Structured and Planned Dialogue - Essay Example

The student displayed a dilemma between selecting a medical-related course and law. The following steps guided our counseling session. Relationship Building   I took the first step to building a relationship with her as we focused on engaging and exploring issues that directly affect him. During the relationship-building session, my client and I engaged in some non-helpful behaviors that included storytelling, and advice-giving accompanied by some lecturing (Praveensureshpai, 2013). As a result, the student mastered both verbal and non-verbal messages alongside making inferences about me as the counselor and the counseling situation. I could emphasize with the troubled student, and the session enabled him to view me as a genuine counselor.   Acknowledging Strength and Linking Thoughts to Behavior After building a relationship with the student, I made efforts to identify the strengths of the student through conversing and evaluating his cognitive ability. The student uncovered his abilities during the evaluation session which included his strengths in physical and biological sciences. The student revealed to me that he had been, from childhood, interested in taking a course in medicine to be able to become a doctor in his career (Chauhan, 2009). However, the troubled student also faced the challenge of dealing with the conflicting interest of his parents who he respects and loves. The parents insist that their daughter must pursue a law degree, her elder sister’s career, to become a legal expert. So the student was facing the dilemma of their interest versus that of their parent for which he sought counseling. Helping Identify a Realistic Goal After assessing the situation as it was, I felt that the student had an interest that surpassed that of his parents. His desire to pursue a degree in a medical-related field is a justified and worthy course for an ambitious young woman of her caliber. Nonetheless, it was also vital to listen to her parents’ advice and use their opinion to make an informed decision.   Resolving the Dilemma and Normalizing I mainly focused on the importance of exploring personal interests that are more intrinsic than those of external forces. My client had a passion for the medical profession as her future career field. Furthermore, she possesses outstanding performance in both biological and physical sciences, a strength that a medical doctor needs to prosper. Passion and academic excellence must be a motivator for hard work and the realization of life objectives. I, therefore, gave my advice as follows. First, I advised the client to involve her parents in discussing the need for her to follow a passion and pursue her career as a doctor rather than a lawyer. In addition, I referred the student to a college career advisor who has vast experience in counseling since am still new in the field. Challenging Situation for a New Counselor The most challenging part that I faced as a counselor was the follow-up process that involved finding out from the parents whose stance was difficult to reverse. Notwithstanding, they gave up on my advice and allowed my client to pursue her career of choice. Read More