Techniques to Assist the Client to Manage Their Anger - Assignment Example

REACTION PAPER 2 Name: Institution: Question 1 Clients with Substance Use One of the counseling practice considerations for clients with substance abuse involves the establishment of a quick therapeutic alliance, which entails a good working relationship between the client and counselor. This can be done through creating accurate empathy and providing credence and value to the substance user (Waller and Rumball, 2008). Another consideration is looking at a broader picture. Counselors should not only focus on the substance use and forget the bigger picture of the individual’s life. A counselor needs to ensure that the welfare needs of the patients are met this include food, clothing and shelter (Ali and Willis, 2007). Maintaining a clear progress and case notes is essential in monitoring the progress of the client (Ali Dale, and Willis, 2007). Another consideration is that the counseling approach adopted should entail precise evidence based interventions such as; problem solving, motivational interviewing, relapse prevention and goal setting (Ali Dale, and Willis, 2007). Suicidal Clients One of the counseling practice considerations when dealing with suicidal clients is to create a therapeutic alliance with the patient. The therapeutic alliance enables the counselor to understand the suicidal behavior of the patient, which is an essential aspect in problem solving (Samra et al, 2007). Another significant consideration is the development of an atmosphere of trust. Creation of an atmosphere of trust will facilitate the introduction of the issue of responsibility, which assists in exploring the client’s ambivalence, a key aspect in successful resolution of the suicidal motive (Gerald, 1989). The WHO recommends that a counselor should not express their philosophical, moral or religious perspective to the patient. Such views may block communication and distance the client. A counselor should therefore be calm and supportive to the client (WHO, 2006). Suicidal patients should also be taken seriously. This can be done by carefully monitoring their speech, attitudes, values and activities (Byrne and Byrne, 1992). Question 2 Clients with Substance Use The motivational interviewing approach proposed by Miller (2009), is one of the viable techniques that can be used for clients with substance abuse. The approach entails responding to the client’s speech through an empathic person centered approach. The counselor also puts emphasis on strengthening and evoking the patients expressed motivation for change. The guiding principle of the approach is to have the client as opposed to the counselor voice for the need for change (Miller, 2009). Relapse prevention (RP) strategy proposed by Marlatt and Gordon (1985), is another useful approach that can be used on clients with substance abuse. The approach entails the use of behavioral and cognitive strategies in order to limit or prevent relapse. The approach includes evaluation of the emotional and environmental characteristics that are bound to lead to a relapse. After identifying these factors, the counselor evaluates the client’s reactions to situations and then adopts strategies that can assist to prevent the occurrence of the situations. Another strategy is the Psychodynamic techniques. The technique mainly involves evaluating the inner emotional terrain, psychological structures and organization of the client in order to examine the psychological compulsions that influence the use and dependence on addictive substances (Brehm and Khantzian, 1992). The person-centered approach is another useful approach when dealing with clients with substance use. The person-centered approach propagates the development of a good working relationship through approaches such as accurate empathy and providing credence and value to the substance user (Waller and Rumball, 2008). Suicidal Clients Crisis intervention is one of key strategies that can be used by a counselor when dealing with suicidal clients. Crisis intervention is a psychological resolution of a client’s immediate crisis and restoration of some level of functioning that existed before the crisis. The objective of the intervention is to ensure that the client is able to resolve the problem or adapt to the problem. For instance, if a client was to commit suicide due to loss of a job the solution would be to find another job (Yunus and Fahrudin, 2000). Another strategy is the use of psychoanalysis which entails making the client conscious of what they is unconscious. If clients become conscious of their unconscious longings, then they will not automatically satisfy them directly, but they would opt to make choices that are more appropriate in order to resolve their problems. The strategy does not have an objective of changing the clients to change the decision but rather it helps them to make an informed choice. By making an informed choice, the client is bound to change their decision to commit suicide (Neimeyer, et al, 2013). Person centered therapy is another appropriate technique that can be used to counseling suicidal clients. This involves listening empathetically to the client in order for the client to be aware that someone indeed cares about his or her experience. The person-centered therapy is normally used together with the crisis intervention technique (Neimeyer, et al, 2013). Reaction Paper 2 Ways in Which Anger Manifests Itself in a Counseling Environment Anger may also manifest itself when there is a poor therapeutic relationship between the clients and the counselor. Clients vary in their ability to develop a positive therapeutic relationship with the counselor. This may be characterized by the inability to develop trust, which interferes with the development of a therapeutic bond. The lack of a therapeutic bond therefore implies that a poor therapeutic relationship exists. Consequently, when a counselor does not establish a good therapeutic relationship with the client, the implication is that at some point the client may manifest anger (Winston and Winston, 2008). Clients