Holistic Counselling Case Study
Consultation
Prior to Client’s consultation I had taken the opportunity due to our conversation via the telephone to collect some leaflets on local activities and volunteering groups to show to Client how she could socialise with minimal expenditure.
I had set out the room in an informal manner to encourage Client to relax in her surroundings. I placed the chairs next to a small table so I was sitting to the side of Client that allowed me to mirror her body language in a natural way. I ensured the room was set at a comfortable temperature not to hot not too cold. I put on soft relaxing music in the background and prepared the drinks area so that Client could choice a choice of hot or cold drinks before we began. I wanted her to feel relaxed.
Introduction
As Client arrived I greeted her warmly, I smiled at her and kept eye contact as I shook her hand before taking her down to the consultation room. I then offered Client the choice of a hot and cold drink and we chatted about her daughter briefly winning an award at school. I expressed to Client how proud she must feel, at this Client smiled and the body language indicted a smile using all her facial muscles. I witnessed the pleasure Client felt when talking about her daughter Megan. I am aware that Client will remember that part of our conversation due to how she felt at that time as communication is 55%, body language 38% and 7% are words and for this reason she may not remember what she did or said in reply however she will remember how that moment made her feel.
Three Stage Framework
At this point I followed the Three Stage Framework of a Helping Encounter firstly with the initial visit pattern. I explained the procedure we were about to follow, I explained my credentials, data protection/confidentiality, duration of session and consultation form. I introduced the consultation form as a way to break the ice a little further. Due to my own knowledge I understand the importance within the holistic industry to complete a consultation form and the importance of the therapist asking the questions rather than letting the client fill it out alone for correct information gaining. I ask Client the following questions in an aim to find out what she wants to achieve from the treatment, what she needs from treatment, ensure treatment is suitable, special care needs, begin the process of building a good rapport and to assist the client to answer the questions correctly. After the consultation form had been completed I ran through it once more to ensure all information given was correct and went through the duty of care notice. I explained to Client no natural therapist a remedy to cure all ills and usually works on the clients own body healing itself or the client understanding the need for a lifestyle change. I also stated if she was seeing her GP that she needed to continue to do so as any treatments carried out should only be complementary and not to replace orthodox medicine. Client verbally stated all her answers were correct and she signed the consultation form and dated it. I further explain the boundaries between practitioner and client and explain the process of conflicting interests.
Counselling session and Treatment .
Code of Ethics
Baring in mind my Code of Ethics supplied by the International Practitioners of Holistic Medicine I understand that the relationship between practitioner and client is a special one and must serve the clients best interests. I have the intention before the session begins to build a good working relationship. I understand the need for confidentiality and non judgmental practice and respect the client’s dignity and integrity at all times. Utilising the holistic approach allows me to engage and develop Client as a whole person. This will enable me to support her using her “multiple intelligence” meaning insight, rationality, logic, emotions, hunches, gut feelings, creativity, sense of humor and rhythm. I am also aware that an holistic approach to counseling is by using the “BEST-I BEST-R” MODEL as each person is an individual with differing life experiences that help form who and where they are today.
Questions to ask Client
Beginning with the Three stage helping encounter I ask closed questions to gather information such as; her full name and D.O.B, work and most importantly “are you ready to change”? I then ask Client an open ended question “what brings you here today”?. Using active listening skills and listening to her words I show Client I am fully interested in what she is saying by directly looking at her and not engaging in other activities. As Client speaks too me she repeatedly talks off her loneliness and her body language indicates an artificial smile involving only the muscles around her mouth. I sense she is trying to hide the displeasure she is feeling with her life at the moment. She states she is happy with her daughter and looking after her but when her daughter is out this is when her loneliness arises. Client expresses her disbelief of how her life has turned out since her husband left her, she frowns using deliberate general movement within her facial muscles. I paraphrase her response and ask her “if she felt angry at him for leaving”? She responded by nodding her head expressing her agreement and adds she feels “let down as he had promised to always look after both of them”. I discreetly jot down a few items so that we can refer back to these later on in the session.
Offering advise on overcoming loneliness
Bringing in the Discussion/counsellor Input stage I again paraphrase Client’s concerns over her loneliness and ask her if what I have heard is correct. I ask Client to use a rate system from 1-10 for how much this affects her. Client expresses that it’s a main factor so lists it as a ten factor and an area she would like to work on. I further ask Client an open ended question to gather more information and ask her “do you know why you keep feeling so lonely”. In reply she tells me its mainly due to financial commitments and that she has no friends of her own age in her area. I ask her if she has thought of joining any local groups or volunteer days? She replied “she hadn’t has she didn’t feel confident enough at this time in approaching these places alone”. Prior to our session I had sort information and leaflets for single mother groups in the area and also for places asking for volunteers that cost no money or little money and began showing these to Client. I asked her “how would she feel about approaching these places”? and explained how many of the people there probably felt the same at the start. Client’s body language indicated she was feeling a little anxious with this question as she began stroking her neck, covering her windpipe in a defensive
movement. I mirrored her body language and softly spoke to her in an even voice tone stating that instead of making a decision now she could take the leaflets and information home with her and browse through them when her daughter went to bed. Client displayed a real smile involving all facial muscles in response and I witnessed she again appeared more relaxed. She further expressed her need to increase her confidence levels and I asked her “had she thought how she could do this” Client referred back to the leaflets and information and showed understanding that this would be a start to regaining a social life. I asked her if this too was important for her to address whilst in our sessions.? She replied that “both the loneliness and the low confidence were both, in her opinion on a level ten and she needed to address these”. I actively listened as Client then described how she knew that she would have to take small steps to build her confidence levels and then she asked me if I could recommend a therapy session which would work alongside our counselling sessions. Counselling empowers the individual to find their own answers to their own questions as Client was doing at this point. I paraphrased back to her what she had said and asked if I had heard her correctly that she wants me to advice her on a treatment? In reply she said I was correct and she would like to try a treatment as she felt comfortable around me even though she had never experienced any sort of holistic treatment before.
