There are three attending skills, which I consider to be particularly important, as they can largely influence the counseling process. First, making eye contact may be difficult, though it evidently leads to positive results in communication. According to Syrjämäki et al. (2020), eye contact can evoke emotional responses and draw people’s attention. It is critical for counselors who have to keep their clients attentive and involved in order to get the best results. Second, active listening plays an important role, as counselors have to understand individuals first and only then give them advice. Beck and Kulzer (2018) note, “this skill is often overlooked as easy or self-explanatory; however, active listening is one of the most challenging microskills both to learn and maintain as a new or experienced professional” (95). Finally, nonverbal empathy is a vital skill, as it promotes trust between counselors and patients. Kraft-Todd (2018) conducted a study and concluded that clinicians need to learn how to express warmth nonverbally, improving people’s emotional and physical health. Therefore, eye contact, active listening, and nonverbal empathy are fundamental skills in the counseling process nowadays.
Furthermore, as a future drug and alcohol substance abuse counselor, I believe that active listening has been the most powerful skill in my professional life. The reason for it is that it helps to understand people better and be able to establish strong and meaningful connections. Both verbal and nonverbal listening are important; thus, developing the skill is necessary. What is more, in the current virtual therapy climate, this ability has become even more critical. It may be challenging to build intimate relationships while communicating online, though active listening can significantly improve the situation. It has always encouraged me to fully realize people’s needs, concerns, and desires and find the most effective ways to approach them.
References
Beck, K., & Kulzer, J. (2018). Teaching counseling microskills to audiology students: Recommendations from professional counseling educators.Seminars in Hearing, 39(1), 91–106. Web.
Kraft-Todd, G. T., Reinero, D. A., Kelley, J. M., Heberlein, A. S., Baer, L., & Riess, H. (2017). Empathic nonverbal behavior increases ratings of both warmth and competence in a medical context.PloS one, 12(5). Web.
Syrjämäki, A. H., Isokoski, P., Surakka, V., Pasanen, T. P., & Hietanen, J. K. (2020). Eye contact in virtual reality – A psychophysiological study. Computers in Human Behavior, 112. Web.