may express anger when they are not pleased with the actions of the therapists. For instance, if a therapist brings negative reactions such as; anxiety, incompetence and expressing their frustration on the client, the client can also react in anger against the counselor. Clients may also become angry when they feel that they have been treated or threatened unjustly and the counselor has violated their rights. It is therefore essential for a counselor to learn how to manage their actions when dealing with clients, essentially those with anger problems (Hill, 2009). Anger may also manifest itself when a client is disclosing past or present events that may have greatly affected their lives in the past or present. Sanderson, (2006) highlights that; clients may manifest their anger through aggressive outburst and rage when disclosing issues that greatly affected their emotions. This essentially occurs when dealing with clients who have faced sexual abuse. The lack of power and control over their abuser may influence the client to react through an aggressive outburst and rage, during the counseling session. Anger may also manifest itself during the crisis phase of the counseling process. The crisis face is usually a period when the client losses control of their emotions. The patient then begins to demonstrate anger through physical and verbal attacks, throwing objects and losing control. Techniques to Assist the Client to Manage their Anger Developing a counseling environment that is safe to express anger is an effective approach of assisting clients to manage their anger. Anger is an emotional expression that can takes place in a counseling environment, essential when a client has experienced traumatic experiences such as sexual abuse or torture. The counselor should therefore create an environment where a client feels free to experience their feelings of anger. Furthermore, the client should be aware that the counselor understands their feelings and is ready to assist them in resolving the issues that make them angry (Mosgofian and Ohlschlager, 2009). Clients sometimes tend to suppress their anger, which may further result to aggressive outburst or even deep depression. It is therefore essential for the counselor to assist the client to redefine their anger in a positive manner. For instance, anger may arise due to a sense of shame and even hopelessness. It is therefore significant for the counselor to assist the client to redefine what makes them angry in a positive manner by adopting positive views about themselves. This many assist them to redefine the negative perceptions about themselves and thus enabling them to manage their anger (Mosgofian and Ohlschlager, 2009). Evoking self-directed or autogenic relaxation is another viable approach that can be used in order to manage anger. The technique involves encouraging the client to relieve tension by stating that he or she feels relaxed, calm and warm. The counselor guides the client to repeat such statements. This will assist the client to experience a sense of deep relaxation. For instance the client can say words like ‘’ I will not be angry anymore because the past is all gone (Thompson, 2003). Another technique to assist the client to manage their anger is through the unconditional positive regard propagated by Rogers (1951). The approach entails accepting the client without reservation, as opposed to trying to manage or control the individual’s anger. By providing consistent non-judgmental responses, the client can develop a feeling of acceptance, which may make them more relaxed. When the client feels accepted, they become calmer and less tensed, which can assist to diffuse the feelings of anger and reduce the angry behaviors (Rogers, 1951). It is also essential for a counselor to maintain their pose when the client reacts angrily. This can assist the client to manage their anger. When the counselor does not get angry, in return the client lacks an issue to push on. Thus, they may adopt a different behavior or tactic as opposed to being angry (Flasher and Fogle, 2011). References Ali Dale, A and Willis, L. (2007). A counselor’s Guide to Working with Alcohol and Drug Users . Drug and Alcohol office. Byrne, A and Byrne, D. (1992). Psychology for Nurses: Theory and Practice. Macmillan Education AU. Brehm, N and Khantzian, E. (1992). Psychodynamic perspective. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins. Flasher, L and Fogle, P.(2011). Counseling Skills for Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists. Cengage Learning. Gerald, D. ( 1989). Basic Personal Counseling. New York: Prentice Hall. Hill, C.(2009). Processing the Therapeutic Relationship. Education Faculty Research and Publication. Neimeyer, R and Maltsberger, J and Leenaars, A.(2013). Treatment Of Suicidal People Series in Death, Dying, and Bereavement. Taylor & Francis. Mosgofian, P and Ohlschlager, G. (2009). Sexual Misconduct in Counseling and Ministry Contemporary Christian Counseling. Wipf and Stock Publishers. Miller, W.(2009). Toward a Theory of Motivational Interviewing. Am Psychol. 64(6): p527–537. Marlatt, G and Gordon, J.( 1985). Relapse Prevention: Maintenance Strategies in the Treatment of Addictive Behaviors. New York: Guilford Press. Rogers , C.(1951). Client centered Therapy. Boston. Samra, J, White, J and Goldner , E.(2007). Working with the Client Who is Suicidal. Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction. Sanderson, C.(2006). Counselling Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse. Jessica Kingsley Thompson, R. (2003). Counseling Techniques: Improving Relationships with Others, Ourselves, Our Families, and Our Environment. Psychology Press. Yunus , A and Fahrudin , A.( 2000) .Crisis intervention strategies in Counseling. University of Malaysia . World Health Organization (WHO). (2006). Preventing Suicide, A resource for Counselors. WHO. Waller, T and Rumball, D. (2008). Treating Drinkers and Drug Users in the Community. John Wiley & Sons. Winston, A and Winston, B. (2008). Handbook of Integrated Short-Term Psychotherapy. American Psychiatric Pub. Read More