Offering an Holistic Treatment
I assured Client that we would be able to work together to address her specific problems and increase her personal growth. At this point Client relaxed down more into her chair so again I naturally mirrored her body language to encourage her to feel more relaxed. I discussed the concept of Reiki Healing with Client explaining the process of how it is non invasive and that my hands would only touch her head and feet during the treatment and that they would hover above her body. Client was surprised by this and lifted her eyebrows and asked me to explain further how it works. I explained how reiki is classed as one of the most relaxing spiritual techniques and is beneficial for many needs and would help her with the emotional stress she has been feeling. I mentioned how individuals can benefit from reiki such as; physically and emotionally from chakra balancing treatment which helps them to gain more focus whilst restoring the energy centre’s. I explained how I work with my chosen angels stating my intention to them and asking them to assist me in the healing session. Clients body language remained relaxed as she said she would like to try a half an hour session of reiki first to see how it feels for her. I asked her the same question as I did in the first stage of our consultation “what does she want to achieve from the treatment”? in reply she stated she wanted to feel more relaxed, emotionally balanced and able to focus on improving her life. I maintained eye contact and leant forward whilst nodding in agreement whilst she spoke aiming to show I was listening to her needs and wishes.
Reiki Treatment
As we still had time left for our consultation I suggested we do the half hour reiki session as I wanted Client to leave feeling special and valued which I believe offering the two techniques together would permit this to happen. I offered her a drink and asked her if she mind waiting 5 minutes whilst I set up my reiki room which is down the corridor. Client was happy to wait and her body language again looked relaxed as she sat back in the chair and stated she felt excited to try something new.
Reiki Treatment
I begin by selecting some low music and lighting the room with a Himalayan salt lamp for a soft setting. I lit two purple candles that I feel promotes healing within my therapy room, the room is warm and welcoming. I then wash my hands before proceeding to bless and protect my room. As a reiki master I then use master symbols and singing bowl to protect myself and also to protect my room. I ask my angels too assist me in my reiki session to help heal Client and set my intentions for the session. I then asked Client to come to the room with me and asked her if she felt comfortable? She replied she did and I proceeded with asking her to lie on her back on the therapy couch. I covered Client with a purple throw again to promote healing and told her that at any point she felt she wanted to sit up she could. I explained briefly the hand movements and how I would start reiki hovering above her eyes. Client was happy to proceed. I drew the master reiki symbol into the palms of my hand and the power symbol before I placed my hands over Client’s brow area. I ask her to take a couple of deep breathes and proceed to do the same tuning in to Client.
Reiki Energy Flowing
The reiki energy began to flow naturally through my hands and I expressed my intention in my mind for the reiki energy to go to where it was needed, I prefer to set this intention rather then selecting a specific area to focus on as I believe reiki goes to where it is needed. I concentrate more on sending more healing to specific areas as I move down the chakras during the session. To activate the bodys natural healing system I work down the chakra using the seven hand positions I was taught as a reiki student and also use my intuition as I sense where more healing is needed through tingling in my hands and sometimes pain if the client has recent physical pain. The chakras are the entry gates of the aura, they are the centres of activity that receives, assimilates and expresses life force energy (course material). Chakras are responsible for an individual’s physical, mental and spiritual functions. Moving down from the crown and third eye chakra I reach the throat and heart chakra. I then move down to the solar plexus, naval chakra and base chakra. Working through the chakras opening and clearing has the effect of healing past trauma and clears the subconscious mind of negativity developed over time. During the session I also use physic surgery that allows me to remove blockages evening the flow of energy with all the chakras by working back up from the root chakra to the crown chakra. After working on all the chakras, using dry brushing to remove negative energy and completing the half hour session I place my hand softly on Client’s shoulder to ask her if that felt good? I ask her to lie down a little while whilst I fetch her a glass of water. On return I ask Client to sit up and begin discussing the chakras that’s I removed blockages from. During the chakra assessment I found the root chakra was blocked and why Client felt emotionally imbalanced due to finding it hard to provide for life’s necessities. The solar plexus also had blockages creating the emotional imbalances of self esteem, fear of rejection and lack of confidence. The heart chakra also was imbalanced and indicated why Client felt abandonment and had a fear of loneliness. Again the next chakra, the throat chakra was imbalanced and I explained to Client this was due to her been able to self express during communication and having a fear of no power of choice. The next chakra, the third eye was blocked and I again explained to Client in detail that this was an area where self reflection and the inability to look at fears and unable to focus. The crown chakra indicated her issues with self knowledge and constant confusion and fears of alienation. I discussed with Client how I sent healing to each chakra that needed it.
After the treatment session I ask Client to follow my aftercare advice and drink plenty of water for the next 48 hours to prevent a healing crisis from happening. Also if possible she needed to have a relaxing evening with no stress.
C
onclusion
I mentioned at this point that we had 5 mins before the end of the session and that we could start the next session by picking up on the way she felt during reiki. Client announced that she would look at the leaflets and information I had given her over the next week whilst waiting for our following session. I nodded and agreed that was a good idea and we could have that as a positive goal to focus upon. Client did not mention her other concerns at this point and still appeared to look relaxed. I stood up and shook her hand and thanked her for attending the session today and stated I was looking forward to seeing which information next week had grabbed her attention. Client left more confidently then she arrived. Our next session was booked for the following week where we will discuss further our aims and time scale.
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