Analysis Model of Counseling by Gerard Egan - Coursework Example

1. Discuss Gerard Egan’s 3 stage model of counselling and explain how your learning will enhance your performance within the context of your future career. Culling from his knowledge and experiences, Gerard Egan, a professor of Organization Studies, conceptualized a counselling model greatly influenced by humanistic or person-centered, cognitive and behavioural approaches in counselling. He believed in the relationship-building practices of the person-centred approach, and some of the challenging practices of cognitive approaches, and the getting-into-action practices of behavioural approaches. Egan carefully stitched together a model consisting of the most useful practices of several different approaches, and constructed a stage model of counselling in which the different approaches are utilised at different stages in the counselling relationship.” (Hughes, n.d.) Egan’s Model is a stage-wise counselling model that goes through three stages. Basically, the first stage involves problem definition and insight. Both helper (counsellor) and client build rapport and trust and explore the identified problem. The second stage further investigates the client’s perspectives using insight-focused methodologies to delve deeper into the core of the client with the help of the counsellor’s trained communication skills that unearth deep-seated issues. More involvement on the counsellor is called for as the processes of self-disclosure, immediacy and confrontation take place. This stage clarifies the perspectives of the client and gets him/her ready for the final stage which now focuses on action strategies, planned from a more objective point of view (Egan, 2010). Applying Egan’s model in organisational groups has focused attention on people functioning in systems (Egan and Cowan, 1979). This has included exploring matters of organisational design, assessment and development (Egan, 1978). Egan has produced comprehensive works on system operations (Egan, 1985; 1989a; 1989b). In similar vein to his generic counselling model, he has developed a broad-based working model, Model A, which is a valuable tool for designing, redesigning, facilitating and assessing the functioning of systems (Egan, 1985, p. 5). Egan has proposed three Models for organisational counseling. Model A is the primary model that enables the counsellor and clients to assess the key issues in an organisation to work on and principles with respect to when and how a company is truly performing well. Model B is basically a model for constructive change that may be used as a coaching/ counselling model in the business sense. It targets managers to initiate innovation and change to keep the company updated on what is happening to their industry or else, the company falls behind their competitors. Model C is described as the “shadow side” of organisations that provides a framework for helping managers and other agents of change deal with aspects of the system that are other than rational. (Sugarman, 1995) Hermansson (1993), in his research of organisations, commends Egan’s model for its integrated and dynamic qualities. It is effective in pulling people together to accomplish organizational goals without being overly complex. Effective communication skills of counsellors undertaking consultation work with organizations is a must, however, they likewise need a working knowledge of system structure and functioning, which Egan’s Model A provides. Complemented by the necessary professional skills of counsellors, it is indeed a powerful tool for consultation work. In terms of my own learning about the Egan model and how it will enhance my performance in my future career, there are many significant lessons I have kept. A prime skill I need to develop is effective communication and rapport-building with a client. It is also imperative that Egan’s Skilled helper be trained thoroughly in implementing the Egan model successfully and acquire and hone key counselling skills such as attending to the client; using reflective responses (paraphrasing/reflecting feelings/active listening); expressing empathy with the client’s situation ; asking open questions; probing the problem further; summarising the points shared by the client and challenging the client to confront his problem and thinking up and carrying out of solutions (Egan, 2006). Whether I will practice as a counsellor for private practice or as a workplace counsellor, it is important that I am adept at active listening. This includes showing empathy by acknowledging the client’s feelings, asking for clarification while keeping a nonjudgmental stance and providing non-evaluative feedback (Gander, 2005). It may be overwhelming to master these interpersonal and communication skills especially if the client is a difficult one to work with. Still, being an astute observer of the client’s use of verbal and non-verbal language should prevail while withholding any judgment which may cloud the counsellor’s objectivity. On the other hand, the counsellor should also use verbal and nonverbal communication well to convey support and objective understanding of the client. The counsellor may seem like a ‘sounding board’, but if the counselling session is steered with the expertise of a supportive, objective and non-judgmental sounding board, then it can be instrumental in the client seeing his or her issues from an objective point of view as well and eventually come up with solutions or a plan of action to overcome the problematic situation. In preparation for my future practice as a counsellor, I can apply the learning I have acquired with my family and friends who are in need of counselling. In line with BACP’s (2006 a) definition of counselling as taking place within a private and confidential setting, the exploration of another person’s difficulty or issue with acceptance and respect, and helping him or her see the various options to him/her and decide which path to take, is one I can do as my contribution to human development. In trying to help others by being an active listener and supportive friend/ family member, I am likewise being helped in the honing of my counselling skills which I will be necessary as I call upon them in my future career. 