Self-Critique of a Counselling Session: Analysis and Report

This assignment presents a self-critique of a recorded counselling session involving a male client named Jaun, who is experiencing marital issues and feelings of guilt. The analysis focuses on the therapist's use of micro-counselling skills, such as active listening, minimal responses, and reframing, as well as the establishment of rapport. The critique highlights both effective techniques and areas for improvement, such as the use of empathic responses and avoiding premature questioning. The assignment references various counselling theories and resources to support the analysis, including the importance of empathy, congruence, and acceptance in building a therapeutic relationship. The session transcript is provided with the therapist's commentary on the skills used. The assignment concludes with a reflection on how the therapist's responses could be adjusted to better support the client and achieve the desired therapeutic outcomes, and the importance of self-awareness in the counselling process.

Counselling self
critique

Table of Contents
Counselling Session Overview...............................................................................................................3
Self-Critique, Counselling session..........................................................................................................4
REFERENCE............................................................................................................................................7

Counselling Session Overview
Jaun 44, a male client, runs a holistic retreat with his wife of 5 years, in the Hunter
Valley and has commenced studying psychotherapy to allow him to grow his business
further. During the past sessions, Juan spoke about concerns he is having within his
marriage, and the feelings of guilt he is experiencing, due to betrayal on his part. Juan loves
his wife, however, cannot see how he can regain the trust of his wife. He feels as though he
would like to re-connect but does not know where to start and does not know if his wife
would be willing to try (Mills, (2018). At this stage, the only communication they seem to be
having is regarding daily chores and are becoming increasingly more disconnected. Jaun has
come to counselling feeling confused regarding emotions surrounding his marriage, including
the fact that he now wants children and his wife does not want children.
Therapist Client Commentary
19:45
“And you stated, that this is
something that she
absolutely hated.”
“Hates”
“Hated”
The counselling skill I used
here was reframing.
Reframing.
(McLeod, J., & McLeod, J.
(n.d.). 2011 p.57)
“This is where your guilt
that you have spoken about
comes in, is that right? “
“Mmm”
Space
“Yes”
“Absolutely “
Nodding,
Pause……...
“My guilt comes in that I
totally blame myself for
breaking the relationship
and my mum god bless her,
as much I try to keep out of
this……… (long pause) of
because I need support, I
need to talk, especially you
know good old mum’s
My mum just pointed out
something interesting. She
said well Jaun, have a look,
do you think this could have
happened even if, um you….
didn’t relapse and get
addicted to drugs” ……
I listened with intent and
interest and focusing on
what my client was saying,
with the use of the following
–
1.minimal response
2.brief invitation to continue
3.non-verbal behaviour
4.voice
5.silence
David, G., Kathryn, G., &
Rebecca, Y. F. (2016. p.37.)
Mmm
Mmm
Nodding
“What do you think?”
Mmm
(Long pause)
“Two thing comes to mind, I
don’t know how happy I’d
be.
I managed to use silence and
acknowledged and explored
the meaning of silence with
my client.
(Theory and practice
of counseling and
psychotherapy. P.30)

The use of open question.
(Developing Helping Skills.
P.32.)
Mmm- hmm It brings up a question you
bought up last week…
Is this the person you want
to be with for the rest of
your life?
Nodding
“Mm-hmm”
“Mmm”
Nodding
“Yeah”
Nodding
21.49
“So, I don’t know how
happy I would be long term,
and nothing has made me
grow up more than relapsing
into a teenage mentality of
taking drugs, like dealing
with the addiction the
disease of addiction, it’s
made me grow up and
develop more than any
therapy or therapist has ever
even came close”
The micro skills used here
were active listening and
minimal response.
(Basic personal counselling
P.23)
Self-Critique, Counselling session
This counselling session continued from last week, where Jaun’s concerns were guilt,
betrayal, and his failing marriage (Long, 2018). After viewing and analysing my recorded
counselling session, I was able to see micro-counselling skills that were lacking and micro
skills that were appropriately used. The counselling session commenced with Jaun finding
himself with a squarish smile and wanting to share his story; I was sensing Juan may have
been feeling a little tense (lyth, Colgan & Edwards, (2018).
00:36
I allowed Juan space to relax and become comfortable and present, before starting to
share his story and me gaining rapport. The therapists first task, is to encourage rapport with
their client. (P.54 A Beginner's Guide to Training in Counselling & Psychotherapy.) The

