Basic Counseling Skills I

In this course students will be introduced to and gain competency in the attending skills. Fundamental to Chemical Dependency Counseling, these skills - Reflection of Feeling, Paraphrasing, Questioning, and Summary - provide each counselor with tools that encourage each client to self-explore and provide greater understanding - on both the part of the client and the counselor - of each client's reality. Most importantly, these skills help facilitate the kind of safe and respectful relationship needed for a successful counseling experience. This class is based on the understanding that each of the counselor's questions, statements, and reactions within the session has impact, purpose and are identifiable and describable. We will explore the nature and effectiveness of each of these components of counseling in the context of a chemically dependent and culturally diverse clientele. Each student will be offered the opportunity to practice and better understand the techniques that enable the counselor to enter the subjective world of the client. Prerequisites: A.A. degree or equivalent in units 84 quarter/56 semester is strongly recommended. Minimum requirement is 18 years of age or older, high school diploma or GED equivalent plus one year sobriety. Grading: A-F grading only. Equivalent Quarter Course: EPSY 7685.