Social Work and Human Services

HN501 Foundations of Human Services unit7 MAIN POST

Skills in the Helping Process

In Chapter 7 (page 177, Box. 7.3), “A Client Speaks” describes a veteran from the wars in the Middle East diagnosed with PTSD.

Using the key terms and concepts from Chapter 7, as well as examples to support your answers, please respond to the following:

• What helping skill or skills would you use to strengthen the client-helper relationship in the stages of exploring the problems (assessment process) and interventions strategies?
• In addition to the above skills, how could you specifically apply Motivational Interviewing techniques as an intervention strategy to respond to the client’s questions about group therapy?
• Last, identify one Rapid Assessment Instrument (RAI) and one Evidenced-Based Intervention (EBI) that would align with the client’s needs and presenting problems.

ANSWER

Foundations of Human Services

Skills in the Helping Process

Client understanding is one of the most important helping skills since it helps explore the client’s past and current situation. These are effective in establishing the goals and expectations of the client. Understanding pays attention to non-verbal and verbal cues, which are key to helping comprehend the client’s desires and needs. Attending is also an important skill in the assessment process since it helps pay attention and lets the client feel interested in their conversation (Falzon et al., 2019). Listening is also vital for effective communication and offering powerful results for clients. Questioning focuses not only on the ability to discern the client’s needs but also on determining the common barriers and solutions for the client.

Motivational Interviewing Technique

Motivation to change varies from one individual to another and from one situation to another. Motivational interviewing is a counseling technique that enhances a client’s motivation to change (Pastore and Fortier, 2020). Therefore, motivational interviewing is an effective person-centered counseling approach. Motivational interviewing in group therapy allows for self-disclosure and openness. Motivational interviewing helps explore the client’s willingness to change and allows for reflective listening to meet the goals of each client.

Global Assessment Scale and Cognitive Processing Therapy

The Global Assessment Scale is a rating scale used to evaluate the overall functioning of a subject during a specified time during the therapy (Pedersen et al., 2018). This is designed to understand how well an individual can do daily activities. GAS allows the evaluation of an individual’s social, psychological, and occupational functioning.

Cognitive processing therapy would be very effective since it reduces the symptoms of PTSD (Resick et al., 2016). The client can learn how to modify and challenge unhelpful beliefs linked to the trauma. The CPT treatment begins with psycho-education regarding emotions and thoughts. The client becomes more aware of the relationship between emotions and thoughts, thus avoiding trauma-related feelings.

References

Falzon, R., Frendo, C., & Muscat, M. (2019). Paving the way for counseling? The link between Maltese PSD model and counseling. Journal of School-Based Counseling Policy and Evaluation, 1(2), 8-26.

Pastore, O., & Fortier, M. (2020). Understanding the Link Between Motivational Interviewing and Self-Compassion. Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy, 54(4), 846-860.

Pedersen, G., Urnes, Ø., Hummelen, B., Wilberg, T., & Kvarstein, E. H. (2018). Revised manual for the Global Assessment of Functioning scale. European Psychiatry, 51, 16-19.

Resick, P. A., Monson, C. M., & Chard, K. M. (2016). Cognitive processing therapy for PTSD: A comprehensive manual. Guilford Publications.