239 – Carl Rogers’ Fully Functioning Person

Getting the Best from Directory Listings – Breathwork for Counsellors

In Episode 239 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, your hosts Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly take us through this week’s three topics:

• Firstly, in ‘Theory in Practice’ we look at the fully functioning person according to Carl Rogers.
• Then in ‘Practice Partner’, Rory and Ken look at ways to get the best from a directory listing.
• Lastly in ‘Practice Matters’, Rory speaks with Barbara Pidgeon about breathwork for counsellors.

Carl Rogers’ Fully Functioning Person [starts at 02:54 mins]

In this section, Rory and Ken discuss the term fully functioning person as used by Carl Rogers.

The key points of this discussion include:

• The fully functioning person is someone who is better able to navigate the peaks and troughs of life.
• The way life comes at this person won’t change – but as a fully functioning person they are able to view things as a part of life, not as something personally directed against them.
• According to Carl Rogers, a fully functioning person’s emotions are less easily swayed – they can remain okay within a storm.
• A client who is less fully functioning may project negativity into the therapy room.
• Alternatively, a client who is more fully functioning may look through a frame of gratitude. This could indicate that they are nearing the end of their time with you.
• A more fully functioning person will have an increased openness to experience – a motivation to gain experiences and try new things.
• They will be better able to relinquish control of things and go with the flow; they will have trust in their own judgement.
• Becoming a fully functioning person is a process and a way of being – it’s about how you approach and take responsibility of life.

Getting the Best from Directory Listings [starts at 19:45 mins]

Delving deeper into what was mentioned in last week’s ‘Practice Partner’, Rory and Ken look at how you might go about standing out in a directory listing.

The main points of this section are:

• The AIDA model is something to consider when creating your listing:
  • Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action.
• How will you stand out from everyone else?
• Remember that you’re not writing a CV or listing your attributes – you’re starting a conversation with someone who is in pain and is looking for help – try using a conversational tone in your listing.
• Use a picture that represents who the client will see e.g. if you have decided to grow a beard, update your picture to reflect that.
• Your profile should be honest and well written.
• When taking your picture consider things like background and lighting e.g. taking your picture outside will provide better lighting with less shadows.
• Your background shouldn’t be distracting – you are the focal point.
• Crop your picture into a square before uploading it to avoid distortion.
• Try not to be too smiley – your possible client is currently in pain, a simple and approachable look is a step towards starting the empathic relationship.

Breathwork for Counsellors [starts at 41:55 mins]

In this week’s ‘Practice Matters’, Rory speaks with Barbara Pidgeon about the importance of breathwork.

The key points of this discussion include:

• Breathing is a vital life force – you can go much longer without food and water than you can without breathing.
• It affects every system in the body, including neurology.
• When your breathing is erratic, your heart rate becomes erratic too.
• When breathing heavily (during exercise for example), your body can’t distinguish being chased by a threat and running for fun – it’s up to you to regulate your breath.
• Consciously thinking about your breathing brings back your awareness of self e.g. during dissociation.
• You can take a moment to regulate your breath anytime, anywhere.

Links and Resources

Counselling Skills Academy

Advanced Certificate in Counselling Supervision

Basic Counselling Skills: A Student Guide

Counsellor CPD

Counselling Study Resource

Counselling Theory in Practice: A Student Guide

Counselling Tutor Shop

Facebook group

Website

Online and Telephone Counselling: A Practitioner’s Guide

Online and Telephone Counselling Course