Please visit www.aipc.net.au/vgd to learn more about the Institute, our Vocational Graduate courses and how to enrol. Or alternatively, please call your nearest Institute branch on the FreeCall numbers shown below.

Institute Student Support Centres

Sydney: 1800 677 697

Melbourne: 1800 622 489

Perth: 1800 353 643

Brisbane: 1800 246 324

Adelaide: 1800 246 381

Regional NSW: 1800 625 329

Regional QLD: 1800 359 565

Gold Coast: 1800 625 359

NT/Tasmania: 1800 353 643

Intojobs

AIPC is currently accepting Expressions of Interest from counsellors for the following roles:

Education Advisor (3 days a week, 9am to 5pm) – This role provides educational assistance to students calling the Study Assistance Line or emailing with study queries, and marking student written assessments.

Senior Education Adviser  (3 days a week, 9am to 5pm) – This role oversees and provides study assistance to students via the Study Assistance Line and email, oversees marking of student assessments, training education advisers and markers, and assists with resolving student issues.

Due to the part time nature of the positions, they are ideal for practicing counsellors with the following counselling and training qualifications and experience:

-      Diploma-level qualification in Counselling or equivalent with two years counselling experience, and

-      Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training (or willingness to obtain).

To express interest in either of these positions, please forward a short cover letter describing your counselling experience and your CV to Dr Clive Jones, Education Manager, Locked Bag 15, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006 or email clive@aipc.net.au.

Please include the name of the position you would like to be considered for in the subject line. Applications will be shortlisted on a first-in basis.

Intocounselling

Within a counselling environment, the need may arise for a counsellor to work with clients who appear resistant to change or unhappy with external assistance. Some clients, who are attending counselling due to a mandated requirement, may resent the fact that they feel coerced into attending. Such clients may cite benefits such as meeting parole conditions or court orders as their only motivation for attendance.

Consequently, many individuals can view a counsellor’s involvement in this process as an imposition of their rights and they take the view that what is happening to them is in some way the counsellor’s fault.

Similar to any interpersonal transaction, an individual's behaviour can become challenging when they feel threatened, undervalued, judged, or simply if the counsellor they are dealing with appear to have differing goals or desired outcomes than they have for themselves (Roes, 2002).

Defining a Challenging Client

As a counsellor, not judging clients is crucial to the therapeutic interaction. So, defining a challenging client can be difficult in itself. There are many reasons for people becoming challenging clients. As counsellors, labelling them can interfere with the therapeutic relationship, build tension, stress and undermine the counselling dynamic.

Some clients may have a justifiable reason to feel angry or frustrated. Sometimes clients may present as being challenging because of negative life experiences and a reluctance to participate in counselling can be a defence mechanism (Norton, & McGaulry, 1998).

There are different types of challenging clients that a counsellor will encounter over the course of their work. They are described in this chapter.

·         Aggressive and Angry - This may be obvious to the counsellor as direct physical violence, or physical intimidation, which by its nature is destructive, and which is directed at harming or controlling other people.

·         Complainers - Clients who complain about their position but are unwilling to try anything new or do anything about their situation.

·         Unresponsive and Silent – Clients who are unwilling to engage in any type of conversation or divulge any information about themselves. They will usually only provide minimal responses.

·         Superficially agreeable – These clients are ‘yes’ people, in that they will agree with anything you say but rarely follow through with action.

·         Pessimists – These clients will always find a reason why your suggestions cannot be attempted and will not work (“yes but” players).

·         Know it all’s – There is nothing these clients do not know or have not done.

·         Illusionary – These clients do not acknowledge that they have any needs. They are ‘special’ and can’t understand why they are required to attend counselling.

·         Indecisive – These people are likely to put off a decision until it is made for them or no longer an issue.

·         Drug affected and intoxicated – This refers to clients who are under the influence or affected by alcohol or drugs.

It is important that a counsellor acknowledge each of these types of client challenges are of a behavioural nature and do not cover the unique problems associated with socio-economic or environmental issues (Norton et al, 1998).

Considering basic human rights

When dealing with challenging clients we need to remember that each and every individual is entitled to a number of basic human rights.

As individuals, clients have a right to:

-      have and express their own feelings and opinions

-      refuse requests without having to feel guilty or selfish

-      consider their own needs

-      set their own priorities and make their own decisions

-      change

-      decide what to do with their own property, body, and time

-      make mistakes – and be responsible for them

-      ask for what they want

-      ask for information

-      choose not to assert themselves

-      do anything, as long as it does not violate the rights of others

-      be independent

-      be successful

-      have rights and stand up for themselves

-      be left alone

-      be treated with dignity and respect

-      be listened to and taken seriously

-      get what they paid for

(Kottler, 1992)

If you are in a position of counselling clients that are considered to be ‘at risk’ in terms of their risk of becoming or being challenging, then it is important that you as a counsellor have adequate strategies and risk management procedures in place either in your practice or workplace, in the case of a challenging situation occurring.

