Case Study: Defining and Delivering Effective Counseling & Therapy

This case study explores the similarities and differences between counseling and psychotherapy, ultimately focusing on the effectiveness of the counselor-client alliance. The analysis emphasizes that successful counseling outcomes are heavily influenced by the quality of this relationship, rather than specific therapeutic models. It highlights the importance of counselor self-awareness, genuineness, and continuous development. The study also touches upon challenges faced by counseling practitioners, particularly in the Indian context, such as lack of awareness, poor remuneration, and job insecurity. The author suggests incorporating practices like medical practice, private practice, evidence-based practice, routines practice, deliberate practice among others to enhance counseling effectiveness and uphold ethical standards, which include respecting human rights and dignity, protecting client safety, and enhancing professional knowledge. Desklib offers a platform for students to access similar solved assignments and study resources.

Running head: COUNSELING 1
Counseling
Institution
Student
Date

COUNSELING 2
Counseling
Case summary
Moloney in this case purposes to explore the differences and similarities between two main
terms, namely, counseling and psychotherapy. The author notes that actually there is no tangible
difference between the two terms since both focuses on providing culturally suitable responses to
what he terms as “problem of solving”. After noting down this difference, Moloney settles on
counseling as the default terminology, defines it comprehensively, examines its voluntary nature,
and then explores the practice and research carve up linking couples, individuals, as well as
family focused work. The author also figures out that though couples and family counseling are
effective, it is clear that gathering the facts regarding family work and couples is not as easy as it
appears. Researches by other professionals over the past 40 years have proved that the efficacy
of counseling and psychotherapy is at doubt and as a result, Moloney in this paper purposes to
discuss how counseling works. He finds out that the success outcomes of a counseling process
are affected by certain apparent common factors particularly the nature of the counselor-client
association or alliance. According to his investigation, good alliances between the counselor and
the client lead to a fruitful counseling process. He also discovers that the psychotherapy
treatment employed normally does not have any substantial impact on the effectiveness of
counseling. Based on these findings, Moloney recommends for a necessity to shift concentration
from relative effectiveness of conflicting models of counseling to investigate more on how
efficacy of counseling can be boosted by training the counselors in order to enhance their skills
and expertise. Counselors should be encouraged not to take client’s feedback for granted rather
act upon it and use it as a tool to advance his/her counseling capabilities. Besides, in order to

COUNSELING 3
develop the continuing answerability model for counselors, counseling organizations, and their
financial facilitators, Moloney notes that it is prudent to ensure formalization of a feedback-
informed approach through an authenticated, user-friendly client procedure. This will not only
develop their accountability but also help in monitoring of counseling outcomes on both a
collective and case-by-case basis (Moloney, 2016).
Case analysis
This case concludes that an effective counseling practice depends primarily on the quality of
client-counselor alliance. Further the author’s main idea is that personal counseling and self-
awareness are invaluable if not vital essentials of practitioner and psychotherapy training and
continuous development. In general counseling practices, similar believes are held by experts
that in order to ensure good counseling outcomes and client growth, counselors must drop
stereotyped roles and become a real person in a real counselor-client relationship (Repetto,
2002). It is the counselor’s own ability, alertness, and genuineness to make life decisions which
are the inspiration for clients to make some changes to their own lives. Apparently, this does not
have to imply that the counselor is above or is on top of everything every time in their own lives,
but rather that they are willing and able to make changes where necessary. In so doing, the
counselor will be able to demonstrate to the counselee that taking risks and initiating changes can
be meaningful in their lives. It can be argued that if the counselor remains covert or hidden
behind low-risk behaviors and fails to convey too much about themselves, then the counselee
shall demonstrate similar behaviors (Velleman et al, 2014). In the same way, if the counselor
conveys themselves as a specialist who is there to make a diagnosis and provide a cure, then the
counselee is less likely to assume an active role in treatment or therapy (James, & Gilliland,

COUNSELING 4
2003). He/she might also feel more incapable and weak and as a result disclose less of them and
emerge more defensive.
Moloney, in this article concludes that the average effect size of counseling can be enhanced by
other auxiliary practices such as medical practice, private practice, evidence-based practice,
routines practice, deliberate practice among others. These practices are considered very effectual
in attaining the intended purpose of the counseling process. They also bring in another
fundamental aspect of ethics in counseling and psychotherapy which involve respecting human
rights and dignity, protecting the safety of clients, ascertaining the veracity of practitioner-client
relationships, enhancing the quality of professional knowledge and its application, as well as
easing personal distress and suffering (Welfel, 2015). Drawing for the features of these
counseling practices, one can easily figure out some of the counseling problems practiced by
counseling practitioners in India. Indian counselors (including psychologists) face several
challenges such as lack of awareness about psychological issues, poor remunerations, lack of
licensing, and lack of opportunities and so on. Other practitioners face professional challenges
like lack of network for counselors, job insecurity, and lack of supervision. It is fascinating to
note that beginning counsellors and counsellors in India generally have quite a few challenges in
common (Pereira, & Rekha, 2017).

COUNSELING 5
References
James, R. K., & Gilliland, B. E. (2003). Theories and strategies in counseling and
psychotherapy. Allyn & Bacon.
Moloney, L. (2016). Defining and delivering effective counselling and psychotherapy. Australian
Institute of Family Studies.
Pereira, M., & Rekha, S. (2017). Problems, difficulties and challenges faced by
counsellors. International Journal of Indian Psychology, 4, 65-72.
Repetto, E. (2002). Cross-cultural counseling: problems and prospects. Orientación y Sociedad.
Velleman, R., Chowdhary, N., Dabholkar, H., Dimidjian, S., Fairburn, C., & Patel, V. (2014).
The PREMIUM Counselling Relationship Manual.
Welfel, E. R. (2015). Ethics in counseling & psychotherapy. Cengage Learning.