Chapter 35 - Stress Inoculation Training

Chapter 35 addresses the stress inoculation training technique. This technique is designed to help clients cope with mild stressors that will hopefully allow them to develop tolerance for more severe forms of distress. This technique has several goals. The first is to help clients to see their stress as a normal reaction. Clients then discover the nature of stress and their own role in maintaining their stress level, and then learn to manage stress by changing their conceptualization of it and understanding what is changeable about their stressful situation. This technique can be used both in individual sessions as well as during group counseling settings. When applying this technique, the counselor first helps clients to conceptualize the nature of their stress, offers skills and coping mechanisms for dealing with that stress, and helps them to apply these skills to real world settings. The case described in the book that this technique was applied to dealt with a college student that was feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope with a previous rape. This technique can be used for a variety of issues, such as speech or texting anxiety, anger, phobias, social problems, and depression. This can also be useful for all ages of clients from elementary students to older clients in the work force. I like that this technique is so versatile. I think because of that, it will be very helpful in future counseling situations.

Chapter 33 - Progressive Muscle Relaxation

This chapter discusses the technique called progressive muscle relaxation. Progressive muscle relaxation is designed to help clients identify what it feels like when muscles are tensed and when they are relaxed. This will hopefully help clients learn to relax. This technique is most commonly used to manage stress. However, it can also be used with clients who are complaining from physical tension, relieving anxiety, as well as problems resulting from stress such as high blood pressure. I really like this technique and think it can be extremely useful. The one thing that would be a little bit tricky is preventing clients from falling asleep while they are in the session. The book addresses this – the counselor could help the client by making the room brighter or developing a signal for the client to use to let the counselor know he/she is relaxed but awake. I can see myself using this technique for myself to help relieve daily stress that may build up over time. I will definitely use this technique with or explain this technique to students who may be having issues with anxiety or stress management throughout their high school careers.

Chapter 32 - Deep Breathing

Chapter 32 describes the process of the deep breathing technique. This technique can be linked to yoga and the concept of by controlling one’s breathing, you can control your life energy. When implementing this technique, the exhalation process should be longer than the inhalation and the client should make sure to breathe from the abdomen. The client should make his/her self as comfortable as possible, preferably lying on their back to begin this technique. The book briefly describes this technique being used with a client in which the counselor talks the client through the technique and then assigns this as homework. This technique can be used in a variety of situations and in a variety of ways. For instance it can be used to control anxiety or to manage stress. This can also be used to reduce anxiety disorders, panic attacks, depression, irritability, headaches, anger, etc. I believe that this technique is incredibly useful and can be used as frequently as needed. It certainly helps to put clients at ease and help them to be able to deal with a situation that might be causing them a great deal of stress much more effectively.

Chapter 30 - Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy

This chapter outlines the technique rational-emotive behavior therapy. During this technique, the counselor’s goal is to help clients to understand that their feelings are not caused by events, other people, or the past, but by the thoughts the person has developed surrounding a given situation. There are three goals of this technique: to help clients gain insight into their self-talk, to help clients assess their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and to train clients in the principals of this technique so that they can function without the aid of the counselor. The core concept behind this technique is the ABCDE model in which the counselor can fully outline and understand the client’s thought process and help them to reach a more positive approach to a solution for their problem. The book describes the use of this technique in dealing with a female teacher and mother who had struggled with perfectionism since childhood. The counselor helped her to identify the activating event (A) and how the events effect her (C). The counselor then helped her identify her underlying belief (B), which is what is actually causing her feelings (C). Then the counselor disputes the beliefs and feelings (D) and helps the client to move to the evaluation (E) phase by exploring how the process worked. I believe that this technique is incredibly helpful to clients because it give them a technique that they can use without the aid of the counselor. By having the client practice and evaluate this technique, the client becomes empowered and takes responsibility and ownership for their thoughts and feelings.

Chapter 26 - Extinction

This chapter was based on the technique of extinction, which is a technique based on punishment that involves withholding reinforcements in order to reduce the frequency of a certain behavior. This can be more effective when combined with positive reinforcement of an alternative behavior. The case described in this book dealt with a 5 year old boy who frequently displayed tantrum behavior. The counselor used this technique in the form of “planned ignoring” of the child’s behavior. This technique can be used to deal with any situation where there is an undesirable behavior. As long as the counselor has control over the reinforcers of the target positive behavior before using this technique, then the outcome should be positive. Initially when I read this section of the book, I didn’t think that the best method of counseling would be methods that centered on some type of punishment. I didn’t see how this would be helpful to students. However, because this technique utilizes the concept of reinforcement of a positive alternative behavior to replace the undesirable behavior I can see how the results of using this technique could be positive when dealing with certain students. Because I do not really think that concept of “punishments” are the most effective methods of counseling students all the time, I am undecided whether I will use this technique in the future.

