Reflection on couseling-interview skills - Essay Example

The observer's feedback at the end of the session led me to introspect. This is where I found my true learning during this activity, which would help me improve as a counsellor. Three aspects came to the fore: The counseling session provided me with an immersive experience of a real-life situation. I learnt that genuineness of purpose and reflecting on counselee issues with deep empathy is the key to effective counseling. The training video, "Building on Strengths" (Armstrong, 1994) highlights key concepts of family counseling from a systems approach perspective.

The skills discussed in the video are of significant relevance for community based family workers. The core theme of the presentation is the importance of social and cultural context, while dealing with individuals and families. The main sections in the video include: "Building on Strengths" transforms the practitioner's role from diagnosing a family's dysfunction, to assisting families identify their goals and resources, and helping them learn skills of healthy self-reliance (Early & GlenMaye, 2000).

The key success factors here are: Systems approach provides a framework for goal-directed partnership model of human services with focus on empowerment of client. . The main sections in the video include:What is systems approachExternalizing problemsHonoring people's stories"Building on Strengths" transforms the practitioner's role from diagnosing a family's dysfunction, to assisting families identify their goals and resources, and helping them learn skills of healthy self-reliance (Early & GlenMaye, 2000).

The key success factors here are:Identifying goalsIdentifying root causes and understanding of current problemsIdentifying resourcesCollaborating between worker and clientEmpowerment of clientSustaining client's ability for self reliance.Systems approach provides a framework for goal-directed partnership model of human services with focus on empowerment of client. The video provides examples of contextualizing family dysfunctional experience and behavior, with the enveloping social, cultural, economic and regulatory systems.

The dysfunctional behaviors are studied repeatedly to recognize underlying pattern and identify root causes.The video content specifically emphasized understanding and respecting varying beliefs, values, and family practices of different cultural, racial, and ethnic groups. Culturally relevant services and supports should be family-centered, family-driven, and strengths-based. The recommended responses should adopt least intrusive intervention possible and be need-driven; they should be relevant in the communities and neighborhoods where families live.

The video depicts community focus and participatory styles, through activities such as, creating genograms and eco-maps. Genograms helps in identifying the immediate and extended family members, their interdependencies,