Please Note: If you work within an organisation it is imperative that you become aware of the established procedures and protocols that exist for dealing with complaints, risk and crisis.

It is important for you to review the security arrangements within your workplace or practice, by considering the following:

1. Consider the severity of situations requiring back-up assistance.

-      Have the local police, mental health team and emergency phone numbers clearly displayed (or on speed dial) on your phone.

-      Consider procedures for making another staff member aware if you have concerns regarding a client – be clear about what you expect them to do. If you are working on your own then it is best to only see the challenging client when another person can be in the office.

-      If the counsellor anticipates problems, have a colleague in the room with you.

-      If the counsellor is on his/her own and a client becomes challenging, excuse themselves and leave the room.

-      Keep the office door open, unless you are visible to others through a glass partition.

-      Position yourself closest to the door.

-      Be conscious of your personal safety and the information you disclose about yourself as the counsellor.

2. Discuss the process of isolating an identified problem.

-      Where do you deal with a distressed or angry client?

-      It is usually better to take the client to a more private area to resolve their concern, keeping safety issues in mind. Taking someone into an office and addressing the problem indicates they are being taken seriously and are being listened to.

3. Know the process for reporting an incident.

-      Who is responsible for dealing with complaints and what is the procedure?

4. Know the practical safety considerations of your counselling setting.

-      Layout of the office – including placement of furniture, whether you offer glasses rather than plastic cups, not offering hot beverages to the challenging client etc.

-      Leave doors open but ensure that you are maintaining the client’s privacy and confidentiality.

-      Encourage staff to consider having unlisted phone numbers.  Do not give out personal or after hours numbers.

-      Review the arrangements for travelling with clients (if applicable).

5. Debrief with other counsellors to share their own experiences.

-      How did they cope?

-      What was the situation?

6. Take personal responsibility for your actions

-      DON’T respond with anger and aggression

-      Take into consideration your client’s needs and be aware of situations and statements that may cause aggression eg. culture, gender and language

-      Be respectful, friendly, helpful and attentive

-      Be non-judgemental

-      Be calm

-      Be aware of the client’s behaviour

-      Know your limits

(Hanna, 2001)

Developing an Internal Process for Recording and Reporting an Incident

As discussed earlier, all counselling staff should be aware that each and every individual is entitled to act upon, or be treated according to the principles of basic human rights. As such, our clients are entitled to make a complaint if and when they feel it is necessary for them to do so.

To ensure complete and accurate records are kept with respect to a client complaint, it is the responsibility of the counsellor to:

-      LISTEN to the complaint. Listen Actively.

-      ESTABLISH if the client wishes to make the complaint in writing. Attach to Non-conformance complaint form and forward to designated Supervisor.

-      RECORD the contact details carefully i.e. name, phone contact.

-      RECORD where, when and how the complaint was received.

-      DOCUMENT the conversation/complaint.

-      DOCUMENT the corrective action that you have taken, how it was dealt with and by whom

-      In the event that the complaint or incident remains unresolved, advise the client that they will be contacted within 48 hours (2 working days).

-      INFORM the client of the outcome/result of their complaint.

-      If the client is unhappy with the outcome/result, advise of other avenues (if applicable) of resolution i.e. mediation

-      RECORD actions in complaint register.

-      INFORM the client of the result.

-      FINALISE complaint

-      Do not offer advice or make promises you are unable to keep.

References

-      Hanna, F.J. (2005). Therapy with challenging clients using the precursors model to awaken change. Washington: APA.

-      Kotter, J. (1992). Compassionate therapy: Working with challenging clients. Los Vegas: Jossey-Bass.

-      Norton, K., & McGaulry, G. (1998). Professional skills for counsellor: Counselling challenging clients. London: Sage Publications.

-      Roes, N. (2002). Solutions for the treatment resistant client: Therapeutic techniques for engaging challenging clients. New York: Howarth Press Inc.

This article is an extract from Counselling Academy’s “Managing Challenging Clients” professional development eCourse. To find out more information about the Academy and register for this course, visit www.counsellingacademy.com.au/courses.

Did you enjoy this article? Then share the feeling and forward it to a friend! Quick reminder: Please send this eZine to all your family and friends so they too can enjoy the benefits. Thank you.

Intobookstore

The Institute has a list of recommended textbooks which can add great value to your learning journey - and the good news is that you can purchase them very easily. The AIPC bookstore will give YOU:

ü  Discounted prices.

ü  Easy ordering method.

ü  Quality guarantee!

This fortnight’s selected book is...

