Comparison of Client and Counsellor Satisfaction with Treatment Duration

Abstract

After termination of personal counselling at a large urban Canadian university, 72 subjects and their counsellors were asked to rate their satisfaction. The subjects were asked to rate to what extent the counselling had helped with the presenting problem, and with other secondary problems, and to rate their degree of overall satisfaction. Statistical analyses conducted to investigate the relationship among number of sessions attended and client and counsellor satisfaction, led to these results: clients who attended a brief number of sessions (1-3) reported no significant difference in satisfaction with the counselling compared to those who attended more sessions; and the majority of clients who had only one session were satisfied with their counselling; counsellors, however, were less satisfied overall with the briefer counselling process, and the author suggests that they were biased against it. The author recommends more research on this critical topic of counsellor expectations toward briefer treatment.     

“What do I Share?” Personal and Private Experiences in Educational Psychological Counselling

ABSTRACT

The aim of the study is to explore and develop knowledge about how educational psychological counsellors’ personal and private experiences appear in their counselling practice. We conducted four focus group interviews with twelve counsellors from Educational Psychological Counselling Service. Through Thematic Analysis four themes emerged. The first is that counsellors’ personal and private experiences functioned as a backdrop for their counselling practice. The second theme is the counsellors’ use of different types of stories. The third theme deals with how the counsellors were holding back relevant stories. Finally, the fourth theme comprises the purposes of counsellors’ self-disclosure. The conclusion is that personal experiences form a backdrop for counselling practice and are relevant for how a counsellor makes sense of and understands a situation or a problem. Self-disclosure is in some situations used explicitly in the counselling setting. On the other side the counsellors sometimes consciously hold their experiences back.     

Intra-familial communication about contraception: A survey of black South African freshmen

Conclusion At the university serving as a site for this study, there is approximately one counsellor per 3,000 students with the counsellors performing a variety of roles. An intervention strategy that contextualises the contraceptive problems of students systemically and harnesses the resources of the whole university, not only those of the counselling centre, will be necessary as there are too few counsellors to assist students individually. A systemic model that includes peer helping, research, policy setting and empowerment of students through their involvement in setting agendas on sexuality for the university, may begin to address the problems of sexuality on campus.     

Personal therapy: An essential aspect of counsellor training,or a distraction from focussing on the client?

As part of a research project investigating therapist/counsellor orientation and the therapeutic alliance with anorexic or bulimic clients, data was collected not only on therapist orientation but also on training, supervision and personal therapy of the counsellors. While no significant correlation was found between length of training or supervision and the therapeutic alliance score, there was a significant negative correlation between the amount of personal therapy the counsellors had had and the measure of the therapeutic alliance achieved with their clients. Further investigation produced other studies on personal therapy and effectiveness of counselling, in which at best no positive correlation was found between personal therapy and outcome, and at worst, personal therapy was negatively correlated with outcome.These research findings challenge the assumption often made that personal therapy is a desirable if not essential aspect of counsellor training. The arguments for and against personal therapy being included in the training of counsellors are discussed.     

The twenty-first century counsellor: An emerging role in changing times

A significant number of personal, social, cultural, and economic forces are encountering each other in our global environment. In order to maintain professional responses which reflect changing times, counsellors and counsellor education programs must attend to international, sociopolitical trends in an interdisciplinary context. In this article, the authors identify trends and recommendations relevant to the future of counselling.     

Counsellor ethnic differences and perceived counselling effectiveness

The purpose of the present study was to examine how counsellor race influences client evaluation of counselling effectiveness. It was predicted that ethnic minority counsellors would be perceived less favorably than the Caucasian counsellor. Three groups of secondary school students viewed a 10-minute videotaped stimulus interview, with different introductions for the stimulus counsellor's race (Caucasian, Native Indian, and East Indian). The dependent measure, perceived counselling effectiveness, was obtained and compared among counsellor races by analysis of variance. The results showed that the ethnic minority counsellors were perceived more favorably than the Caucasian counsellor. No differential effect was found in client perception of non-verbal behaviors. Implications of the findings are discussed.     

The locus of evaluation: becoming a professional counsellor

Students who register for counselling courses in higher education are mature adults who come from diverse disciplines. They are rich in experience and during the process of counselling education become proficient in adapting to changing circumstances, and working with personal and professional challenge. The requirements for studentship in the field of counselling demand stringent self-examination in group settings, and surpass those required for courses which require only subject knowledge and academic skills. Because of their willingness to pursue self-discovery, counselling students provide a rich source of data for researchers interested in lifelong learning from an holistic perspective of achieving UNESCO's vision of the ‘full development of the personality’ (cited in Darkenwald and Merriam 1982: 13). Student counsellors must demonstrate a willingness to work with uncertainty, an ability to develop personal learning goals and have the capacity to appraise personal development (Mearns 1997: 99). This study examines how student counsellors discover strategies for learning, and how they manage the personal/professional divide. Existing intimate partnerships are viewed as supportive, but suspicious of the learning process. The narratives of students indicate that ‘professionalism’ is about acceptance of self, as much as about qualifications and practice. Participants describe the process of becoming professional, alongside the process of struggling to fit in with the academic requirements of a university. Lifelong learning is described as lacking a framework for acceptance by others, and therefore seen merely as a diversion in the lives of adults. From a counselling perspective, learning requires opportunities for employment so that professional and personal development can continue. Such courses at present appear to offer only a short-term ‘permissive structure’, for learning to take place.     

