I-messages

           I-messages can be very helpful when trying to get a client to take responsibility for their behavior. This technique requires clients to say “I”, rather than “it”, “you”, or “we” when they are talking about themselves. The client is then able to recognize that placing blame on others does not create change. However, accepting responsibility can help in creating change. I-messages can also help the client communicate with others. This takes the negativity out of the conversation and the other person doesn’t feel as though they are being accused or blamed for anything.  You-statements can be interpreted as accusing and judgmental, which can lead to conflict. The most important aspect of this technique is getting the client to realize this and alter the way they speak to others. For example, instead of saying “It will not happen again,” the client can reword it by saying “I will not let it happen again.” This could be a bit more difficult when counseling children and adolescents because they could mistake emotions with behaviors. Statements should follow this sequence to help eliminate confusion between emotions and behaviors: behavior, effect, and then feeling. This demonstrates how the feeling is caused by the effect, rather than the behavior.

Flagging the Minefield

           The technique, flagging the minefield, got its name because the process that the client and counselor go through resembles that of coalminers marking mines in fields to avoid explosions. The counselor helps the client prepare for future problematic situations that may arise by discussing positive ways to react to these situations. Counselors create scenarios and the clients respond in whatever way they find fitting. Counselors then expand on this and introduce them to more positive ways of responding, which may lead to more favorable outcomes. In time, the client should be able to do this independently. This can then be applied in the future, and the client should be able to avoid and correct most issues on their own. The counselor should show encouragement and acknowledge progress that is being made. This technique can be applied in a variety of situations, including dietary change, stress reduction, and social skills training.

The Miracle Question

            In order to understand the miracle question technique, it is helpful to have an understanding of Erikson’s crystal ball technique. The crystal ball technique takes place when a client imagines his/her future as problem-free and then generates ideas on how to make this possible. The miracle question is similar to this because it also encourages the client to think about different ways in which they can avoid and resolve issues. By looking into the future, the client is given a glimpse of how their life could be better. The miracle question stresses that the client should focus on what they want, rather than what they do not want. This technique places responsibility on the client and concentrates on what they can do to create change. This is a great way to set goals for the future. The client envisions aspects of his/her life in which change would be beneficial, and then they work towards that goal. Even small changes in the client’s behavior can be productive and lead to more changes. When counseling children, it is most effective to have them pretend they are holding a magic wand or magic lamp in order to make it more concrete and easier to comprehend.

Problem-free Talk

           The problem-free talk technique focuses on the client’s strengths and positive attributes. This technique is usually demonstrated when the counselor is first introduced to the client. It may appear to the client that the counselor is just making small talk to become better acquainted, but this process holds much more importance to the counselor than just chitchat. The primary goals of problem-free talk are to (a) develop rapport with the client; (b) diminish nervousness; (c) create a sense of equality between the counselor and client; (d) recognize the client’s strengths, which may then assist the counselor in resolving issues. In order to reach these goals, the counselor must initiate a conversation that will lead to the client disclosing positive characteristics and other positive aspects of his/her life. Once these positive characteristics and aspects have been revealed, the counselor can then use this information later in the session to remind the client of what is going well for them and the strengths that they possess. Counselors can also use this information to encourage clients to work towards a goal. The counselor can suggest to the client to focus on an activity that they enjoy or try something that they have always wanted to experience. This approach can help raise a client’s self-esteem and reduce feelings of hopelessness.

            In my opinion, this technique is a great way to become better acquainted with the client and break down barriers that may exist between the counselor and client. I believe that effective results are more likely to be produced from a counseling session if the counselor takes the time to become acquainted with the client prior to counseling them. Taking the time to get to know someone, rather than just listening to the issues they are dealing with, provides greater insight for the counselor. Problem-free talk also makes the client feel more at ease throughout the session.

Exceptions Technique

            When using the exceptions technique, counselors must listen for any exceptions to complaints that are unrecognized by the client. Clients may not realize something positive that is taking place in their life because they are preoccupied with negative occurrences, so it is the counselor’s role to point out the positive aspects that are not being acknowledged. Once an exception has been noticed by the counselor, he/she can ask direct questions pertaining to it and ask the client to elaborate on what had occurred up until that point. Along with acknowledging the exception, the counselor should also encourage the client to speak about what takes place when this exception is occurring. This points out the positive behavior, which has gone unnoticed, to the client. This may sound like a basic technique, but the key is staying in tune with every detail that the client is reporting, because there is a good chance that they have overlooked some of the details that will help lead to a solution. 

Scaling Technique

Scaling is a technique that makes abstract concepts easier to comprehend. This technique is commonly applied by the counselor asking the client to rate how they are feeling on a scale of 1 to 10. It is difficult to know exactly how a client is feeling, but this provides the counselor with a more accurate depiction. This is also helpful for creating goals for the client to accomplish. They may report a low number on the scale, but the counselor can suggest trying to work their way up to a higher number before their next session. For children, pictures could be used in place of numbers.  Scaling can be effective in a variety of situations, including motivating a client, measuring their self-esteem, and determining the seriousness of an issue. I believe this would be an excellent method to use when a client’s description of something isn’t clear or if there is some grey area in a story they’re telling. When using this is terms of motivation, the counselor can designate 10 as the positive status that they will try to achieve.