How core counselling skills can be used in a counselling relationship and in other helping activities


Core counselling skills can be used in a counselling relationship and in other helping activities in many effective ways, such as: 


1. Empathy and Active listening: 

Counselling relationships, professional or non professional, has only one core goal, that is to help the helpee. For that, the helper needs to start with the basic skill of empathy and active listening. 

Empathy and active listening goes hand in hand. 
Through unconditional positive regard, kind and understanding words and gesture, etc,  can demonstrate empathy to the helpee. 
By actively listening to the client, repeating and reflecting, makes the helpee feel seen and understood. They feel more comfortable to open up and express. 


2. Questioning and Silence: 

Asking open questions, which can help the client to answer and express, is proven to be highly effective. Followed by silence, the helpee can reflect and think. 

Questioning skills are only effective when it is complimented by the skill of staying silent. Because, it demonstrates the willingness of the helper towards solving the client's issue. 


3. Paraphrasing and Summarising: 

Paraphrasing is the skill of repeating back the key phrases to the client which were used by them throughout the sessions. 
Which leads to the part of summarising, the effective conclusion of finding a solution for the helpee. 


Overall, core counselling skills can be equally useful for a professional counsellor to provide help to the client, or/and,  a simple, regular person who is just trying to help a friend overcoming something problematic. 

NB: This is my personal work for Level 2 certification on Counselling Skills. You are welcome to use this for learning purpose only by mentioning this website. 


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