Counselling Roleplay - Reflecting, paraphrasing and summarising only

This video was a project between Pete Allen-Worth for his university degree, and Dean Richardson of iCounsellor.co.uk.

Purpose - to demonstrate (and film) counselling skills.

2/3 - This video demonstrates only the reflective techniques of paraphrasing, summarising and echoing. Its purpose is to highlight one particular counselling technique.

Reflecting back a client's words communicates back to the client not only that we have heard him, but offers him a mirror upon his own words so that he can hear back what he has said. When used in moderation, this technique offers empathy and understanding - and along with some interpretation - can deepen the therapeutic alliance.

When used excessively, though, the result is as demonstrated.

This video is not intended to demonstrate good counselling skills per se. It is intended to demonstrate one technique in isolation and what effect it can have on the interaction between client and counsellor when the counselling skills are unbalanced.

In all videos the part of the client is role played by Liam Devaney, but Dean Richardson is a real counsellor demonstrating real techniques.

Dean Richardson is a individuals psychodynamic and systemic/psychodynamic couples counsellor. He is an accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and has has been practising for over ten years. He works in his own private practice in Portsmouth.

http://www.icounsellor.co.uk/

Category:

Education

Tags:

• iCounsellor
• Counselling
• Role-play
• Reflecting
• Paraphrasing
• Summarising
• Dean Richardson

[111lulubell]

no reflection of feelings at all in this demonstration, just repeating what the client says and slight paraphrasing

[iCounsellor]

@111lulubell Yup - didn't the title and description of the purpose of this video give that away?

[111lulubell]

@iCounsellor I have always thought that reflecting meant reflection of emotions..not just repetition or parroting i thought reflection is where you actually process the information you hear and summarize it using your own words. I could be wrong though and would appreciate it if you could give me more clarity on the matter. Thanks

[iCounsellor]

@111lulubell The exercise was to create short videos, each that demonstrated a tiny aspect of counselling technique isolated from others. A final video would attempt to combine techniques. Academically would focus on one technique, but also show how poor the counselling would be with that skill in isolation. This video doesn't do anything "good" except repeat the words etc - it's not meant to be a demonstration of a whole technique, which is what your original comment was criticising.

[111lulubell]

@iCounsellor Thanks for your explanation, i'm sorry that you perceived my comment as a criticism, i thought i was just stating what i saw, i never made a judgement of good or bad, you did that yourself. I just was hoping to see a video of reflection, and when i saw the word reflecting in the title, i assumed that is what would be in it.

[iCounsellor]

@111lulubell "criticising" meaning comments or advice that is useful and intended to help or improve something.

[alisar87]

I dont believe this demonstrates a good counselling skills... the counsellor appears to be using too much repeating techniques... its quite annoying. When paraphrasing u need to rephrase BOTH the cognitiv and affective message.

[fibutton]

Very closed body language, and just repeating the client.

[111lulubell]

@iCounsellor You're more than welcome ;-) lol

[tski007]

Speak up can't hear SHIT!!

[peacemaker185]

@iCounsellor -I  think its quite difficult to decide..I myself coming of from long trauma and depression which I endured over the years without treatment. NHS GPs wud not think too much of my symptoms initially, till major breakdown n severe insomnia. Also one who is suffering never is in state of mind to explain things, mostly too shy or scared to share the actual facts, rather focusing on effects. Without actual perceptions, counsellors cannot feel it.

[iCounsellor]

@peacemaker185 What about counsellors that practice non-directive methodologies?