320 – Preparing the Therapeutic Environment

Navigating the Complaints Process Part 2 – Skill of Challenge in Counselling

In Episode 320 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, your hosts Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly are back with this week’s three topics:

• Firstly in ‘Ethical, Sustainable Practice’, Rory and Ken look at preparing the therapeutic environment for autism-friendly care.
• Then in ‘Practice Matters’ we have part 2 of last week’s interview with Susie Jamieson about her journey navigating the complaints process.
• And lastly in ‘Student Services’, we look at the skill of challenge in counselling.

Preparing the Therapeutic Environment [starts at 03:25 mins]

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We often think long and hard about how we organise our therapeutic space, but how often do you think about changes you could make for clients?

In this section, Rory and Ken discuss some reasonable adjustments you can make in preparing the therapeutic environment for your practice rooms to provide autism-friendly care:

• Inclusivity and accessibility are incredibly important in counselling.
• Making an effective therapeutic alliance can make a huge difference to the outcome of a client’s therapy.
• Ask what reasonable adjustments you might be able to make for a client – allow them to feel as though they can share those with you.
• You can explore this before you even meet the client, in your first contact such as email or over the phone.
• Consider things such as sound, lighting, and smell in the therapy room.
• You don’t want a client focusing on their discomfort rather than engaging with what’s going on.
• Sensitivity to sound can also apply to tone of voice and communication style – some may want a more calm, monotonous tone, or some may prefer a faster pace with a more animated tone.
• You might consider having lights that you can dim, or fidget toys.
• Do you have busy or distracting wallpaper?
• Let the client know that you’re willing to make reasonable adjustments and advertise that.

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Navigating the Complaints Process Part 2 [starts at 29:14 mins]

In this week’s ‘Practice Matters’ we carry on our interview with Susie Jamieson about her experience with the complaints process.

The key points of this section include:

• The process involves quite a lot of waiting.
• There is a need for support – surround yourself with as much support as you can.
• You may be asked to gather references and/or testimonials.
• One of these might be from your supervisor, a written account of how you work and how you make use of your supervision.
• The case can be dismissed at any time.
• Sanction – a soft punishment.
• You might experience significant financial loss through lost earnings.
• The process can take a huge emotional toll.
• The BACP have now launched Member Support Services.

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• Academic lecture library – Lectures that cover key theory, skills and professional development linked to your counselling study.
• Theory Decoded, Skills Mastery and More – Counselling theories and skills are broken down into easy-to-understand ‘chunks’, with clear examples to guide you.

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Skill of Challenge in Counselling [starts at 56:21 mins]

If you find yourself intimidated by the skill of challenge, Rory and Ken are here to talk you through the benefits of this skill, and some practical examples of how you might implement it:

• When using the skill of challenge, appropriateness and timing are the two key things to consider.
• There may be fear about it being confrontational – but it’s more about highlighting.
• It might be bringing reality into the room whilst being mindful.
• You might highlight incongruence in their thoughts, feelings or behaviours.
• It’s not about contradiction or confrontation but shining a light on something that might be inconsistent.
• It’s not meant to make a client feel criticised or put down.
• Introducing challenge too early in the therapeutic relationship can damage rapport.
• Rapport needs to be built and established beforehand.
• Be mindful not to mirror a client’s coping mechanism such as a nervous laugh – challenge might be as simple as not laughing with them.
• Check a challenge with your supervisor – get a second opinion on the challenge you’re considering.
• Be aware of the disinhibition effect and maybe step in and challenge this to prevent the client from possibly feeling regret afterwards.
• Challenge should be used with care – when used correctly it can be incredibly effective.

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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