Lecture Notes

Introduction

• The lecturer opens by welcoming and encouraging participants.
• Mentions various attendees by name.
• Thanks participants for their dedication and engagement.

Responsibilities of Counselors

• Promote client welfare as a primary responsibility.
• Adherence to ethics and guidelines:
  • Code of conduct rather than a strict code of ethics.
  • Cultural sensitivity is crucial.
  • Attend multicultural conferences for broader understanding.
• Embrace continual learning and openness:
  • Counselors must continuously evaluate their own effectiveness.
  • Vulnerability in learning is an asset.

Self-Evaluation and Growth

• Importance of introspection and feedback from supervisors.
• Personal anecdotes illustrating growth and learning from feedback.
• Need to be objective and self-aware to avoid biases.

Counseling Techniques

• Avoid saying phrases like "I understand" or "calm down".
• Use open-ended questions to facilitate deeper understanding:
  • Encourage clients to express themselves without leading them.
• Authenticity and genuineness are key:
  • Avoid robotic responses and engage in active listening.

Ethical Practices

• Checking personal biases and maintaining emotional control.
• Counselors as role models demonstrating ethical behavior.
• Developing a personal ethical sense through reflection and insight.

Ethical Decision Making

• Sensitivity to moral dimensions and professional ethics.
• Importance of congruence between words and actions.
• Identifying dilemmas and consulting with supervisors.
• Consideration of federal and state regulations.

Literature and Experience

• Importance of literature and core functions in counseling.
• Experience as a key component of effective counseling.
• Continuous learning through reading, conferences, and mentorship.

Ethical Decision-Making Process

• Importance of consulting colleagues and supervisors.
• Deliberation and planning of action.
• Reflecting on actions to assess and affirm ethical decision-making.

Preventing Litigation

• Awareness of societal litigious nature.
• Consider having personal liability insurance.

Conclusion

• Ends session with a brief note on preventing litigation and advising to be cautious.
• Indicates the session will continue next time.