Counseling involves an expert (counselor) providing assistance to individuals (clients) facing problems. Effective counseling techniques include active listening, asking open-ended questions, paraphrasing what the client says to confirm understanding, and summarizing the main points at the beginning and end of sessions. Counselors also take notes to stay on track and assign homework for clients to work on between sessions.

1. What is Counseling?
Definitions:
1. "Counseling helps individuals to better
recognize the various information about itself"
(Chiskolm, 1959).
2. “Counseling is a process of assistance made
by an expert (called counselors) to
individuals who have something problem
(called counselee) that lead to problems
facing clients” Frank Parson (1908)
3. Something that provides direction or advice
to a decision or course of action.

2. Techniques
of
Counseling
These basic skills include the patterns of sessions, active
listening, body language, tone, open ended and closed
questions, paraphrasing, summarizing, note taking,
homework,

3. Active Listening - Listen for Meaning
1. Active listening happens when
you "listen for meaning". The
listener says very little but
conveys empathy, acceptance
and genuiness.
2. Look at the speaker. Taking a
few notes can keep you on
task;
3. Encourage the speaker to
continue with short, gentle
comments like “uh-huh”,
“really!?”, “tell me more”, etc.
4. If the person is not normally
talkative, you may have to
refer to your brief one or two
word notes and ask an open
question.

4. Encouraging Body Language -
Practice Makes Perfect!
1. Communication is 55% body
language, 38% tone and 7%
words.
2. Developing encouraging body
language can take some
practice.
3. Keep communications specific --
focused on facts and feelings of
relevant concerns.
4. The counselor shares personal
feelings, experiences, or
reactions to the client.
5. Your client may not remember
what you said, but they will
remember how you made them
feel.

5. Asking Questions -To Open Up
or Close Down?
1. Open and closed question - is an
important tool in the counseling
kit.
2. An open question is one that is
used in order to gathering lots of
information – you ask it with the
intent of getting a long answer.
3. Open-Ended Questions (OEQs)
have no correct answer and
require an explanation of sorts.
4. Asking question like “why” is
threatening and overwhelming for
some people. It implies judgment
and it can be asking an
unanswerable question.
5. Closed questions (cqs) are
those that can easily be
answered with a “yes” or a “no”
or brief information. for example:
1. What is your name and date of birth?

6. Paraphrasing - What You Think
the Speaker Said
 Paraphrasing is when you restate
briefly and tentatively what the
speaker said –
 It’s good to learn how to rephrase
briefly and acknowledge that this is
what we think the client has said.
 This is a good time to take interest in
the tone of your voice. Be watchful
of whether it is…
◦ • High / low
◦ • Loud / soft
◦ • Fast / slow
◦ • Accommodating / demanding
◦ • Light-hearted / gloomy
 Moderation in all things including
voice is important.
 And remember, the person may not
remember what was said, but they
will remember how you made them
feel!

7. Summary - Focusing on the
Main Points
 When you focus on the main
points of a presentation or session
you are checking to see if you are
accurate .
 Sum-ups happen at the beginning
and at the end of a session..
 In a beginning summary you are
recalling what happened at the
last meeting.
 In an ending one, you are
attempting to condense what has
happened over 40 minutes into a
few minutes worth of material.
 In both cases your tone needs to
imply that you are open to some
changes in perspective. It’s
important that both the client and
you, are “reading from the same
page.”

8. Note Taking - Can Get a Little
Messy!
 Note taking can keep you on
track, but it can also be distracting
for the client as you are tempted
to rest your eyes on the pen and
paper.
 And if you don’t take notes, you
may forget what happened in the
last session?
 In counseling, SAPO method may
be used for note taking.
◦ Subjective – What the client is
describing?
◦ Assessment -What was the
ensuing discussion?
◦ Plan- What is the action plan?
◦ Other-What do you need to do in
order to be prepared for the next
visit?

9. Yes, There Will Be Homework!
 Remember, there are 23 hours in
the rest of the day. Most of the
work is done outside of the
session.
 If some information is crucial you
can always phone or email the
client.
 Reason for homework is that it
decreases the amount you talk.
 It helps you to be more self aware
of the client.
 It also helps to educate the client
and provide tools for improving.
 It helps you to get prepared for
the next session.