Chapter 23 - Behavior Chart

This chapter discusses the importance and the usefulness of behavior charts. The purpose of behavior charts is to target specific behaviors that are evaluated at set points throughout the day. The behavior is then reinforced on some sort of schedule. The first step for implementing behavior charts is to define the target behaviors in positive and specific terms and then decide on the frequency and type of rating system to be used. After this is determined, design the behavior chart stating the desired behavior and when it will be monitored, and how the individual will earn positive or negative consequences. This technique is a very effective and simple way to provide feedback to the individual being monitored and others involved with that person. I believe this technique can be used in interventions that require shaping of specific behaviors. This technique, although it appears used more commonly with elementary students, can also be used with middle and high school aged students. It can be used to identify and eliminate any undesirable behaviors, such as aggression or inappropriate language. It can also be used to reinforce more positive behaviors, such as completing homework assignments. I have personally seen this technique being used – I believe it to be a commonly used and very helpful technique in any school setting.

Chapter 21 - Cognitive Restructuring

Cognitive restructuring is a technique that emerged from cognitive therapy and is typically used with clients who need help replacing negative thoughts and interpretations with more positive thoughts and actions. There is a seven step process to follow when implementing this technique: gather background information about how client handled past problems, assist the client in becoming aware of their thought process, examine the process of rational thinking, provide assistance to the client, help the client to learn how to change internal beliefs and assumptions, go over the rational thought process again, and combine thought stopping with relaxation until logical patterns become set. The book portrays the cognitive restructuring technique being used for a client who was having relationship issues. The counselor first helped the client to identify where her anger toward her partner was coming from. The counselor then helped her to identify that there might be other ways she could perceive her partner’s behaviors and that her negative reactions might have been a little extreme. This technique can also be used with clients who may have fear or anxiety in certain situations, such as with tests, social situations, or public speaking. I felt like this technique was very similar to thought stopping and reframing. All three techniques deal with identifying negative thought processes and restructuring them into positive thoughts. I can see how all three techniques can be incredibly useful in a variety of counseling situations. They can be used with any negative thought processes ranging from cases of worry about a certain situation to more extreme cases like phobias or even depression.

Chapter 20 - Thought Stopping

The thought stopping technique involves teaching clients to interrupt unwanted thoughts by training clients to exclude every undesirable thought. This technique involves four steps. The first step is the client and professional counselor must decide which thoughts are going to be targeted. Second, the client will imagine a situation where the target thought is likely to occur and third, is interrupted by the command “stop.” The last step in this process is to substitute a more positive thought for the unwanted thought. The case outlined in the book describes a high school senior struggling with anxious and perfectionist thoughts. This technique can also be used in situations where the client is experiencing phobic thoughts, obsessive thoughts, and thoughts or anxiety about failure. I think this technique can be very helpful to use with students who are experiencing performance anxiety, such as test anxiety. I like that it completely interrupts unhealthy thought processes and replaces those with more positive and helpful thought processes. I can see myself using this technique in future counseling sessions with clients of varying ages in high school.

Chapter 19 - Reframing

The concept of reframing is to allow clients to adopt a more positive or constructive perspective of a problem by examining it and presenting it in a new way. The goal of this technique is to help clients to see a given situation from another viewpoint, making it seem less of a problem, and therefore paving the way for a possible solution. There are three steps to implement this process: the counselor must use nonjudgmental listening to gain understanding of the problem, must build a bridge from the client’s point of view to a new way of looking at the problem, and must reinforce the bridge until there is a shift in perspective on the part of the client. The book portrays the use of this technique with a woman who is experiencing depressed mood, helplessness, and despair. The counselor in this situation first got a full idea of what was putting the client in her current state then used exceptions or other options to help to reframe the client’s thought process about her current situation. Though the facts of the client’s situation did not change by the end of the process, her viewpoint of the situation changed to a more positive one. This technique can be applied to a variety of other situations where a client has a negative viewpoint to reframe their thoughts in a more positive way in order to make it easier for them to find a solution to their current problem. For instance, it can be used in family therapy where members might be placing blame on other members. It can also be used in cases of addiction for either the person who is addicted or those who are enabling the addiction. I believe that this technique can be very helpful to use with clients who are experiencing negative thought processes or seem to be “stuck” in a situation they consider to be negative.

