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]
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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.
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When to Use Challenge in the Counselling Relationship