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Overview:
Constructive helping is a collaborative process through which an
experienced helper (counselor) empowers a person seeking help
(client) to define, strategize, and implement meaningful change.
The counselor-client relationship is grounded in trust and
respect. The helping
process typically moves through the following:
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Active listening - the counselor listens
carefully and empathically to the client's story to 1) gain an
understanding of the client's problem, 2) learn how the client
thinks, feels and acts, 3) discover the client's strengths,
assets and personal power, and 4) build rapport with the
client.
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Problem identification - the counselor,
using such techniques as open-ended questioning, reflecting
and paraphrasing, assists the client to identify and clarify
the problem.
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Problem solving - the counselor assists
the client to 1) define goals (what the client wants, how the
client would like things to be), 2) generate strategies to
accomplish these goals (how the client may attain these wants
and make things be the way the client would like), 3) examine
each strategy for potential problems and outcomes, 4) review
support, strengths and resources, and 5) decide on a plan of
action.
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Follow through - the counselor provides
the client with ongoing support and encouragement and
opportunities to 1) examine actions taken for what did and did
not work, 2) restrategize actions based on this examination,
and 3) recognize and own personal strengths and assets.
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Goal: Learn
about the helping process to establish a foundation for
constructive counseling.
Outcomes:
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Describe the helping process.
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Explain the importance of self-awareness
in one's personal, professional and cultural life.
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Demonstrate strategies to maintain one's
own physical and mental health.
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Objectives:
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Readings from course and supplemental texts.
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Discussion questions.
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Exploration of relevant web sites.
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Interviews with local professionals.
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Class discussions.
Tasks:
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Complete the assigned text readings.
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Participate in class discussions.
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Submit complete and thoughtful answers to
questions 3-6 at the end of Chapter 1 (page 14) in your
Cormier and Hackney text.
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Complete two of the following exercises:
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Explore a minimum of four web sites
that provide information on the helping process.
Write a 3-page paper on what you learned about the
helping process, including brief descriptions of the sites
you visited as well as your reactions to, and your opinions
about, the usefulness of the information provided at each
site.
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Interview local professionals who
provide counseling services in the local community. These
might include mental health professionals, alcohol/drug
counselors, licensed psychologists, licensed professional
counselors, social workers and/or school counselors.
Write a 3-page paper reporting on your findings,
including the roles of the professionals you interviewed,
the types of problems they typically encounter, their
counseling style and philosophy, and their view of the
helping process.
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Attend a minimum of two meetings of a
local Coalition (or Alliance or Task Force) working to
assist a needy, underserved population in the local
community. Better yet, become involved.
Write a 3-page paper reporting on your findings and
describing the meetings and your reactions to them.
Describe in some detail the extent of the problems
the group is dealing with and the strategies they are
implementing to address these problems. What local community constituencies are represented?
What positive outcomes are they anticipating from
their efforts, and how are they measuring them? In your opinion, is the Coalition being effective?
Why or why not? What would you do to improve it?
How does what you have learned about the helping
process fit with/relate to the work of the Coalition?
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