Facilitating Reflexivity in Interracial and Multicultural Counselling

The effectiveness of multicultural and multiracial counselling may be compromised when counsellors occupy ideologically encapsulated positions. This paper describes an Anticlient-Proclient Model (Strous, 2001, 2003) for counsellor sensitivity training that may help counsellors to develop improved, critical reflexivity in multicultural and multiracial contexts. The Model derives from theory as well as from exploratory, experiential work with counsellors.     

The role and the training of teacher-counsellors

The example of teachers not seeking counselling was used. Some reasons for this situation were given as well as one possible way to change it by providing early information and training during the students' regular studies. My hope is that if teachers have the necessary information, abilities and positive experiences, when they have problems, it should be easier for them to use counsellors than it is for other today.Teachers were used as an example of how one group could be encounraged to make use of counsellors. However, similar strategies could be used with other groups whose jobs involve high personal stress (for example social workers, medical doctors etc.). The example of teachers was also used to show how change can be introduced within a system. Here it might be useful to develop the ability to work with a counsellor during the regular education, so that it becomes part of their understanding of their professional role.     

My career chapter as a tool for reflective practice

The career assessment and counselling procedure My Career Chapter is presented as a tool for reflexive self-awareness within career counsellors. To demonstrate application of the procedure as a method of self-supervision, this paper presents a study in which the participant studies himself. Results indicate a reflexive consciousness for the career counsellor that extends his self-awareness as a professional into his personal, non-professional life. Implications are presented with a focus upon the scope of self-report in qualitative research and collegial supervision.     

Understanding attributional processes in cross-cultural counselling

Attribution is especially important from a cultural perspective in understanding how change occurs in cross-cultural counselling. In this paper a framework adapted from Brickman et al. (1982) is proposed in which attributions are classified along two dimensions: the extent to which the individual believes in personal responsibility for the cause of a problem and the extent to which he or she believes in personal responsibility for its solution. This framework provides a convenient means for understanding the differences in attributions about these behaviours across cultures. Four types of client problems in cross-cultural counselling are reviewed in light of client attributions and corresponding helping strategies.Cross-cultural counselling is a complex endeavour. A number of factors have been identified which address some of the difficulties experienced by both clients and counsellors (Ahia, 1984; Dillard, 1983; Pedersen, Draguns, Lonner & Trimble, 1981). Included among these are the inherently Western nature of counselling, different communication patterns among individuals of different cultures, and the needs and values of the client and counsellor who are from different cultures. In addition, differences in perception and cognitive style across cultures have been demonstrated to affect cross-cultural counselling (Oddou & Mendenhall, 1984). An important cognitive variable is the attribution or explanation that the counsellor and client use regarding the problem, its causes, solution, and treatment.The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between attribution processes and cross-cultural counselling. After a brief overview of attribution theory, Brickman's model of attributions of responsibility (Brickman, Rabinowitz, Karuza, Coates, Cohn, & Kidder, 1982) is adapted for use cross-cultural counselling. This model is then applied to four types of cross-cultural problems. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications and advantages of focusing on attribution as a major theme in cross-cultural counselling.     

Principals’ Perceptions of the School Counsellor Role in Saudi Arabia

Many factors in Saudi society have led to a need for counselling services in educational institutions. However, concerns remain that the role of school counsellors in that setting is unclear. An aim of this study was to determine the perceptions of principals concerning the actual and ideal role of intermediate girls school counsellors in Saudi Arabia. It further aimed to identify the problems that face counsellors in offering effective services. Information was collected from a questionnaire survey, complemented by semi-structured interviews. The data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) programme. Findings indicate numerous differences among principals regarding the role of the counsellor, which suggests a potential for ambiguity and role conflict. Finally, recommendations are offered for improving the quality of counselling services in Saudi schools, including a requirement for increased awareness among all those concerned.     

American college students' perceptions of counsellor approachability: Professional implications

The Repertory Grid technique was used to explore differences in the way in which freshers and postgraduate counselling students perceived the roles of “counsellor” and “friend”. Postgraduates viewed counsellors as more approachable than other students, while freshers viewed other students as more approachable than counsellors. The constructs identified by the students were content-analyzed to define “approachability” for each group. The perceptions held by students were used to address implications for the provision of outreach services, role-induction programmes, and the status of the counsellor as the professional.     