Chapter 18 - Visual/Guided Imagery

This chapter highlights the technique of visual or guided imagery. To begin this technique, the room must be quiet and the client must be comfortable. The client is instructed to take slow, deep breaths. The counselor then speaks in a soothing voice to the client describing a story or scene where the client might be relaxed. The book describes this procedure as it applied to a client that was suffering from feelings of anxiety and depression. This technique can also be useful in managing and coping with stressful situations. This can reduce anxiety, help with relaxation, and promote a sense of control over a given situation. I think that this technique is very helpful to clients as it helps them to relax and can help them to deal with complex emotions. I can see how this technique can be used in conjunction with other techniques, such as deep breathing and muscle relaxation. I really like this technique and I can see myself using this in the future.

Chapter 17 - Self-Talk

Self-talk involves the use helpful, supportive phrases when an individual is faced with a troubling issue. This technique stems from the rational-emotive behavioral therapy and other forms of cognitive approaches to counseling. This is very helpful to clients in developing healthier thoughts, which can lead to more positive self-talk. Self-talk can be influenced by what other people say about the person. When using self-talk in counseling situations it is important to help clients develop a positive attitude about themselves. The focus is on reducing negative self-talk and increasing positive by using the countering method. The book uses this technique in conjunction with an example of a high school senior that is suffering from test phobia. I think this technique can also be used in cases of anxiety, worry, and self-esteem issues. This technique appears to be quite versatile as it can be used either on its own to reverse negative self-image and it can be used in combination with other counseling techniques, such as deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation. This technique can be very useful in counseling situations to help to empower clients and reverse negative thought patterns.

Chapter 16 - Role Play

This technique is used for clients who need to develop a deeper understanding of or make a change within themselves. In this setting, clients reenact themselves and receive feedback from the counselor or group members. This occurs within the present and there are four elements and three phases within this technique. The three phases are warm-up, action, and sharing and analysis. The four elements include encounter, the stage, the soliloquy, and doubling. In the book, the example used takes place in a group counseling setting for high school juniors and seniors who are working on improved emotional expression and social interactions with peers and family members. I think that this technique can be used in any situation where the client would like to change something about themselves. Through this technique, clients can explore how their actions effect others and vice versa. This can also help people to understand the viewpoints of others. I think that this technique seems very similar to the empty chair and behavioral reversal techniques. I can see how this can be used in addition to both techniques or on its own. I think this technique will be very useful to me in my future counseling endeavors.

Chapter 15 - Behavioral Rehearsal

This technique is used with clients who need to become completely aware of themselves. It involves learning a new type of behavior to learn in response to certain situations outside of the counseling situation. It also involves several key components including modeling the behavior, receiving feedback, and frequently practicing the behavior. It is suggested that professional counselors in outside settings in addition to in counseling settings. In the book, the behavioral reversal technique was used to demonstrate a deep breathing procedure. I believe this technique can be used to reverse any undesirable behavior or feeling such as anxiety responses to certain situations as well as anger outbursts. It can also be used with clients dealing with phobias and depression. I think this technique can be very useful in counseling situations. It can be especially e four useful with high school students who have trouble with managing stress and anxiety. I can definitely see myself using this technique in the future.

Chapter 14 - Modeling

The modeling technique is used to help clients learn by watching and modeling the behavior of others. For this technique to be beneficial, the client and counselor must select a favorable behavior to replace the unfavorable one. Once a behavior is selected, the counselor is to help the client to carry out the modeled behavior by demonstrating and leading the client into a discussion about the modeled behavior. This chapter portrays a case where the counselor is modeling deep breathing techniques to help a client to relax in stressful situations. The counselor helps the client to reinforce the behavior by having the client practice the steps and then having the client try it on her own. I think this technique can be very helpful to use with clients. It is not nearly as controversial as "spitting in the soup" and appears to be helpful to clients. Modeling can also be useful in teaching clients personal and social skills in addition to helping clients to ward off anxiety attacks and stress. It can also be helpful to open up and change unhealthy communication patterns. I can see myself using this technique in the future.

