Working With Clients Within The BACP Framework

A Research Paper in Psychology on the Strategical Methods of
Working with Clients within the British Association for
Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Framework
Name
Professor
Psychology
10 May 2019
Abstract
This paper focuses on the importance and urgent need of counselling in handling different cases of behavioral problems. The contents of this research paper are divided into two parts: Report A and Report B. Report A centers on the essence of supervision of a Counselor during process and methods of counselling. While Report B is fixated more on the experiences of a counsellor during counselling sessions with clients and during client’s placement. Furthermore, numerous resources are incorporated and discussed within the next paragraphs of this research documentary to prove evidence and provide primary and secondary valid and legal bases of the principles and strategies in counselling. The very core purpose of this paper is to educate the readers to be knowledgeable of the basic steps in counselling, most importantly the necessity of supervision during sessions of psychotherapy with mentally distraught clients. The case studies will also serve as additional back up research that elaborates on the application of the strategies and principles in counselling. Moreover, strategical guidelines and interventions used by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) are also enumerated and narrated in the following compartmental areas of this paper. Primarily, the BACP’s mission is to uphold the highest standard of counselling whereby the therapists and counsellors are professionally and accurately trained to exercise the precepts within their ethical rules and regulations. Likewise, this paper also informs the readers that governments and organizations not only from UK are determined to protect the precepts exercised in the department of Psychology. Another primary objective is to help the patient or client and come into terms of providing a definite plan that will accurately treat and guide the patients.
REPORT A
Introduction
Counselling is very important because the world has now evolved into a faster pace of upgrading not only technology but as well as science and people are experiencing more negative and traumatic incidents that lead to depression, anxiety, panic attacks, fear and discouragement. Individuals are now facing numerous challenges that could later on lead into isolation or mental health imbalance (DS Psychology Group, 2017). A person’s mental health is primordial and must be taken well care of similarly in the exact manner that we are prioritizing our physical health. Behavioral health has now become as important as Engineering, Law, Science and is another part or area of Medicine. It helps treat different mental sicknesses and diseases through counselling or medicines. In the absence of a fit body and mind, difficulties are sure to arise. Counselors are well-trained and experienced in helping solve problems by teaching, educating and counselling patients with mental health dilemma. They assist people in going through a series of tests that will determine the very cause of their behavioral issues and provide treatments by directing and guiding them into their options of healing. As a counsellor, there is a need to be professional at all times in their dealings with their patients and could offer guidance from helping people in choosing the education, work, studies or to forming healthy relationships with families and friends that will lead to success (DS Psychology Group, 2017). Friedman D., Kaslow N.J. (2018) stated in their paper that there are parallels in the methods of development that affect the guidelines for supervisory practice. The subordinate Psychotherapist will experience varying emotions of excitement, anxiety, confidence and competence.
The Ethical Traits and Standards of a Counselor
According to the research and data presented by the Metavision Institute (2014), “a counsellor aids in bringing out the strength and wisdom of the client while studying the background and the environmental factors surrounding the client or the patient.” A few important traits required in order for a counsellor to be successful in their work is that they must be patient and discerning. The process of providing guidance and advice must not be taken lightly because the client’s life and future is at stake. As defined by the BACP “Counselling refers to the process of providing healthy advice and offering specialty services in counselling or psychology. It is a general practice that centralizes on the betterment of the client’s health. The focal point is studying and helping people by learning how they function on a daily basis and the kinds or relationships they are engaged in (American Psychological Association, 2019).” The method of counselling is not easy and must be thoroughly evaluated, conducted and practiced. It is not as simple as giving an ordinary advice to your closest friends. There is a need for long and systematic research as to the historical background of a client to decipher the events, past experiences and relationships that will point out to the root cause of the dilemma that had eventually led into the need for counselling. It is necessary to understand the emotional, social, spiritual and mental concerns of the client that he has gone through as a kid and during the stage of development towards adulthood. A counselor must determine what multiple factors and life stresses eventually led to the mental breakdown or anguish of the patient. This involves interviewing and collating data from the client and his family that would enable the counselor to determine what immediate steps to take to contain the situation before it goes out of hand. Morally and ethically speaking, the Counselor is bound by universal rules of psychology, medicine, counseling and psychotherapy. It is not an easy task nor is there a quick fix in helping solve a human problem that has been existing for years. The Counselor has to sit down with the client, talk, listen for hours and record down through writing all the information that will be divulged during sessions of therapy. As stated in the Abstract part of this paper, the focus precisely is on the methods and strategies of BACP. Although there are other organizations and medical institutions having their own set of methods, the point of discussion in this paper is on the Strategical Methods of
Working with Clients within the Framework of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). The counselling procedures include assessment, determination of the medical diagnosis and medical treatment in cases of extreme psychological sicknesses (American Psychological Association, 2019). The medical standard and high level of professionalism is of utmost importance when it comes to counselling. Most predominantly, counselors focus on certain specific aspects such as the strengths and weaknesses of the client, the environmental, social, cultural factors that affect the client’s way of thinking and their understanding of social justice, fair play in terms of the differences between individuals.