counsellors role is a holistic one, he or she sets up and promotes a climate that is free and
encouraged to explore all aspects of self. Cited (Rogers, 1951, 1980). (p.54 Gladding, S. T.
2018.).
04:09
As Jaun began sharing his story, I displayed interested in what he was saying, by
keeping an appropriate level of eye contact which is significant during the counselling
session. As human beings, we give subtle messages with eye contact, and as counsellors, we
convey that we are interested in what our clients are saying. (P.40 David, G., Kathryn, G., &
Rebecca, Y. F. 2016.).
06:23
I feel I used an inappropriate question during the session; "was she understanding"?
Although Juan did not seem disturbed by this question, my observation, after looking at the
video was; this question may have been too harsh (Lee, 2018). I should not have pre-empted
this evaluation. Being mindful and conscious is an important role as a counsellor and is a way
to increase perceptual accuracy and to make an effort not to be on “automatic pilot” and be
aware of the conclusion that you draw. (P.54 Beebe, S. A., Beebe, S. J., & Redmond, M. V.
2014.). An empathic response would have been a better choice, such as “I hear this would
have been very difficult for your wife, tell me more about how she supported you"? One of
the main tasks of the therapist is to understand the client’s experiences and feelings of
sensitivity accurately. According to Roger’s (1977) research, the greater the degree of caring,
prizing, accepting, and valuing of the client in a non-responsive way the greater the chance
that therapy will be successful. (P.175. Theory and practice of counselling and
psychotherapy.)
18:18
I responded empathically a few times throughout the session, one very accurate time,
when I said, “So from my understanding, you are both feeling hurt.” Rogers (1961) describes
empathy as the counsellor’s ability to enter the client’s phenomenal world, to experience the
client’s world as if it were your own without ever losing the ‘as if “quality” (p. 284).
Empathy involves two specific skills: perception and communication (Patterson & Welfel,
1994). ( Gladding, S. T. 2018. P.130).
19:00
My listening skills were used, by giving indicters such as” Oh,” “Nodding,” “Hmm,”
“Mmm,” and “Yes.” Counselling involves listening and appropriate use of minimal
responses, which is nonverbal and can be the nod of the head or “Uh,” “Mm, “Yes,” “Ok.”
These responses need to be spaced appropriately to show the client you are listening.
However, you do not want to be intrusive on the client. (P.25 Basic personal counselling.).
There was a stage during the session where Jaun was sharing an emotional time in his
life, my listening skills were not maintained accurately, as I asked a question prematurely.
Viewing the video made me aware of the lack of this micro skill. I interrupted the thought
and opinion of my client, instead of allowing my client to finish. (P.31 Core interpersonal
skills for health professionals.)

Throughout the counselling session, I felt I established rapport with my client,
Rogers, (1975). for example, has proposed that facilitative therapeutic relationship is in
which the counsellor can provide the ‘core conditions’ of empathy, congruence, and
acceptance. (p.408 McLEOD, J. (2003). Towards the end of the session, I observed my voice
became louder, and I seemed to be giving advice, reviewing this has made me aware and a
self-understanding of how I would change this response in the future, by helping my client
develop and plain strategies to accomplishing his goal! (Listening, Learning, Caring and
Counselling P.22.).

REFERENCE
Books and Journals:
Beebe, S. A., Beebe, S. J., & Redmond, M. V. (2014). Interpersonal Communication:
Pearson New International Edition : Relating to Others. Harlow: Pearson.
Blyth, C., Colgan, E., & Edwards, K. B. (Eds.). (2018). Rape Culture, Gender Violence, and
Religion: Christian Perspectives. Springer.
David, G., Kathryn, G., & Rebecca, Y. F. (2016). Basic personal counselling : a training
manual for counsellors. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral-proquest-
com.ezproxy.laureate.net.au
Geldard, D. (n.d.). Basic personal counselling. Springfield: Charles c Thomas.
Gladding, S. T. (2018). Counseling: A comprehensive profession (4th ed.). NY, NY:
Pearson Education.
Howe, M. A. (2005). Developing Helping Skills. Camberwell, Vic: University of New South
Wales Press.
Howell, C. (2016). Listening, Learning, Caring and Counselling : The Essential Manual for
Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Counsellors and Other Healthcare. Wollombi: Exisle
Publishing.
Lee, D. A. (2018). “How would you answer if a client asked if you’d been raped?”: Towards
a political critique of psychotherapy placements. Psychotherapy and Politics
International.
Long, M. (2018). ‘We’re not monsters… we’re just really sad sometimes:’hidden self-
injury, stigma and help-seeking. Health Sociology Review, 27(1), 89-103.
McLEOD, J. (2003). An introduction to counselling. (3rd ed) Maidenhead, Berkshire, Eng:
Open University Press.
McLeod, J., & McLeod, J. (n.d.). 2011 Counselling Skills : a practical guide for counsellors
and helping professionals. (2nd ed) Berkshire, England: Open University Press.
Mills, J. (2018). Challenging Relational Psychoanalysis: A Reply to My
Critics. Psychoanalytic Perspectives, 15(1), 2-9.
O'Toole, G. (2016). Communication: Core interpersonal skills for health professionals.
Chatswood, N.S.W.: Elsevier.
Palmer, S., & Bor, R. (2002). A Beginner's Guide to Training in Counselling &
Psychotherapy. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.
Online:
Cengage, L. A. (2016). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy. Retrieved
from <https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy.laureate.net.au>