Chapter 23: Behavior Chart

How is the technique implemented?

The behavior chart is a technique that allows the client to note their behaviors throughout the day and then evaluate them to see there progress in dealing with an issue.  The chart can monitor interventions or serves as one itself.  The first step in creating a behavior chart is to define the target behaviors to reform.  Next, develop a rating system that allows the client to identify either magnitude or frequency of behavior.  Then create the chart by developing a monitoring strategy and the goals for using the chart.  Lastly, create consequences for positive or behavior behaviors.  This includes things such as small rewards or punishments for the progress or lack thereof that is being made.

What type of situation can the technique be applied to?

The best situation to use something like a behavior chart would when a dealing with strong compulsions or issues with self-control.  By creating a chart the client is responsible for giving consequences to themselves for their behaviors which serves as a great motivator.  A behavior chart however, is not limited to just this type of use.  A behavior chart can be used any time a client strives to seek change in their behaviors.

What is your opinion of the technique?

The behavior chart is a great idea for anyone and almost any behavioral situation.  It's usefulness is not limited to just certain behaviors, it can be utilized to modify any behavior.  That being said, one weakness of this technique is that it is only useful when dealing with a client who seeks behavioral reform and offers little help cognitively. 

Chapter 20: Thought Stopping

How is the technique implemented?

Thought stopping technique is a classic example of cognitive-behavioral therapy.  The counselor helps the client to develop mechanisms to prevent or interrupt unwanted thoughts that may be inhibiting the client.  Thought stopping is generally implemented in a four step process.  The first step is to identify the thoughts that the client wants to eliminate or interrupt.  Second, the client is asked to imagine a scenario where the thought may occur.  Next, the client and counselor both attempt to identify situations where the thought is occurring and call "Stop" to interrupt the thought.  And the final step is to substitute in a new thought for the old thought.

What type of situation can the technique be applied to?

The thought stopping technique can be (but not optimally) for a variety of situations.  However, it specializes in dealing with things like obsessions and addictions.  The entire premise of the technique is to prevent cognition of certain aspects of an individuals life which would be inhibiting to getting to real issues in other situations.

What is your opinion of the technique?

Personally I see this technique as only having one purpose and that is to aid with the elimination of obsessions and addictions.  Otherwise, I believe that this technique prevents insight which is the opposite of what a counselor should aim to do in session.

Chapter 19: Reframing

How is the technique implemented?

Reframing is a technique that is implemented by taking a problematic situation and presenting it in a new way so that the client can gain a new perspective on the situation.  The most well known method of implementing this technique is to use three a step model.  First the counselor must effectively listen to the client to gain an understand of the problematic situation.  Second, after the counselor understands the issue they must begin to formulate a bridge between the client's point of view to a new way of handling the problem.  Finally, the counselor must reinforce the bridge that they have created by assuring themselves that this new way of looking at a problem has stuck with the client.  This may occur through a homework assignment that forces the client to view the issue in the new way.

What type of situation can the technique be applied to?

This technique can be applied most appropriately to a client who is suffering from self-defeating behavior or irrational beliefs.  In addition, if the issue is a persistent issue that the client may have given up on due to their inability to overcome it, this technique can be used to help the client seek new solutions to the problematic situation.

What is your opinion of the technique?

I like this technique in situations where the client is struggling to overcome issues that are clearly only problematic because of the manner in which the client is approaching them.  The counselor can use this technique most effectively when helping dispel negativity about a situation.  Overall, its an excellent technique because in most cases a problem can either be solved or at least understood to the fullest by approaching it from different perspectives.

Technique 17: Self-Talk

How is the technique implemented?

 The technique of self-talk requires that the counselor has already applied a humanistic approach of some type to assure that the client will use this approach in a positive regard.  Countering is the name of the method used to reduce negative self-talk.  Counter consists of four steps: 1) Identify and explore 2) What is the purpose of negativity? 3) Develop counters and lastly 4) Practice and review counters.  Once the client has developed positive self thoughts they can become a focal point for further counseling sessions. 

