Assessment: Practice Session and Evaluation

Part A -

You will need to record a counselling practice session to upload onto my.evocca. The Counselling Room in your college may be booked for this session. Distance students can record the session on their iPad or laptop and upload it to my.evocca.

If you wish your tutor to observe you delivering this session, please ensure you inform him/her before booking to ensure they are available.

The session should go for no more than 20 mins. You will need a volunteer for this exercise and they will need to read the following paragraph and discuss it with you.

'I've just been told that I have to have an operation - I've never had one before and I just don't know what to expect - the doctor says it is essential to have it right away, but I want to get things a big organised at home first - maybe I just want time to think about it - it has been a bit of a shock. He says I must be prepared to be in hospital a long while - I wonder what he means - I can't sleep for wondering.' I have an appointment at the hospital tomorrow to book in for the treatment but I don't think I am going to go. I have been like this for ages and I am sure I can get better without an operation. Maybe I should go to another doctor and he could give me pills.

It is highly recommended that you practise the session several times with your volunteer before submitting you final session for assessment.

The following factors should be taken into consideration:

1. The environment - conduct this interview somewhere quiet where you will not be disturbed

2. Introduction - settling the client, ensuring they are comfortable

3. Addressing any cultural issues

4. Aim or goal of the interview.

Part B -

Following the recording, you are to review the recording and write a 500-700 word essay outlining the following:

Introduction - building rapport

Examples of confrontation skills, focusing skills and influencing skills

Examples of active listening, reflecting back content/feeling and summarising

Please note any open, closed, probing and compound questions.

Explore the observations made of the client's non-verbal and verbal communications. Address any inconsistencies.

Address any barriers to communication and strategies you could implement to reduce or eliminate them in future sessions.

Address any cultural issues you experienced and strategies you used to overcome them/or could have used.

Describe the counselling environments, its strengths and its weaknesses.

Included verbatim examples of what you as the counsellor could have said where critical elements are missing. For example, give a verbatim example of a reflection of feeling, where one would have been appropriate.

Lastly, address any areas that you could improve on in future sessions.

You may use the student self-checklist provided below to ensure you have covered all areas required in your essay.