Counseling is a process by which the client is put in a relaxed mood using comfort and soft talk, asking questions and observing, to enable the counselor to understand the clients’ problem. Basic listening skills and empathy are essential to a good counselor. Psychotherapy, on the other hand, is a form of remedy recommended after understanding the psychological problem of a client. A good therapist is someone you can easily talk to, cares about you and your problems. Therapists are professionals trained to work with you to identify areas in your life that you want to change and support you through the process. It usually consists of advice on behavior and relationship with other people. These processes are inter-related as after counseling one gives the psychotherapy required.
Margaret, a client, is a 64 year old widow with a 26 year old son. She has experienced tremor from an incident of a woman being robbed in broad daylight, this created fear in her. The episode has caused her not to be able to go out alone. She also has had spells of dizziness, sweating, shakiness and breathlessness. This occurs for a period of 10 to 15 minutes before she calms down. Margaret oversleeps finding it hard to get up in the morning; she thinks of her late husband and cries quietly to herself thinking that there is nothing to live for. She even stopped being active in her church as before. Church attendance must have been a big part of Margaret’s way of life, stopping and not getting other occupation created a gap which is dangerous and can be filled with worry. From this, it is clear that Margaret needs counseling and psychotherapy to enable her live a much better life
Below are four key steps that can be used in intentional interviewing and counseling:
- Willingness: the ability to accept change in ones life is known to be difficult and not everybody allows change. Instead most people will opt for the environment and people around them to change to their liking. It is difficult or rather impossible to change things around you but you as a person can change. Doing things differently will create change in you and others. In Margaret’s case, she has let her fear control her emotions. Courage should be instilled in her as a therapeutic remedy to overcome fear. Management is by means of concentrating on her strengths and giving praise in areas that are of importance to her life. If done in a friendly manner with care and love, she will pop out and feel energized and a will is created ready for action. Bringing the courage out of her gives her an edge over emotions that are imprisoning her not to execute her duties and live better. Advice is centered on her likes as opposed to what takes her back to thoughts that she cannot control emotionally. Her son can be of use when she needs somebody to share with. She should also see a physician to advice her on the body conditions of sweating, dizziness and oversleeping experienced.
- Motivation: once Margaret is willing and courage has been rediscovered then drive follows. The reason for her being in counseling is that her life has deteriorated to the point of being in a state of crisis. This can be established by empathizing. Once the story is relayed, it is important upon the counselor to show Margaret that there is always “two sides to a coin”. This means that her plight and fear can be used as information that directs her to work out a way of looking at the condition. Her beauty, son, and other effects she holds dear can be used to give her purpose to soldier on. When she has both the willingness to view things differently. Zest is not instant but has to develop over a period of time. Margaret’s son can be useful in giving her the drive required especially when thoughts start coming back to haunt her. Alternatively, professional coaches on personal development can also help in getting her motivation levels high. She will be introduced to inspirational books audio and DVD that will help in her in development.
- Commitment: when questioning Margaret on commitment to heal, the counselor needs to intentionally query with authority or analogy. Dedicating fully to achieve is essential for success. Knowing that it will not be easy, Margaret should take things as they come and pursue the life she wants. This comes with dedication hence the saying “quitters never win and winners never quit”. It would be false pretence to think that after the session she will be better and go live a good happy life, no; a lot of adherence with willingness and motivation will keep her committed to her goal of a better life. Personal problems develop over the years and it will take time to resolve them.
- Faith: In everything belief is the ticket to success. Margaret should be led to a position of faith in herself, then in achieving her goal. The more she believes who she is and what she wants, the more she will increase her chances of success. A person fails when he/she has little or no faith in the healing process of change. The good book the Bible tells us that (Hebrews 11:6) it is impossible to please God without faith. This shows that one needs to have a belief that God will answer even without tangible evidence to show. It all depends on the level of belief Margaret will have on her and the remedy. If convinced she will benefit. The therapist has a large role to play in planting the faith in Margaret. (Joanna,2008)
In a nut shell, Margaret’s case is one of having lost her husband and the insecurity brought by it. A counseling session centered on the four key points mentioned above should give her breakthrough to move on. We are born once and will die once is a fact that no body bereaved would like to pay attention to. She can seek refuge in her son whom I believe, like any other mother she loves dearly. Therapy is just but an encouragement, the task is on how she will live with the situation and come out a victor. Therapy can be at times intense and demanding, as painful emotions and thoughts can arise as part of the healing process. However, therapy provides long lasting benefits and support. Learning and addressing primary causes of your emotional problem not only provides symptom relief, but gives you tools for identifying and avoid triggers in the future. Therapy also provides you with management and coping skills to help you stay grounded, and helps you amend behaviors that you would wish to transform.
Work Cited
Joanna saisan, et al.Psychotherapy and counseling. 2008. Web.