Chapter 13 - Role Reversal

Role reversal can be used with clients who are experiencing a conflict within themselves. In this technique, the counselor takes an active role by identifying the different roles the client is playing in a given situation. The client is asked to take on the "role" that is causing the anxiety in order to be able to examine both sides of the situation and identify any underlying issues. This technique can be used for situations where issues with another person may exist and that person is having difficulty understanding where the other person is coming from. For instance, this can be used during relationship issues, whether that is boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife, or even mother/daughter. This can also be useful for students when they may be having difficulty with communicating with teachers. I really like this technique, because it helps clients to understand opposing view points and learn how to effectively communicate with others. I can definitely see myself using this with clients in future counseling sessions.

Chapter 11 - Empty Chair

The empty chair technique can be used after establishing rapport and having built trust with a client. There are six steps to implementing this technique. The first step is an explanation of why the counselor is using this technique and setting up two chairs to demonstrate the polarity of the situation. Next, the counselor works with the client to "deepen the experience" by having the client choose the side for which he/she has the strongest feelings. After this the client will express the dominant side of the polarity. Once the client has done this, they will then sit in the opposite chair to express a reverse argument. During the fifth step in this sequence, the counselor will have the client switch seats until each side is clearly articulated. The final step is to have the client focus on blending the two sides to create harmony. This technique can be used with clients who may be dealing with post traumatic stress, and those who may have unfinished business or need closure in a situation. I do like this technique to help a client express conflicting emotions or help a client discover emotions that may be lurking beneath the surface.

Chapter 8 - Spitting in the Soup

Spitting in the soup can only be used after a strong rapport is established with the client. It can be a somewhat controversial technique to use and the client could end up rejecting it if not used properly. This technique is used to bring about change in a client's behavior by helping them to realize that they may be somehow benefitting from their "problem". The professional counselor acknowledges that the client may continue to use his/her symptoms of the problem, but the client will now know why they have these symptoms. Therefore causing the client to lose their "good taste" of keeping these symptoms. This can be applied to clients who may be having somatic pain symptoms. This can also be used with clients who may be showing symptoms of anxiety or apathy towards a given situation. I think that the use of this technique is very controversial. If it is used incorrectly or a proper rapport is not established with a client, it can backfire. If I use this technique in the future I will be very careful about who I use this with, what situation I apply it to, and how I use it with a given client.

Chapter 7 - Acting As If

The "acting as if" technique asks the client to identify and act as if he or she had the skills to handle a difficult situation effectively. This technique allows the client to to think of someone who they envision having the skills to handle a given problem and then act how that person would in that situation. The client hopefully learns that they not only have the skills to handle the problem present, but that they can become a different person in the process. This type of technique can be applied to numerous situations. For instance, it can be used for a person who may be a victim or a bystander to bullying, or with a person dealing with a bad break up with their boyfriend/girlfriend. It can also be used for clients who may be struggling with low self-esteem or a negative self image to learn to gain confidence. I think that this particular technique is very helpful in a variety of situations. It can also be used in combination with other techniques such as "flagging the minefield". Once the client can identify an "old" behavior using that technique, they can use "acting as if" to correct the problematic behavior/thought process. I can definitely see myself using this as an effective problem solving counseling tool in my future endeavors.

Chapter 6 - I-Messages

This chapter focused on the use of I (personal) statements during expressing feelings in order to minimize hurt feelings from others and counterattacks. These are sometimes referred to as responsibility messages because people are sometimes unaware of their impact on others. The book shows the use of this technique with a couple that are dealing with marital problems. The counselor sets up a scene that typically ends in an argument in order to see how they typically communicate with each other, and then interrupts before they start an argument and asks them to use this technique when talking to each other. I-messages can be used in any situation where there are issues with negative communication or interactions between people. This can help people to take responsibility for their own feelings and thoughts, while also expressing those thoughts to others in a non-confrontational manner so as not to cause an argument. It can also be helpful in situations where a particularly passive person is having difficulty communicating his/her thoughts or feelings to another person. I think that this technique, when used correctly can be helpful in taking responsibility for your own actions and feelings. However, sometimes I feel like sometimes this technique, if not used properly, can end up in an argument anyway due to intentional misinterpretation. It may only work with people who are willing to attempt to see the other person’s side of a given situation.

