Questions
Answers should be at least 100-175 words and reflect critical thought. Whenever possible, please try to relate the course content to real-world applications from your work experience. Be sure to cite all sources as well.
1. What is the benefit of the therapist specifying a limited number of sessions and expecting that change will occur in a short period of time?
2. Why is it important to consider cultural diversity in counseling?
3. By having a set amount of sessions it keeps the client focused on achieving a particular goal. When a client comes in for therapy it is beneficial to remind the client that they need to have a goal for therapy.
Some clients think that they can come to therapy for an extended period of time until they feel they have been "fixed". However, if the therapist/counselor reminds the client that they need to have a goal set the client can work towards meeting that goal and not so much on talking with a counselor/therapist about random things. Consider the following: what are some consequences if a client doesn't set goals for therapy?
4. I agree with you that "goal setting is a great concept for counseling because the client is entering counseling to change something such as a behavior or any other goals".
I believe that this is one of the most important factors in counseling, without goal setting clients can't truly move beyond what they are seeking counseling for. Because we all process issues differently I feel it will be a challenge to asses specifically how many sessions will be enough without really getting to know your client. Do you think that a limited number of sessions can negatively impact a client's progress?
5. According to the text, this can be a useful mode of therapy when the consultant does not reside permanently in the place that the therapy is to be conducted in, but is suffering and needs to receive help. Personally, I think that this scenario gives the client a designated time to adjust their self-analysis and accept responsibility for their own treatment. This gives the client and therapist a chance to develop the understanding to what is expected of at the end of their sessions. Fellow classmates, what are your thoughts?
6. Cultural competency is very important in counseling. It is very important that counselors explore all stereotypes and biases they hold true before interacting with clients that represent a different culture from their own.
Sometimes counselors are not aware of biases or stereotypes that they hold and may accidentally say something inappropriate in a counseling session. For example, a colleague of mine was providing services to a black male that was struggling with depression due to a recent job loss. One day in the session she asked the client if losing the job was really a bad thing.
In her attempt to reframe his circumstance she insulted him. After that she indicated that their sessions became dull and then he stopped coming in. In the African American culture when a man has a job he's viewed as a provider and has a strong sense of his identity without it he's viewed as a bum and less of a man. Consider the following: how could she have reframed his situation without insulting his culture?
7. It is important to consider cultural diversity in counseling for many reasons. One, a counselor may hold prejudices, or bias that he or she is not aware of until a person or situation brings it out; therefore, it is essential for the counselor to be self-aware.
Second, it is important for any counselor, no matter the therapeutic approach he or she may choose to follow in practice, to understand and respect the diversity of their clients, which means that counselors should be mindful at all times and be willing to continuously educate themselves on other cultures, religions, traditions and traits. Any thoughts?
8. When a therapist sets a specific number of sessions it's setting a goal for the client to meet, this way the clients know that they have an allotted amount of time to do the work they need to do to accomplish their goals.
Many insurance companies set a limit on how many visits they will pay for as well, so this can be a contributing factor in the therapist plan of action. It's like in Home Health, we had treatment plans and goals for the clients to achieve certain milestones in a limited number of days and if they accomplished their goals, new goals were set until they were healed and back to work. Any thoughts?