Why Do Therapists Use Listening Skills?

Counselors gain insight about their clients during client interviews. A therapist must understand how to effectively “hold an interview so the client feels safe, understood and willing to continue therapy” (Nugent & jones, pg. 41). A therapist must listen, which is not an easy skill to master. When a therapist “listens the client feel like their words have value” (Nugent & jones, pg. 41). A therapist will have a more in-depth understanding of the client and his problems if the client feels that the therapist is genuinely interested in them” (Nugent & jones, pg. 41).

A therapist employs several different components to effectively communicate with their clients. While therapist use "Listening, attending and influencing skills in conjunction with each other they are each used differently during the interview process" (Nugent & Jones, pg. 41). To gain information, a therapist employs listening skills. Listening skills gives the “therapist a more in-depth look at the client’s problems and how it makes them feel" (Nugent & jones, pg. 41). Therapists use listening skills by asking "open and closed questions" Nugent & jones, pg. 41).

The therapist uses attending skills “to clarify how the client is feeling by paraphrasing, summarizing and reflecting the client’s feelings and thoughts back to them” (Nugent & jones, pg.

41). What this does is tell the client the therapist heard what they said, that they understand exactly how they feel and they get why they’re upset. An Influencing skill doesn’t take place in the beginning of therapy. Trust between therapist and client must be established first which takes time. The goal of influencing skills is to get the client to identify their problem, figure out what they need to change and take action to make those changes (Nugent & jones, pg.

42).

What competencies should counselors develop to increase their effectiveness in multi-cultural counseling?
Today's therapist will come in contact with people from many different cultures and backgrounds. Ideally, the counselor “should have some specialized knowledge of social norms, acceptable behaviors of different cultures” (Nugent & jones, pg. 48). Therapist needs to have an understanding “of the many different aspects and characteristics of different cultures” (Nugent & jones, pg. 48). A Therapist can’t effectively understand a person’s problems if they don’t understand a variety of cultural norms and beliefs. A therapist “must avoid ethnocentric assumptions and biases to be an effective multicultural counselor” (Nugent & jones, pg. 48).

3. What are the major principles common to human development theories?
Piaget’s theory of cognitive development stated “that as humans mature so does their ability to be more complex and sophisticated in thought process” (Nugent & jones, pg. 64). It’s a self-feeding process, the more we solve problems and mature the more complex problems we can solve. Most professionals agree that “human development continues throughout the life span” (Nugent & jones, pg. 66). Each stage builds off the previous stage as Paiget stated “each stage is dependent on, and flowing into, the next stage” (Nugent & jones, pg. 64). Lastly people will try to resolve their problems and that process brings about change and growth (Nugent & jones, pg. 64).