2. Evaluate your counselling skills practice and discuss your plans for future skills development. As I get to learn more about professional counselling, I am more aware of how limited I am in terms of skills and experience. I feel as of the moment, I am at the Novice stage of counsellor development (Hughes & Kinder, 2007). I do possess good communication skills and know how to empathize with the feelings of others. I have a good sense of what is right and wrong and some knowledge on dealing with psychosocial and emotional issues based on what I have learned from my classes. However, the technical skills in conducting an actual counselling session and knowledge about in-depth therapeutic work and more complex psychological and practical life issues are yet to be learned and mastered. Right now, I can evaluate some key counselling skills such as attending, using reflective responses, expressing empathy, asking open questions, probing, summarizing and challenging and identify some areas for improvement as well as my plan of action for future skills development that will make me worthy of becoming a certified counsellor accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. In my evaluation, the term ‘clients’ is used to denote people I have been able to provide counselling to, however informal. The same is true with the term ‘session’ which refers to episodes that I am able to use my counselling skills on a one-on-one basis. I can say that I have very good attending skills and can make clients feel that I am someone who can listen and provide support. I can maintain good eye contact, nod and acknowledge the client’s ideas and opinions by using continuers such as “mmm, uh huh, yeah” (Fitzgerald & Leudar, 2010). Because of this, clients are encouraged to go on and share their stories further. I can also reflect clients’ expressed messages by paraphrasing, choosing the right words to reflect back to the client making points raised by him or her clearer for both of us. This proves I am capable of active listening. With regards to expression of empathy, I acknowledge clients’ feelings and show understanding and being non-judgmental of his/her comments. This made the client more at ease in sharing deeper insights and reflections. I can also ask open questions. Being sensitive to clients and attuned to the issues being discussed, I know the right questions to ask without being offensive and such questions make the clients gain a better understanding of their situation. As much as possible, I avoid questions that are answerable by “yes” or “no” because it closes the question right there and then. I use open-ended questions so that the clients can elaborate on their answers. I have learned to probe well and it leads the client deeper into the issues by asking the right questions. However, there are times when I get stuck especially during transitions following emotional revelations. This is one area I need to be more comfortable with – emotional outbursts of clients, since I am not used to people breaking down in front of me. To keep sessions organized, I summarize clients’ expressions of their thoughts and feelings every so often and both the client and I are kept abreast of the progress of our discussions. It is also my way of verifying if what I interpreted of the conversation was accurate. I also try to challenge my clients to look deeper than the surface. Sometimes, it gets to a point when they felt uncomfortable confronting their own emotions and thinking, but it was effective enough for them to realize that they have to do something about their problem So far, I believe I am doing well as a novice counsellor although I have yet a long way to go in being a great one. My areas of improvement include the beginning and ending of sessions as well as building up rapport especially since my future clients will be mostly strangers, unlike the clients I have now, who are my friends and family members. I also find myself weak in transitions. I know that discussions need to flow well without any bumps that may derail the client’s line of thinking and feeling throughout the session. I also need to be more at ease with my non-verbal gestures, as I seem to be rigid and unnatural which may send negative signals to my clients. I also need to lessen habitual mannerisms so that it will not distract the clients from their narrations. In order to achieve my goal of being a certified counsellor, I would need more training, both informal and formal to expose me to a variety of situations. I need to complete my course to attain a minimum of a Diploma in Counselling preferably on a BACP-accredited training course. I also need to enrol in more courses on short-term or time-limited brief counselling and have supervised counselling sessions with qualified professional counselling supervisors so I can get feedback on my performance in counselling (BACP, 2006 b). I need to be kept abreast of issues in the area where I intend to specialize in. For example, if it is in work counselling, I need to learn more about organizational culture and development theories and practices. If it is in counselling young people, I need to have knowledge about child protection and children’s rights as well as other agencies that are able to help them as well. As a lifelong learner, I need to be engaged in continual professional development, taking courses even after I have been certified, being a member of professional organizations and seeking other ways to learn more about counselling strategies and various personality profiles of clients. I also want to be exposed to various psychotherapies such as Psychodynamic, Gestalt, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies, etc. The journey is still long for me, but the important thing is that I have already begun it. Hopefully, as I go along, despite the challenges I may encounter, I hold on to the dream that someday, I will be able to serve as an instrument to troubled people’s own journey to their healing. References BACP. (2006a) http://www.bacp.co.uk/education/whatiscounselling.html BACP. (2006b) http://www.bacp.co.uk/ethical_framework/index.html Egan, G.(1985) Change Agent Skills in Helping and Human Service Settings. Monterey, Calif.: Brooks/Cole Egan, G., (1989a) Change Agent Skills A: Assessing and Designing Excellence. San Diego: University Associates Egan, G., (1989b) Change Agent Skills B: Managing Innovation and Change. San Diego: University Associates Egan, G. (2006) The Skilled Helper: A Problem Management and Opportunity Development Approach to Helping. Wadsworth Pub. Co. Egan, G. (2010) The Skilled Helper 9th Ed. USA: Brooks & Cole Egan, G. & Cowan, M.A. (1979) People in systems: a model for development in the human-service professions and Education (Monterey, CA, Brooks/Cole). Fitzgerald, P. & Leudar, I. (2010) On active listening in person-centred, solution-focused psychotherapy, Journal of Pragmatics 42 (2010) 3188–3198 Gander, M.J. (2005) Active Listening Exercise, McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Hermansson, G. L., (1993) “Counsellors and organisational change: Egans systems model as a tool in organisational consulting”.,  British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, Vol. 21, Issue 2 Hughes, P., (n.d.) Combining Counselling Approaches. Retrieved on June 12, 2007 from http://www.btinternet.com/~p.g.h/counselling_training_combining_counsell ing_approaches.htm Hughes, R. & Kinder A. (2007) Guidelines for counseling in the workplace. British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy. Sugarman, L (1995) Action Man: An Interview with Gerard Egan, British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, Vol. 23, Issue 2 Read More