216 – Insurance for Counsellors

The Skill of Challenge – When Friends Ask for Counselling

In Episode 216 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly discuss this week’s three topics:

• In ‘Counselling Foundations’ we’ll look at the skill of challenging.
• Then in ‘Focus on Self’, we move on to how to deal with friends and acquaintances once they discover your career.
• And finally in ‘Practice Matters’, Rory speaks with Jo Mountain about insurance for counsellors and psychotherapists.

The Skill of Challenge [starts at 1:25 mins]

Sometimes challenging the client during your practice becomes necessary and in this section, Rory and Ken discuss the situations this may come into play:

• If a client is clearly under the influence and not in a suitable state to undergo the session or late to a session without notice, it may be necessary to challenge them on this.
• Not doing things that would benefit them such as homework you’ve set will hamper progress and open the opportunity for challenge.
• When it comes to person-centred therapy, you could challenge incongruence within the client.
• In recovery counselling, there can be a high level of challenge necessary as a part of the process.
• Challenging is something that needs to be practised.

When Friends Ask for Counselling [starts at 19:37 mins]

Dealing with those closest to you can sometimes become difficult when they are made aware of your career as a counsellor. It’s important that you know how to deal with this when faced with it.

The key points of this discussion include:

• Start as you mean to go on within the relationship.
• Explain why you are unable to be a counsellor for your friends and that counselling is a managed activity.
• Be careful that you don’t unconsciously slip into the process.
• Ethically you can’t counsel a friend or family member.
• Practice with peers, not at home.
• Be aware that when speaking with friends you naturally have an unavoidable bias.

Importance of Insurance for Counsellors [starts at 30:51 mins]

This week, Rory speaks with Jo Mountain from Howden Insurance on the importance of having insurance as a counsellor and psychotherapist.

• Having insurance is primarily optional.
• There are two essentials when it comes to insurance within your counselling practice:
  • Complaints defense – if you receive a complaint that results in a poor outcome, it could seriously effect and reduce your career.
  • Civil action – puts your personal wealth at risk.
• Insurance provides support – helping to respond to complaints and attend hearings if a complaint manages to get that far.
• Can cover working from home.
• Reduced rates for students and premiums for members of ethical bodies, (specific to Howden).
• Helpful third-party partners.
• Howden won’t insure deliberate actions, or if there was prior knowledge of a situation e.g. complaint.

Links and Resources

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

Howden Insurance for Therapists and Counsellors