The ethical application of micro skills with clients in the counselling process. The use of ethical principles and micro skills guide how a counsellor should be equipped with necessary adeptness whilst conducting a counselling session. Together with ethics and the use of micro skills, counsellors can ensure the best practice and safety for their clientele. As we have become an increasingly diverse society, it is very likely for counsellors to encounter clients who are from various cultural backgrounds, races and ethnicities.
‘It is very important that all counsellors are culturally sensitive and inclusive within their practice.’ (Thomas & Weinrach, 2002) For this assessment I have interviewed Dr Dawood Issa with the questions regarding the use of micro skills in the counselling process and their openness towards their client’s unique worldview. In the following critical outline, I have synthesized both Dr Issa’s responses and my own personal research findings.
Client confidentiality is important to maintain a counselling relationship that ensures that the client feels safe in sharing personal information.
Counsellors are ethically prohibited from disclosing information that is shared within the client-counsellor relationship , unless the counsellor has to make a mandatory report in regards to information that has been disclosed by the client that will put the client or someone else at risk of harm or ‘when a counsellor is required to confer with a colleague to gain helpful insight, it is mandatory to gain client consent and clarify the process of which is taken to ensure client confidentiality, so the client is aware and contented with the process.
‘(Dr Issa.D.2020). Ensuring autonomy encourages clients feel competent in their freedom to be self-determining and understand it is ‘their right to make their own informed decisions’ (Dr Issa.D.2020) whilst respecting their personal views, morals and cultural beliefs. Giving a client freedom to autonomy can assist in aiding the client to facilitate growth and change.
Non maleficence as an ethical principle that means doing no harm, in any instance in which you avoid doing something because doing so would have caused harm to the client. Non maleficence is also important to remember when assessing ‘any risks of harm that occurs during the process of acts that are of benefit.’ (Dr Issa.D.2020). Non maleficence combined with beneficence ensures that the counsellor will act for the client’s benefit, helping them whilst being culturally inclusive, to further their interests and often by removing or averting possible harms. ‘Counselling Micro skills are a specific set of skills a counsellor can use to strengthen their communication with clients.’ (APIC, 2009) These skills enable a counsellor to successfully build a working partnership and engage clients in dialogue that is both beneficial and purposeful. Micro skills include attending behaviours, minimal encouragers, paraphrasing, summarizing, reflecting feelings, open and closed questions.
Attending behaviours are culturally and individually appropriate skills which include any behaviour engaged in while actively listening. Presenting with an open posture, using an intrigued and empathic facial expression and maintaining eye contact are all crucial attending behaviours to be used in conjunction with cultural awareness and sensitivity. ‘using the right attending behaviours, being mindful of your tone of voice and expressing empathy’ (Dr Issa D, 2020) are key to building a trusting rapport with clientele.
Minimal encouragers. From positive facial expressions and head nods to ‘uh-huhs’, these brief encouraging statements signal understanding and recognition. Minimal encouragers are mostly verbal responses that have the purpose of encouraging the client to keep talking. Minimal encouragers show interest and involvement from the counsellor. It is crucial to be culturally aware in doing so, as to not intentionally disrespect a client in their belief system. Paraphrasing is the skill in which ‘a counsellor repeats back their understanding of the content that has been disclosed by the client, using their own words.’ (Dr Issa. D, 2020). Summarizing is very similar to paraphrasing but with emphasis on main points, again this is done in their own words.
Reflection of feeling is allowing the client to know that you have not only heard what has been said, but also the emotions that the client is encountering when disclosing their story to you. ‘Open questioning is used in order to gather lots of information, you ask an open question with the intent of getting a long answer. A closed question is one used to gather specific information.’ (Borck & Fawcett, 1982) In conclusion of this critical outline, I have synthesized both Dr Issa’s responses and my own personal research findings in regard to counsellors ensuring the best ethical practice and safety for their clientele whilst being receptive to their individual unique worldview and cultural diversity.
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