Explore the Subject of ‘Self Disclosure’ by Counsellors

look the subject of self revealing by councellors Disclosure in the dictionary is the human activity of revealing and exposing to enchant My understanding of self disclosure in this context is to blotto revealing the counsels personalized in imageation and emotions. In this unique relationship this is to be expected when the knob is communicating, in fact it is actively encouraged, beca physical exercise that is their wheeling in the therapeutic relationship. nonetheless my exploration will concern when is it acceptable for the counselor to talk n archaeozoic themselves or their stimulate feelings?Counsellors moldiness blab since this is a talking therapy and surely every word and solvent is a form of self disclosure, yet what is said muckle confirm serious consequences. I will demonstrate how and when this can suffering or assist the leaf node. When I began having personal counselling myself, I expected a relationship manage a close friendship, I found the fact that this expert had the answers, but didnt exsert them to me, which was at times very frustrating. My counsellor was psychodynamic and I am now sensible that different styles of counselling accept a more open, slight restricted, sexual climax to self disclosure.Since this is however a psychodynamic course, I will sweat to, within length limitations, give an outline of the important issues using this approach to the subject, illustrated with bibliography, class memorizeing and personal suffer of being a lymph gland. Our original roll as counsellors incorporates enforcing certain boundaries, dismantle on our ability to handle candidly about what we feel and think. The client is encouraged to talk openly and freely, to help them to learn from the exploration of their problems.However when using the psychodynamic approach we recoup our give birth have a go at itledge and fingers, although whatsoevertimes it may appear to be set aside and useful to the client. It can o ften be quite difficult to do this, especially when clients are asking us questions, but once we have started revealing personal details, it may be difficult to stop. We should be aware that a client could as well as be trying to baffle the counsellor to verbalise as a form of resistance or defence, to revoke talking about and facing their own problems.I agree with Freuds view It might be expected that it would be quite allowable and hence useful, with a view to overcoming the patients existing resistances, for the doctor to afford him a glimpse of his own mental defects and conflicts, and, by giving him instruction about his own life enable him to put himself on an equal footing.. I have no hesitation in condemning the technique as incorrect. (quoted by M. Jacobs 1992 84)Non verbal communication is very important, as we as counsellors can learn from clients body language, we must take care that the client does non read ours. Freud preferred the client to recline on a draw u p for just such a reason, he said I do non wish my expressions of face to give the patient material for interpretation, or to influence him in what he tells me. (quoted by M. Jacobs 1992 84) The counsellor today however, must learn to control their immediate reactions, placeicularly the negative cardinals of shock or disapproval, verbal or otherwise.During my personal experience of being a client, I noticed that my counsellor came to grimace at the mention of the name of one of my close supportive friends, and I later realised, through things she said, that she felt virtually rivalry towards this person. This self disclosure of her counter-transference feelings was very damaging to our relationship. We have to be very aware of our clients reactions to what we say and do, in this way, even if we have make a mistake, our positive responses to the error can be useful sooner of damaging to the client.Self disclosure may be invited by the clients contrasted feelings towards us as counsellors. These transference reactions, may be worded and feel like, a personal attack or question, worthy of a personal reply. However it is important to realise that the client is saying something significant, but it is not about us, so self disclosure is not necessary. It is important that we remain apathetic to encourage this transference to occur. M.Jacobs gives this reason The psychodynamic counsellor, like the analyst, wishes to encourage the client to speak of the ideas and images that come from within himself, rather than those which are suggested directly by the counsellor, or by signs which the counsellor gives. (1994 27) So when we are surprised by a personal enquiry of this type, it is better to look through the distortion and use an appropriate response such as I wonder wherefore that is important to you? or even It seems as if I was reminding you of someone else? non looking at their motivation is a missed opportunity for the client to gain a deeper understan ding of their present reactions towards other people. If we take a neutral roles the client is the only one introducing their beliefs, expectations or thoughts into the room. In the early days of being a client myself, I had an experience of this linking not being done. My counsellor revealed that she had taken my questioning of her ability in person.She said my doubts had hurt her feelings, this disclosure was particularly damaging as I felt gaga at that time, but had no wish to hurt her again, so could not express my negative feelings. The counsellors counter-transference feelings can lead to either positive or negative disclosure, we must learn to discriminate between the two kinds. brown and Pedder use this clear definition Winnicott often distinguishes between objective and appropriate counter-transference and subjective aspects which curtain call more from our own topographic pointal or unresolved personal issues. (1991 62) The former is helpful, placeing with the clients situation through empathy allows us to tune in to and reflect back their unconscious(p) thoughts and feelings. These can be hidden behind dreams, stories and defences. When we as counsellors use a response such as I wonder if under this theres some anger? or I feel as though I would have been upset about that, but you dont seem concerned it allows our diclosure of our own responses to challenge the clients view of the world, which can be a beneficial uncovering for them.Alternately expressing feelings that come from our own past and counter-transference can have crushing results. I can remember an occasion in class, during a roll play, when someone playing the counsellor had so much in harsh with his clients experiences, that his counter-transference nearly tempted him to say Thats what happened to me dont make the kindred mistakes I did, this is what I learnt from the experience. He resisted the temptation and when reviewing the session in the class he asked the client what h is response would have been if he had revealed this about himself he client replied how can you know what I am feeling? your circumstances are not the same as mine, I dont want to hear about you The kind of unasked self disclosure he was considering may have caused a extensive amount of potentially damaging, anger and resentment towards the counsellor. So in conclusion, when is self disclosure helpful or harmful to the client? This is a sea captain relationship and not a social one, so different rules of disclosure do apply, hopefully theory may be enhanced by expertise and we may learn to modify these rules slightly for different clients.I think that this is an unusual and special alliance and it is vital for the client to learn to see a counsellor as real, a human being, personally involved in and interested by their problems, someone they can identify with and learn to trust. Some self disclosure is helpful, if not essential, for building this part of the therapeutic relations hip. Sometimes it is impossible not to reveal personal details, such as your holiday arrangements, health or appearance, the client may also ask questions for information or through their transference.The fact that the counsellor does not have to reveal personal details can increase personal security and enhance their involvement. Gently exploring with the client why they feel they wish to know, is the to the highest degree helpful kind of response. Self disclosure is damaging when the information is unsolicited, or when the counsellor gives answers which evoke an emotional response in the client. As a client myself, I found that my counsellors revelations had damaging effects on me, maybe because the feelings they aroused in me were never resolved satisfactorily, even by lengthy discussion.This eventually led to my change of counsellor, which was a depressing and painful, experience and shows how destructive self disclosure can be to the therapeutic relationship. It even caused m e to question the process itself, not for the reason I expected, because I didnt get my questions answered, but because I did Although it may be difficult for the new client or inexperienced counsellor to adjust to, it is a time for the client to explore their feelings, make their choices and find their own answers. Maybe with experience and unbent self awareness we can learn to keep the focus course on the client, finding the balance of openness and rofessionalism that is needed to help them most of all. Brown &038 Peddar Introduction to Psychotherapy, 2nd Edition, Tavistock Publications, 1991 Jacobs, M Freud, Sage Publications Ltd. Jacobs, M Psychodynamic talk over In Action, Sage Publications Ltd. 1994 Jacobs, M Still Small Voice, S. P. C. K. 1993 Kennedy &038 Charles On bonnie a Counsellor 1973 Oldfield S The focus Relationship Routeledge Press Psychodynamic Counselling vol. 1 No. 1