AAD 511: Lay Counselling Report: Supporting Mr. X Through Challenges

This report details a lay counselling session with Mr. X, who is facing unemployment, tobacco addiction, and social exclusion. The report outlines the issues presented by Mr. X, including the pressures from his parents, leading to depression and social isolation. As a lay counsellor, the student followed five stages: rapport and therapeutic alliance, assessment, strength identification, interventions, and monitoring. The interventions included providing job search resources, suggesting counselling for family conflicts, and offering strategies to quit smoking. The report includes a questionnaire and reflection on the counselling process, highlighting the effectiveness of the interventions and areas for improvement, such as enhancing communication skills and emotional understanding. References and a bibliography are also provided.

Running head: AAD 511
AAD 511
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1AAD 511
Letter to Mr X
Dear Mr. X,
I am writing this letter as the response to our conversation that took place last Saturday. You
have shared with me a good number of issues you are facing in your daily life that includes
unemployment, inability to get rid of tobacco addiction and social exclusion. I am glad to let you
know that this letter will inform you about the helping processes that are available for eradicating
the difficulties faced by you.
As being mentioned by you, one of your major problems is unemployment. In spite of possessing
a graduation degree in English language you are facing difficulties to get recruited in a private or
government organization. The fact that there exists high competition between eligible candidates
in the nation, well paid jobs can be found if you possess right skills and efficient searching
capability. Considering the fact that you have graduated with English as your subject and have
expressed interested in the field of teaching progression, I have found 3 schools who are
currently looking for an English teacher. The link of their official website will be provided
bellow. Hence please contact the management of the school and obtain your interview date.
Your second issue includes conflicts with your parents which in turn is imposing adverse impact
on your daily life activities. Unemployment along with conflict with parents has result in social
inclusion. As a teacher I would like to make you aware of the fact that prolonged social
exclusion may result in psychological disorder in order to deal with your issue, I would like to
suggest you and your parents a session with a psychological counsellor. Counselling will help
both you as well as your parents the adverse impact that the conflict is implanting on you. Along
with this, the counsellor will help you to identify and implement different strategies that has the

2AAD 511
potential to deal with the conflict. I strongly believe that obtaining a periodic counselling session
will reduce your tension, anxiety and once you find the solution, the issue of your social
exclusion will be gone.
In order to get rid of your last issue that is your addiction to tobacco, you can opt for the
following steps;
The first step includes setting a due date. Smoking is difficult to quit since eliminating nicotine
suddenly causes your body to experience physical withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Thus,
firstly you should prepare without getting demotivated. For instance, reduced the number of
cigarette you usually consume on a daily basis.
Secondly, let your finds and family know about your plan of quit smoking so that the can
encourage you to stop
The third step includes anticipating the plan for challenges that you may face while quitting. This
can be done by staying motivated and bringing up changes in your lifestyle.
In case, you are unable to perform the following stages, no need to get demotivated. A good
number of efficient smoking cession counsellors are present across the nation ho posses the
potential to help you get rid of your addiction.
I strongly believe that the adverse phase of your life will disappear soon.
Regards

3AAD 511
Reflection on the my experience while helping Mr. X
As a lay counsellor, my duties include educating the clients as well as providing them with
emotional supports. The chief issue that was faced by Mr. X included unemployment.
Considering the fact that he belongs to a middle class society and his father, who was the only
earning member of his family, will retire soon, Mr. X’s parents were pressurizing him to obtain a
job as soon as possible. However since he lacked the knowledge of online job offering services,
Mr. X was asking his friends and family to provide him with job opportunities (Alcántara et al.
2016). Continuous pressure from his parents resulted in daily conflicts and deterioration of
relationship between Mr X and his parents. This in turn has led to depression and social isolation.
As a lay counsellor, in order to treat Mr. X, I had followed. The five stages of counselling
included rapport, therapeutic alliance, assessment, identification of strength, interventions and
monitoring.
Stage 1: Rapport as well as therapeutic alliance:
Considering the fact that I previously had contact with Mr. X, rapport between us was good
enough and Mr. X trusted me to a great extent. However, in order to maintain his trust, I
demonstrate respect and paid full attention while he was stating his problem.
Stage 2: Assessment
In order to assess the situation faced by him and to gain a n depth information about the reason
behind his issues, I asked motivating questions that helped him to open up. I gathered detail
information about the family standard, current condition of the family, their financial condition
and his personal life in order to identify, analyse, evaluate as well as address issues and