Supervision in Psychotherapy and Counselling
Supervision is a process whereby a senior counsellor and practitioner oversees a younger and junior counselor in terms of the therapy and counselling sessions for the very purpose of applying treatment to the client’s mental and emotional dilemma. Likewise, the aim of the process of supervision is to promote a consistent development and healing methods for the betterment of the client (Roseneil W., 2003). It is also a form of arrangement that an individual or more counselors engaged in with a higher-ranking officer of a Medical Institution for Psychotherapy. Such process involve consultations, the methods of evaluation, study and analysis of the clients seeking help. Supervision in Counselling and Psychotherapy has been defined in different ways. According to renowned author Farrell (1996) that supervision is another form of strategical method that enables training and the act of passing on to the next predecessor who is also a counselor, the various psychotherapy learnings that will definitely increase the knowledge of counselors and their staff of psychotherapists. Even in the area of mental health, there is a form of leadership and hierarchy. Supervision is a grand privilege for the junior counselors to be trained for free and to be acknowledged by more experienced and veteran counselors. There is a dire necessity for supervision in the work place where counseling is exercised. Supervision helps prevent the commission of numerous mistakes that could possibly lead into more complications or even worsen the situation of the patient client. Having a supervisor serves as a check and balance for the younger counselors and it allows the counselors to discuss important and urgent matters in connection to psychotherapy. In addition to the above references, Peter Hawkins and Robin Shohet (2000) stated that Supervision is complicated as opposed to working with the clients since there is a few proof that could be concisely assessed in terms of the effectiveness of the act of supervising. The process goes like this where an individual brings in a client that needs counselling or psychotherapy and that client is not seen by the supervisor in actuality. The Supervisor is tasked only with studying the reports given by the subordinate counselor and only assess situations based on the reports given to him or her. There are also rough circumstances such as the fact that the counselor has to focus on the relationship with the supervisor and on the different systems that they are handling instead of putting 100% attention on the client and helping solve his mental dilemma. There are different variables to consider, the pros and cons, the positive and the negative influences in having supervision in counselling and in psychotherapy.
Supervision is not an easy task that has to be performed by trained and professional counsellors with much experience and skill. Part 1 of the research of Peter Hawkins and Robin Shohet (2000) have mutual concern for the supervisors and encourages counselors and psychotherapy doctors to be proactive in their work and to give their best in helping people get the treatment that must be provided for them. Likewise, there is a need for team building activities and continuous seminars and trainings that will enhance the knowledge of the doctors, counselors and even the nurses so that they will continually be kept abreast of the latest laws and medical or technological upgrades that will ensure the treatment and healing of the clients. There is also a dire need to watch over the staff, counselors and doctors to be sure that they are also taken well care of so that they will be able to perform their responsibilities properly and discreetly. Furthermore, Shohet elucidated that there is a risk in believing that support could only come from those higher in position. There is a need to share and explain that support may come from all directions, outside organizations with concern for counseling and psychotherapy or from the government who are tasked in the health department to oversee that doctors, clinics, counselling organizations and agencies are equipped with the best technology or knowledge that could help them with their jobs. Supervisors must also be chosen well. They must have the expertise and the skills required to perform their jobs accurately and excellently. The initiative in allowing supervision in counselling therapies started as a paradigm shift in medical education. Medical experts in Psychology, counselling and psychotherapy have elucidated that progress and treatment will be more effective if supervision is exercised. Numerous developments have also been seen in different countries seeing that having supervision produced excellent results in counselling (Falender C., Shafranske E., 2011). A competency-based supervision has also paved a way for more developments and improvements in the field of counselling and psychotherapy. It must be understood that there are types of supervisors that are lacking and have deficiencies in terms of counselling and in helping the clients as they seek for treatment. Having these deficiencies and incompetency will be dangerous and negatively risky for the well-being of the patients. The advantages and disadvantages in the process of supervision will help determine how the programs inside counselling clinics and medical institutions shall suffice and must be handled.
In the process of supervision, several problems are addressed such as the types of dilemma that usually affect the development and cultural beliefs of a client. This includes the following:
School and jobs, any form of dilemma within these settings
The method of making decisions about the study at school and work
Issues in relationships within the family and marital conflicts
Different learning deficiencies and difficulties
Counselling sessions on how to overcome stresses in the environment
These are only a few of the problems discussed, and deliberated during sessions of psychotherapy and counselling. Likewise, the issue of one’s identity is also a cause for counselling and must be brought out into the sessions to be assessed and solved. Mental dysfunctions are also a huge factor that is necessary of therapy and counselling. These are the types of causes needed to be solved so that clients will be educated and taught how to overcome and be successful against these ailments to improve their way of living and to fix their mindsets (MTD, 2019). There is no better way than to provide choices that will help them resolve their mental disorders and difficulties in forming relationships with other people. Supervision is not a complicated system but it is also not a quick fix whereby only trained and experienced counselors and therapists have the authority to supervise (Peter Hawkins and Robin Shohet, 2000). The supervisors must develop the skill of encouraging counselors and psychotherapists to be excellent in their programs. The more that these medical experts are able to provide accurate diagnosis and consistent counselling then there is a greater probability that the client will come out of the ailment and progress towards healing (Brighton Therapy Partnership, 2019).
REPORT B
A Case Study on my Experience as a Student in a Placement Setting
This Report focuses on the interventions following a humanistic and the person-centered model that I experienced as a Student in a placement setting. As a counsellor, I would follow the person-centered pers...