The Counseling Session - Essay Example

I managed to use these effectively and maintained a continuous flow throughout the counseling session. Consequently, I allowed the couple to express their feelings and issues appropriately, which enabled the establishment and maintenance of a rapport, as well as the goals of therapy. The second session was easier because I had time to prepare, and I was aware of what to expect, so I prepared a plan, statements, and questions to aid in the therapy. At the end of the termination, I gave the couple some referrals to professional counselors in their area, and these were Carol Erb, Ph.D. of Pathways Christian Counseling, Dwight Robinson M.A., and Kim Neese, MA of Professional Counseling.

The success that was realized in these sessions was not only because of my counseling skills but also because of the kind of interventions that I used for the therapy. Some of the approaches I used that worked effectively include the assessment of the genogram, which involved constituting relevant questions to help obtain relevant information involving each partner’s family history in genealogy, family therapy, and treatment, as well as the use of questionnaires. Other approaches include building love maps, which are achieved through constituting questions, which will help to gauge knowledge of the inner psychological world, fears, joys, hopes, and or her history. This is to measure the cognitive room partners possess for their relationship, and finally, involve the couple in a conversation session on how they met, what ideologies they share, and what differences.

The PIAR2 Test was the primary assignment that I gave to the couple and as expected it contributed enormously to the intervention and success of achieving counseling goals. The most helpful aspects of the PAIR2 test were the scales, in which the couple showed compatibility, and those that showed extreme disparity. For example, the couple showed a disparity in Order and Routine and also Social Status while compatibility was witnessed in Self-Acceptance, Change and Variety, and Esthetic Pleasures among others. These helped in exploring the strengths and weaknesses of the parties, and consequently, help them understand one another. This attribute plays a crucial role in strengthening the relationship and eventually having a fulfilling and successful marriage (Miller, 2011).

As a counselor, a gained vast knowledge from this counseling experience as it helped in reinforcing and enhancing what I have learned in theory. For instance, I got to explore the notion that cohabitating increases the chances of divorce, and so before a cohabitating couple decides to get married they need to seek professional counseling. According to Worthington (2005), such marriages fail because cohabitating relationships suffer from a lack of communication, commitment, and tolerance among other virtues crucial for a successful marriage. As a result, marriages are constrained by historical events and issues that may prevent them from withstanding marital issues bound to arise. These issues normally require commitment and dedication to manage, and effective communication to solve.
Thus, this counseling was successful and effective in helping the couple in building a strong and healthy relationship, which is based on a long-term commitment by both parties (Hawkins, 1991).

People in cohabitating relationships tend to develop negative feelings towards marriage, and this is what causes high rates of divorce in society. Therefore, premarital counseling works effectively to eliminate these feelings as it did for Carrie and John. Read More