4AAD 511
circumstances of the clients in the counselling relationship (Kenny et al. 2018). For this, I
provided him with a questionnaire that contained 5 questions. I developed a detailed
understanding of the reason behind the deterioration of relationship between him and his family.
Question asked also led him to open u that frequent conflict has led him to social isolation and
smoking. I understood that Mr. X is an introvert person and hence he did not have a good
number of friends. Thus lack for communication with the family had led him to social isolation.
Unemployment escalated his mental issue and I detected a high risk of severe depression.
Stage 3: Strength Identification
When it comes to strength identification, motivating questions like “what do you like to do in
your spare time?’ “Were you into sports?” “What is the aim of your life?’ “How do you think an
individual can cope up with depression?” an others, in order to identify his strength. I found that
Mr. X was a gymnast in his school days. Extracurricular activities like this often act as strength
for the clients with depression and other mental issues. I also found that Mr. X possesses
effective emotional intelligence which can be considered as one of his major strengths.
Stage 4: Interventions
In this stage, I opted for providing solution to the issues of Mr. X. Firstly, I asked him to contact
online job providing sites instead of conducting relatives and friends. Since He has completed his
graduation in English, I let him know that there is higher chance that Mr. X will obtain a high
paid job. This made him felt relaxed and enhanced his encouragement to find an appropriate job
for himself. I myself provided him with the link of three organizations that were searching for
English teacher. In order to deal with his issue of social isolation, I made him are of how social
isolation an affect the psychology of a human being. Considering the fact that he was an

5AAD 511
gymnastic enthusiast, I asked him to continue his passion for gymnastic. I suggested him to join
a gymnastic club once he gets settled with his job. These will not only enhance his scope of
social interaction but also introduce change in lifestyle which in turn will lower the scope of
depression. When it came to his habit of substance abuse, I suggested him a detailed technique of
how he should deal with it.
Stage 5: Monitoring
In order to monitor the condition of Mr. X after 2 month, i conducted a face to face meeting with
him. He stated that after getting the job, the conflict between him and his parents have reduced to
a great extent. He has made new friends in office. This in turn has enhanced his social
interaction. However, he has not able to give up smoking completely. However he has been able
to reduce the same.
Conclusion
While evaluation my counselling process, I found that the actions taken by me was efficient
enough to help Mr. X. However, I believe that I need to enhance my communication skill in
order to gain more in-depth knowledge about the client’s background. Apart from this, I feel that
I need to develop more understanding skill in order to understand the emotions of the client.
Questionnaire
1. Briefly state your issue.
I currently am unemployed. My parents are furious with the fact and constantly pressurize me to
get a well paid job. This is resulting in depression. I also have stated smoking and currently am
facing difficulty to get rid of the addiction.

6AAD 511
2. Do you consider yourself spiritual or religious?
I consider myself to be spiritual.
3. What are some of your strengths?
I posses the skill of keeping myself calm in adverse situation.
4. What are some of your weaknesses?
I am an introvert and thus I face difficulties when it comes to sharing my emotions with
people.
5. What do you want to accomplish from the counselling session?
I want to obtain a new job and get rid of my depression and smoking habit.

7AAD 511
Reference list
Alcántara, C., Li, X., Wang, Y., Canino, G. and Alegría, M., 2016. Treatment moderators and
effectiveness of Engagement and Counseling for Latinos intervention on worry reduction in a
low-income primary care sample. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 84(11),
pp.1016.
Kenny, M.E., Blustein, D.L. and Meerkins, T.M., 2018. Integrating relational perspectives in
career counseling practice. The Career Development Quarterly, 66(2), pp.135-148.
Bibliography
Johanson, S. and Bejerholm, U., 2017. The role of empowerment and quality of life in
depression severity among unemployed people with affective disorders receiving mental
healthcare. Disability and rehabilitation, 39(18), pp.1807-1813.
Merakou, K., Tsoukas, K., Stavrinos, G., Amanaki, E., Daleziou, A., Kourmousi, N.,
Stamatelopoulou, G., Spourdalaki, E. and Barbouni, A., 2019. The Effect of Progressive Muscle
Relaxation on Emotional Competence: Depression–Anxiety–Stress, Sense of Coherence, Health-
Related Quality of Life, and Well-Being of Unemployed People in Greece: An Intervention
Study. EXPLORE, 15(1), pp.38-46.