Unit of competency details

Descriptor 

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to use advanced interpersonal communication skills to facilitate the client-counsellor relationship in a counselling practice

Application 

These skills are intended for application in a counselling interview to ensure client-counsellor communication is effective and to enhance client development and growth

Employability Skills 

This unit contains Employability Skills

Elements define the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

The Performance Criteria specify the level of performance required to demonstrate achievement of the Element. Terms in italics are elaborated in the Range Statement.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Communicate effectively in counselling practice

1.1 Identify the components of the communication process  and primary factors  that impact on the communication process

1.2 Identify communication barriers  and apply strategies to overcome these barriers in the client-counsellor relationship

1.3 Demonstrate effective application of micro -skills  within counselling practice to facilitate the client-counsellor relationship

1.4 Ensure work practices reflect the principles of effective communication and the sequence of a counselling interview

1.5 Identify the impact of communication techniques  upon the client-counsellor relationship and use effective application of communication techniques in counselling practice

2. Use specialist communication skills in counselling interviews

2.1 Demonstrate effective use of confrontation skills in a counselling interview

2.2 Use confrontation skills appropriately aiming to achieve identified impacts and enhance client development and growth 

2.3 Demonstrate effective use of focusing skills in a counselling interview

2.4 Use confrontation skills appropriately aiming to achieve pre-determined impacts and enhance client development and growth

2.5 Demonstrate effective use of influencing skills in a counselling interview

2.6 Use influencing skills appropriately aiming to achieve pre-determined impacts and enhance client development and growth

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit.

Essential knowledge :

The candidate must be able to demonstrate underpinning knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

These include knowledge of:

• Stages of an interview
• Communication techniques
• Communication barriers and resolution strategies
• Mechanisms that enhance effective interpersonal communication
• Aim of counselling interviewing
• Observational techniques including facial expressions, non-verbal behaviour, posture, silence/s
• Clients style of absorbing information including visual, auditory, kinaesthetic
• Cultural/other differences working against development of client
• Self-evaluation including biases, values and working from a client's frame of reference
• Potential impacts of using identified communication skills and techniques in a range of counselling contexts

Essential skills :

Ability to:

It is essential that competence be demonstrated in application of specialist interpersonal communication and counselling interview skills. The candidate must be able to:

• Demonstrate effective counsellor communication in a counselling practice
• Demonstrate the micro-skills and communication techniques within a counselling practice
• Apply confrontation skills in a counselling interview
• Apply focusing skills in a counselling interview
• Apply influencing skills in a counselling interview

In addition, the candidate must be able to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

These include the ability to:

• Apply the micro-skills in counselling practice
• Apply communication techniques in counselling practice
• Focus as an activity in an interview
• Apply techniques to elicit meaning
• Supply client feedback as appropriate

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this unit of competency :

• The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills
• This unit will be most appropriately assessed in the workplace or in a simulated work context and under the normal range of workplace conditions
• It is recommended that assessment or information for assessment will be conducted or gathered over a period of time and cover the normal range of workplace situations and settings

Access and equity considerations :

• All workers in community services should be aware of access, equity and human rights issues in relation to their own area of work
• All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
• In recognition of particular issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities

Context of and specific resources for assessment :

• This unit can be assessed independently, however holistic assessment practice is encouraged with other units of competency relating to counselling practice
• Resources required for assessment include access to:

• an appropriate workplace and/or simulation of realistic work environment where assessment can take place

Method of assessment :

• For valid and reliable assessment of this unit, competency should be demonstrated in a range of situations which must  include observation of performance in an actual workplace or in a setting that realistically simulates work conditions:

• observation should include key aspects described in elements, performance criteria and relevant aspects of the Range Statement of the unit
• where face-to-face observation is not possible, video recordings may be provided

• In addition assessment methods may include

• written questioning
• role play
• supervised/guided discussion
• candidate's critique of their 'performance' to demonstrate cognitive understanding of theory

RANGE STATEMENT 

The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.

Work in the industry includes :

• General counselling
• Specialist counselling

Components of the communication process must include :

• Encoder
• Decoder

Primary factors must include :

• Context
• Participants
• Rules
• Messages
• Channels
• Noise
• Feedback

Communication barriers may include :

• Environmental
• Physical
• Individual perceptions
• Cultural issues
• Language
• Age issues

Micro -skills must include :

• Attending behaviours - active listening, reflection of content feeling, summarising
• Questioning skills - open, closed, simple and compound questions
• Client observation skills
• Noting and reflecting skills
• Providing client feedback

Communication techniques may include :

• The appropriate technique for the stage of interview
• The proficiency level of the counsellor as an empathic communicator
• The communication strategies (micro-skills) utilised by the counsellor
• The use of non-verbal communication

Client development and growth may include :

• Change in client behaviour that aids in the achievement of their goals
• Change in client thought patterns that facilitates the achievement of their goals
• A broadening of self-awareness as reported by the client
• A shift occurs in the client's feelings that facilitates change in the direction of their goals