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.