professional relationship as well as judgments regarding the client's issue. The therapist may become to sympathize with the client by overindulging in the client's life, which may infringe on the client's right to self-determination and independence.
Counselling Skills
Listening/Observing: Listening is one of the most valuable counselling skills in the therapeutic relationship. It can be used in three ways:
• Attending: Attending is the ability to be mentally present and be on time for the client. It means giving them your undivided attention and making appropriate eye contact, mirroring body language, and nodding. These attending behaviours show your client that you care and is better know is climate setting. This is not limited to in person contact but also essential in online counselling.
• Active listening: Active listening occurs when you are listening with all of your senses- with your body, heart, ears, eyes, and mouth.
• Verbal listening: This is a form of showing you are listening through the words that you use. These verbal cues are used to show attention and to encourage more elaboration from the client . This can be as simple as ‘yes’, or ‘go on’. It can also be in the form of paraphrasing or repeating a word of emotion that the client has just said.
Asking Questions: Questions are helpful in the therapeutic environment because they allow you to learn more about your client. The type of questions that you ask will set the tone of the session and the entire counselling process. Questions occur in two forms.
• Closed: A closed question is the practice of asking a question that can be answered as a ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Closed questions should generally be avoided in the counselling relationship, as they do not encourage deeper elaboration.
• Open: An open question is necessary to gather information. An open question is one that cannot be answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ and it requires reflection or exploration on the client’s end. Every open question should be intentional and therapeutic.
Reflection: Reflections are used in the counselling process to accurately describe the client’s mental state from their verbal or nonverbal cues.
• Feeling’s reflections: Reflections allow clients to hear the feelings they have just expressed. Sometimes you must look for the descriptive feeling in a client’s statement. It can also be helpful to look at a client’s nonverbal feeling cues.
• Restating/Rephrasing: Restating and rephrasing can build a stronger client therapist relationship. Rephrasing a client’s statement allows you to better understand what a client has just said and to gain further clarity if you have gotten it wrong.
• Affirmation: Affirmation is a form of encouragement that is used to affirm behaviours or life choices. A few common affirmations include affirming progress that a client has made toward a goal or encouraging a client to do what is important to them.
Empathy: Empathy is the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. It is much more than sympathy in that you can show your understanding of your clients feeling surrounding an experience.
Genuineness: Begin genuine is creating congruence between yourself and your words. Every therapist is different and will provide a different therapeutic process. It is important to remain genuine in all counselling techniques and verbal and nonverbal cues.
• Attending: Attending is the ability to be mentally present and be on time for the client. It means giving them your undivided attention and making appropriate eye contact, mirroring body language, and nodding. These attending behaviours show your client that you care and is better know is climate setting. This is not limited to in person contact but also essential in online counselling.
• Active listening: Active listening occurs when you are listening with all of your senses- with your body, heart, ears, eyes, and mouth.
• Verbal listening: This is a form of showing you are listening through the words that you use. These verbal cues are used to show attention and to encourage more elaboration from the client . This can be as simple as ‘yes’, or ‘go on’. It can also be in the form of paraphrasing or repeating a word of emotion that the client has just said.
Asking Questions: Questions are helpful in the therapeutic environment because they allow you to learn more about your client. The type of questions that you ask will set the tone of the session and the entire counselling process. Questions occur in two forms.
• Closed: A closed question is the practice of asking a question that can be answered as a ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Closed questions should generally be avoided in the counselling relationship, as they do not encourage deeper elaboration.
• Open: An open question is necessary to gather information. An open question is one that cannot be answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ and it requires reflection or exploration on the client’s end. Every open question should be intentional and therapeutic.
Reflection: Reflections are used in the counselling process to accurately describe the client’s mental state from their verbal or nonverbal cues.
• Feeling’s reflections: Reflections allow clients to hear the feelings they have just expressed. Sometimes you must look for the descriptive feeling in a client’s statement. It can also be helpful to look at a client’s nonverbal feeling cues.
• Restating/Rephrasing: Restating and rephrasing can build a stronger client therapist relationship. Rephrasing a client’s statement allows you to better understand what a client has just said and to gain further clarity if you have gotten it wrong.
• Affirmation: Affirmation is a form of encouragement that is used to affirm behaviours or life choices. A few common affirmations include affirming progress that a client has made toward a goal or encouraging a client to do what is important to them.
Empathy: Empathy is the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. It is much more than sympathy in that you can show your understanding of your clients feeling surrounding an experience.
Genuineness: Begin genuine is creating congruence between yourself and your words. Every therapist is different and will provide a different therapeutic process. It is important to remain genuine in all counselling techniques and verbal and nonverbal cues.