Name: Current Psychotherapies, 7th Edition

Author: Raymond J. Corsini, Danny Wedding

AIPC Code: CAROSINI

ISBN: 0-53463-850-3

AIPC Price: $107.95

Current Psychotherapies provides students of counselling psychology and social work with an authoritative treatment of the major systems of psychotherapy. One of the most widely used textbooks in its field for more than twenty years.

To order this publication, simply contact your nearest Student Support Centre or the AIPC Head Office (1800 657 667).

Intoparenting

“Youth is not a time of life – it is a state of mind. It is not a matter of red cheeks, red lips and supple knees. It is a temper of the will; a quality of the imagination; vigor of the emotions; it is a freshness of the deep springs of life”. ~ Samuel Ullman

The transition from a child to early adulthood is an incredibly complex, worrying and yet exciting time for adolescents and those around them including family, teachers and others who are affected by the change in the young person’s body image, thinking and behaviours and interactions with people of all ages.

Understanding the situation, and the emotional needs and wants of an adolescent child, is essential to handling parenthood in a productive manner. For ill-equipped parents, however, parenting an adolescent can be as puzzling as trying to solve the Hodge Conjecture*.

Whatever the case may be, effective communication, commitment and understanding is going to be vital in understanding how to cope with teenagers and how best to support and nurture them. In this article, we will look at some strategies that are conducive to effective parenting.

Phases of Adolescence

Much will depend upon the specific age of the teenager, as to what emotional input may be needed from their parents. For example an older teenager nearing 17 years may not need as much hugging and comfort from parents as a 13 year old.

Boys particularly often tend to want to display strength and autonomy from their parents when in their later adolescent years and any signs of affection may be interpreted as being feminine and weak. This is generalising of course, as many older adolescent boys may still seek the comfort of their parents from time to time, and will certainly value being loved and cared for.

Thus, maturational changes in physical ability, thinking and behaviour over the period of adolescent years, is inevitable. It is important to understand this when trying to cope with one’s own son or daughter because the relationship must naturally also change.

This is a time for a lot of learning from each other, and for parents this can be a wonderful time to see one’s son or daughter grow and develop into interesting and exciting young adults. Young adolescents have of course many changing needs. The following paragraphs will explore what parents can do to deal with this change and achieve better outcomes:

Love, Trust, Respect, Communication, Encouragement and Praise

They need to know that they have the stability of love and caring always available from their parents and that their parents will support and be committed to their growth and development, their safety, and be there for them if they make mistakes. They also need to know that they can communicate with their parent without being berated or punished or humiliated.

Trust is such a major word for adolescents because they may feel so vulnerable in this confusing, dangerous and yet exciting world. Showing a genuine and sustained interest in one’s child is crucial. A parent does not necessarily have to love a child’s behaviour but to love their child and to show it builds trust and respect and leaves open a channel of communication that will be important throughout their child’s life.

A young adolescent child needs to know they are valued and doing okay, so encouragement and praise are important things that a parent can express to their child. Not praise or encouragement simply churned out automatically, but genuine praise for a child’s efforts or thoughts.

Setting Limits or Boundaries

Early adolescent children especially are suddenly breaking out of their cocoons, and like a butterfly emerging into the big natural world for the very first time there are always dangers and predators potentially lurking nearby. ‘The world seems so different to last year. I’m getting interested (very interested) in the opposite sex, when last year they seemed so “yukky”.’

There’s more exciting things to do than ride a bike down to the creek or to play with toys – like dressing up in sexy or cool gear, like going to wild parties, like listening to cool music on iPods and like hanging out at cafes with friends and looking cool. Yet there are also some scary people and school is getting much harder, and expectations of teachers and parents and exams are just too hard to handle.

Make a mistake and you’ll never hear the end of it. Some mistakes can be calamitous or dangerous such as getting pregnant or getting HIV infection or becoming addicted to hard drugs or being preyed on by paedophiles in chat rooms on the internet.’ Thus parents can help by setting clear well explained, fair but firm boundaries or limits on the child’s activities and behaviours that the child must agree to.

By doing this it sends a signal to the child that yes my parents recognise that I am changing and experiencing and learning about my becoming more adult, but yes there are also rules that must be followed that protect me from harm (physical or emotional) or confusion out there in the real world. In this way, if rules are broken or mistakes are made, then parents can have permission to talk to their ‘child’ in order to ensure that they have learned a lesson and know how to improve a situation or behaviour.

Types of Parenting

In a seminal work examining 20 years of findings, Psychologist Diana Baumrind (1971) identified three main types of parenting which may be useful for parents seeking to know how best to set limits and rules. They include:

Authoritarian – the gate keepers of hard and fast, do as you are told, no questions asked, rules. This leaves a child with little flexibility in their lives, and because they are imaginative, kids will try to break almost every rule they can get away with. Often this requires lying, cheating, being abusive to others or having only black and white views about things, manipulating others and situations to suit their own needs or becoming passive and rigid in one’s personality.