Assessment: Knowledge Questions

This assessment has been designed to allow you to demonstrate your knowledge of the components of the communication process, barriers to effective communication, stages of interviews and interview techniques that support the client-counsellor relationship.

You will be assessed on your ability to:

• Demonstrate your knowledge of the communication process in a client-counsellor relationship.
• Demonstrate literacy skills to read, interpret and respond to each question and communicate complex ideas
• Demonstrate critical thinking in your responses

Read through the questions carefully and respond to them in fullusing your own words and referencing any researched material. Any incorrect or incomplete responses will be returned to you with feedback to allow you to resubmit. If you require additional training or guidance on the topic, you can negotiate time with your tutor for assistance.

Q1: In your own words, describe the communication process.

Q2: Identify possible barriers to effective communication.

Q3: Describe the counselling process considering the beginning phase, the middle phase and the ending phase.

Q4: Identify four (4) possible barriers which may prevent active listening.

Q5: Write down 'open' questions that would be appropriate for you as a counsellor to use in the situation presented, so as to elicit more information from your client, or to demonstrate that you are 'attending' to the situation. Make sure that all questions are open. What, when, where and how are the important questions which provide necessary information for a counsellor, but go slowly when you ask questions, so you don't sound like you are 'interrogating' your client.

a) After all the times he's let me down, that just seemed to be the last straw.

b) Well, he usually came home early on Tuesdays, flexed off. He knows how important it is for me to get to my classes. And of course I can't leave John on his own. I have to wait till Jeff gets home.

c) Well, I suppose you think I overreacted, but I couldn't stand it any longer so I just grabbed John and walked out and what's more, now I've had time to think about it, I don't want to go back either.

d) Well, sometimes things got a bit cold. I mean I work pretty hard and sometimes I'd get home to a sour look just because I hadn't got there earlier - as if it was somehow wrong that I'd been working my guts out.

e) I suppose it happened every few days - especially recently. I mean she'd get really angry if I got held up on Tuesdays because she had night classes. Someone's got to look after John - he's five. I mean, she could have dropped him off at her sister's, but she says that isn't fair.

Q6: Identify three (3) key elements to consider when setting up a counselling space.

Q7: In your own words explain how individual perception could be a barrier in the counselling process.

Q8: Give three (3) examples each of verbal and non-verbal (physical) minimal encouragers.

Q9: When working with an Indigenous client, to be culturally appropriate what physical minimal encourager may not be an appropriate communication technique to demonstrate that we are listening?

Q10: Give an example of a closed question.

Q11: Explain when it would be appropriate to use a probing question.

Q12: In your own words, explain what confrontation skills are and when they could be used.

Q13: In your own words, select and explain what influencing skills are when they could be used.

Q14: As a counsellor it is important to be aware of specific issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. To provide effective support to your Indigenous clients, what possible issues should you be aware of as a counsellor?

Q15: What observational cues might you look for to determine if a client is responsive to a particular style communication, e.g. visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic?

I need to do the question Number 3, 5 question a to e, and question number 10 only.