Team Effort – Training Therapists to Work with Interpreters as a Collaborative Team

This paper considers components of a framework for relational training for counsellors who work with interpreters. Where counsellors and clients cannot be linguistically matched, they will need to incorporate an interpreter into their therapeutic relationship. Counsellors are often unprepared to work in this way. ‘Mothertongue multi-ethnic counselling service’, a UK counselling agency has developed and piloted an in-house training for counsellors and interpreters. Components of this training in how to work collaboratively with interpreters are considered in this paper. These components address the need for a collaborative relationship between counsellor and interpreter, consideration of dynamics in a triangular relationship and a clear delineation of responsibilities. Recommendations are made for the development of a training curriculum and models of clinical supervision for counsellors and interpreters who want to work together collaboratively.     

Perceptions of the educational counsellor's role in Kuwaiti secondary schools

The counselling literature has frequently reported problems of conflict and ambiguity within the counsellor's role, and its possible dysfunctional effects. Early studies in Kuwaiti secondary schools have suggested that conflicting perceptions of the educational counsellor's role may exist, which need to be addressed if the guidance programme is to be improved. This study examined differences in perceptions of the role of educational counsellors held by students, teachers and counsellors themselves. Questionnaires were completed by a sample of 300 students, 300 teachers and 30 educational counsellors located across Kuwait's five educational zones. Their ratings of the importance of 20 counsellor activities revealed differences in perceptions between the three groups of respondents, indicating that role conflict and ambiguity may indeed be a problem. Possible reasons for this, with specific reference to the Kuwaiti context, are discussed.     

Economic and social changes in the Pacific Rim: Implications for the counselling profession in Canada and Australia

Economic and social changes within the countries of the Pacific Rim are having a significant impact on Canada and Australia. This paper focuses upon what these changes mean for counsellors and counsellor education in these two countries. In addition, aspects of immigration and counsellor responsibility to newcomers is considered along with projected future scenarios related to counselling services.     

Practise What you Preach: Counsellors’ Experience of Practising Buddhist Counselling in Thailand

This qualitative study considers Thai counsellors’ experience of practising Buddhist Counselling in Thailand, exploring how Buddhist philosophy is integrated into the counsellors’ personal lives and then brought into their therapeutic practice. The study involved a focus group and in-depth, semi-structured interviews with five practising Buddhist counsellors, with their accounts being analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Findings indicated that the participants considered their personal qualities as being key in generating therapeutic effectiveness within their Buddhist Counselling, and they believed that they fostered these personal qualities by internalising Buddhist ideas into their personal lives and by observing Buddhist practices. Implications for counselling practice, training, and research are discussed.     

Mediation methods as an adjunct to counselling couples

Couples involved in counselling frequently present situations in which the participants have assumed opposing and antagonistic positions on an issue; problem-solving has reached a deadlock. In these situations, counsellors may find it useful to employ techniques of mediation as an adjunct to traditional methods of counselling and psychotherapy. This paper describes six stages of mediation used with couples to resolve conflict. The six stages of mediation are: a) introduction; b) problem identification; c) identifying and ordering critical problems; d) generating and evaluating problem-solving options; e) evaluating and selecting mutually acceptable, problem-solving options; and f) making an agreement. The discussion also provides procedural suggestions for implementing each stage, methods for coping with commonly occurring problems, and examples of counsellor dialogue at each stage. The paper also discussed several cross-cultural considerations related to communication, counselling and mediation.     

Perceived Professional Identity among Experienced Canadian Counsellors: A Qualitative Investigation

This qualitative study addressed how experienced Canadian masters-level counsellors perceived the collective identity of their profession in terms of roles, abilities, reputation, and sense of unity. The study employed a variation of grounded theory methodology guided by two research questions: (a) how do experienced counsellors view the professional identity of counselling?, and (b) how do counsellors describe their professional roles and practices? Nine categories of counsellor perceived identity and nine categories related to roles and practices emerged. Findings are discussed in light of the emerging trend toward the statutory regulation of counselling and psychotherapy in Canada.     

Mediation methods as an adjunct to counselling couples

Couples involved in counselling frequently present situations in which the participants have assumed opposing and antagonistic positions on an issue; problem-solving has reached a deadlock. In these situations, counsellors may find it useful to employ techniques of mediation as an adjunct to traditional methods of counselling and psychotherapy. This paper describes six stages of mediation used with couples to resolve conflict. The six stages of mediation are: a) introduction; b) problem identification; c) identifying and ordering critical problems; d) generating and evaluating problem-solving options; e) evaluating and selecting mutually acceptable, problem-solving options; and f) making an agreement. The discussion also provides procedural suggestions for implementing each stage, methods for coping with commonly occurring problems, and examples of counsellor dialogue at each stage. The paper also discussed several cross-cultural considerations related to communication, counselling and mediation.