Chapter 5 - Flagging the Minefield

Chapter five dealt with the applying concepts that clients learned during counseling sessions to future situations that they may encounter. In using the flagging the minefield technique, counselors and clients can mark future situations in which the client has learned to avoid setbacks. The situation in this chapter revolves around parents who are having trouble with a particularly difficult child. The counselor helps the parents identify a situation where they may encounter difficulties with the child, and talks them through the process of using the techniques they learned during their past counseling sessions while solving the possible problem. This technique can be used in a number of situations. Counselors can use this technique with clients who have had past behavioral issues, helping them to identify when they may have a problem and talk them through the process. This can also be applied to clients who have suffered from depression or other low emotional states. I think it is incredibly helpful for clients to be able to identify where they may have problems in “real-life” situations and get help figuring them out before they are actually in the situation. A lot of the time when a person is in a heightened emotional state, it is difficult to remember techniques to handle a particular situation, so I can see how identifying and talking through a difficult situation would help people to remember the problem-solving skills they learned during counseling.

The Miracle Question Technique

This chapter discussed the concept of encouraging clients to imagine a future with no problems and then try to identify how they resolved the problems to get to that result. The miracle question technique forces clients to consider what it is they want (positive), rather than what they do not want (negative), in order to focus clients on a solution rather than the problem. This technique helps clients to form a more concrete idea of what “better” looks like so they will move toward finding a way to define what it is they want. The book uses the miracle question technique in the case of Jesse, who has been referred because of conflicts in his home. The counselor uses the miracle question technique to help move Jesse toward finding a positive way to interact with his parents. I thought that this kind of technique can be very helpful when dealing with a client/student that is particularly negative in their manner of thinking. Because the client may only be focusing on the problem, it may be difficult for them to see a positive solution. This technique moves clients toward a more behavioral-action oriented goal for changing their own behavior and focusing on a more positive outcome (the situation changing for the better).

Chapter 3 - Problem-Free Talk

            Chapter 3 focused on the concept of problem-free talk as another solution-focused technique that is used by counselors in order to establish rapport with their clients during a counseling session.  This technique is used to engage clients in a discussion about the positives in life. This can help the client to become at ease during a counseling session, as well as help the counselor get to know the client in order to identify strengths and resources that can be useful in the future.  The book describes counseling session in which a rocky relationship between Jaylen and her mother exists.  At the beginning of the session, the counselor engages the pair in “problem-free talk” and asks them what has been happening in their lives during the week.

            Problem-free talk can be useful in finding out information about client strengths and abilities that may be useful to the client.  It can be used at the beginning of a counseling session to put clients at ease or it can be used during a session in order to “take a break” from a stressful situation.  However, the counselor must be careful when using it in the middle of a session so as not to seem uncaring to the client.

            I think problem-free talk is incredibly useful for a counselor in establishing a rapport with the client at the beginning of a session and throughout the counseling process.

Chapter 2 - Exceptions

            This chapter focused on the concept of finding “exceptions.”  Exceptions are times when a specific problem is not happening, where a resolution may already be achieved.  The book describes the use of the exceptions technique as applied to a student who is missing a lot of school because he is being bullied.  The counselor helped him to realize that there was a point in the day where the bullying was not happening.  The counselor then pointed out some of the things that the student was doing differently that may have been preventing the bullying from happening during that time. 

            This technique can be used for a variety of situations.  Because this is a solution-focused method, it can be applied to other at-risk youth.  It can also be used for students who are identified as having behavioral issues both in and outside of school.

            I like this technique because it helps to empower clients to take charge of their own lives.  It helps clients to realize that their problems are not constant and that there are things that they can do in order to maximize the relief from their issues.

Chapter 1 - The Scaling Technique

This chapter focused on the use of scaling to help clients put their problems into perspective during counseling sessions.  This technique can help clients to form goals and can also measure progress over multiple counseling sessions.

As I read this chapter I can see how scaling can be useful in a variety of situations during counseling.  During a session, counselors use a scale of 1 to 10 (the actual numbers can vary) in order to find out where the clients rate themselves in a given situation.  In one particular case, scaling was used in order to reduce a client’s catastrophic thinking by measuring one event on a scale from 1 – 10 against another much worse event on a scale of 1 – 10.  This technique was also applied to assess a client’s level of motivation to change, assessment of client’s personal relationships, and suicide assessments.

This chapter presented a number of situations in which scaling was used successfully.  Because of that, I feel that this technique can be very useful in future counseling sessions if used correctly.  I think that this would be particularly helpful in cases where clients may have problems controlling their emotions.  It would help clients to put their emotions into perspective against a specific event and help them reach a healthy balanced emotional state during that same event in the future.