What type of situation can the technique be applied to?

 Situations warranting positive self-talk are situations involving clients with low self-esteem.  If an individual is expressing self-defeating thoughts and concerns, the counselor can use this technique to help cheer on that student about the positives.  In contrast, this technique can be used to help individuals of usually high self-esteem that have fallen into a rut or are dealing with some sort of block to their feelings of value.  This technique could help someone discover how to defeat those thoughts and begin feeling themselves again. 

What is your opinion of the technique?

 I see the self-talk method as a mechanism most useful when dealing with a client with either mood disorders or issues of incongruence.  While I think it is critical for individuals suffering from these issues, I find it of minimal use outside of that scope.

Technique 16: Role Play

How is the technique implemented?

 Role-playing is very similar to aforementioned techniques in this blog.  It also follows a six stage process that involves: Warm-up, scene setting, selecting roles, enactment, feedback, and reenactment.  Essentially, the client is brought in and tells the counselor their issue.  They set up a similar scene and the client picks a role.  That role can either be of them self or of the person they are having conflict with.  The client and the counselor then act that out, give feedback, and possibly reenact using that feedback to see how an effective interaction would go.

What type of situation can the technique be applied to?

 Role playing can be used in similar fashion as the previous blog entry, behavior rehearsal.  This gives the opportunity for the client to prepare a reaction for a situation that they know they may eventually have to deal with.  In addition to that use of role play, this technique can be used to simulate a conversation with someone who the client wants to express an opinion to.

What is your opinion of the technique?

 I see role play as an effective technique that should be a part of every guidance counselors arsenal.  Giving your student or client the opportunity to see how their feeling are being conveyed and the potential responses they can be facing for that belief or feeling helps them to become better adapted individuals.

Technique 15: Behavioral Rehearsal

How is the technique implemented?

 The technique of behavioral rehearsal is carried out by having the client participate in what would be consider typical daily functions in an attempt to decrease the anxiety surrounding these actions.  The counselor in this situation plays the role of the person who the client is anxious about interacting with.  The counselor's goal is to get the client to speak in a strong voice and emphasize the importance of their feelings.  The four major steps of the process are as follows: 1) Prompt client practice of modeled behavior 2) Enhance client motivation 3) Provide feedback 4) Shape behavioral approximations to desire behavior.

What type of situation can the technique be applied to?

 This technique can be used in helping a client deal with an abusive or bullying individual.  When the client is confronted by a situation where they will need to be around an abusive person they can rehearse how they will behave ahead of time in order to be prepared for that interaction.  Another example of application of this technique is when the client must tell someone news and they are afraid of how they will respond. Ex. A teenage girl telling her parents she is pregnant.

What is your opinion of the technique?

I find this technique to be incredibly useful and something I use internally on a consistent basis.  By preparing an individual for a student they feel uncomfortable, you help to ease their nerves going into that situation.  While this technique is not an end-all, cure-all it does limit the anxiety when the client feels confident and is prepared to behave a certain way.

Technique 14: Modeling

How is the technique implemented?

 Perhaps the most important part of implementing a modeling technique is to explain the client what the benefit of modeling this behavior is.  If client does not know why the behavior will help then they are far less likely to to take the method serious.  For example, deep breathing is a well-known strategy to relieve stress and anxiety.  However, if you are dealing with a younger client and they are unaware of that, they may not see why this technique is beneficial.  The most common method of modeling is deep, slow-breathing.

What type of situation can the technique be applied to?

 This techniques usefulness expands to nearly any situation that causes stress.  Anytime the client needs to slow down and aim to think more clearly, deep breathing can be beneficial.  Perhaps the biggest situation that deep breathing is sought in is the realm of test taking.  Other examples include almost any negative emotion: anger, frustration, disgust, sadness, etc..

What is your opinion of the technique?

 Personally, I'm not a huge fan of this technique.  My opinion may be biased, but from my background in psychiatric services, older individuals mock this process and younger individuals don't understand it.