Basic Counseling Skills
  • Home
  • A. TECHNIQUES
  • Pattern of Sessions
  • Active Listening
  • Body Language
  • Asking Questions
  • Paraphrasing/Tone
  • Summary
  • Note Taking
  • Homework
  • Goodie Bag/Fun Stuff
  • Technique References
  • B. THEORIES
  • Client Centered
  • Holistic/Biopsychosocial
  • Strengths Based
  • Cognitive/Behavioral
  • Solution Focused
  • Existential Therapy
  • Letting Go
  • Theory References
  • C. SAMPLE SESSIONS
  • 1. Client Centered Counseling
  • 2.&3. No Show/Cancellation
  • 4. Strengths Based
  • 5. Cognitive Beh. Counseling
  • 6. Holistic Health Counseling
  • 7. Solution Focused
  • 8. Existential Counseling
  • 9. Becoming Unnecessary
  • D. SELF HELP
  • Journaling
  • Mood Mapping
  • Whole Health Check In
  • Community Resources
  • Ten Things I Like About Me
  • Common Lies We Tell
  • Goal-Setting
  • A Why to Bear a How
  • Happy People
  • Self-Help References
  • E. CONTINUING EDUCATION
  • F. SITE MAP
  • G. CONTACT ME!
  • H. READERS' CONTRIBUTIONS
    • Addiction and Sleep - Jessica S
    • Alcohol Counseling - Carol G.
    • Depression and Addiction Rehab - Katherine C
    • Quit Smoking and Alcohol Rehab
    • Reducing Stigma - Patricia S.
    • Suicidal Thoughts and Alcohol Abuse - Julia W
    • Recovery Village - William B.
    • Bereavement Counseling - Sally W
    • Personality Traits - Sally W
    • 3 Solutions to Worst Fears - Paige M
    • 30 Min Reduce Anxiety - Paige M
    • Restorative Power of Arts & Crafts - Sally W
    • 3 Ways - Rid of Sunday Scaries
    • Conquer Fear of Flying - Sally W.
    • Document Anxiety through Journaling - Sally W
    • Career Options - Sally W
    • School Counselor ToolKit - Serena K.
    • Psychology Degrees - Lindsay F
    • Depression and Addiction Rehab - Katherine C
    • Diagnosing Depression - Melissa M
    • PostPartum Depression - Tracey F
    • Assisted Living Options for People with Disabilities
    • Wheelchair Home Safety - Michael M
    • Cerebral Palsy Resources
    • Counseling and Persistent Pain - Sally W
    • Mesothelioma Guide - Corine F.
    • Mesothelioma Resources
    • Finding Start Up Success - Eva B
    • Cleaning House for Better Health - Cheryl C.
    • Destress/Clean Home - Cheryl C
    • Financial Stress - Sally W.
    • Financial Debt - Sally W
    • Be Happy - Hazel G.
    • Gut Health & Mental Health - Sally W
    • How Having a Skincare Routine
    • Counseling the Impoverished - Sally W
    • Conquering Interviews - Eva B
    • Daily Journal Routine - Paige M
    • 4 Journaling Tips for Beginners - Shristi Patni
    • Drug Dangers - Rebecca P.
    • Recall Report - Laura P.
    • Living Mindfully - Mollie Wilson
    • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Sally W.
    • Couns. Resources - Tim C.
    • Practical Financial SKills - Johanne H
    • Nutrition to Help Anxiety - Sally W
    • Retirement Career Change - Sally W
    • Managing Phobias - Sally W
    • Healing Power of Pets - Sally W
    • Geriatric Counseling - Sally W
    • Counseling Seniors with Anxiety - Sally W
    • Senior Resources - Claire S.
    • Addiction and Sleep - Jessica S
    • Better Sleep - Better Health - Cheryl C
    • Treating Insomnia - Sally W
    • Tuck Sleep - Kellen S
    • De-Fogging Brain - Sally W
    • Recovery from Sports Injury
    • Improving Mental Clarity - Sally W
    • Indoor Air Quality Can Affect Mental Health - Sally W
    • Stress on Health - Sally W.
    • Stress Management - Sally W
    • Suicidal Thoughts and Alcohol Abuse - Julia W
    • Summer Side Gigs for Teachers - Joyce W
    • Tobacco in 2017 - Mary G.
    • Take Control of Your Life - Dorothy Watson
    • No More Winter Blues - Rufus Carter
    • How I Put Anxiety Attacks on Pause
    • 8 Effective Tips for Improving Mental Health - Camille Johnson
    • Manage And Reduce Stress For Your Employees With These Tips - Rufus Carters
    • Moving Forward When Grief Intrudes in Your Life - Camille J
    • Working Remotely - Emma Grace Brown
    • Unlock Greater Confidence - Rufus Carter
    • Coping With a Mid-Life Crisis - Rufus Carter
    • 6 Self-Care Tips - Laurie Abner
    • Help a Loved One After the Loss of a Spouse - Rufus CarterNew Page
    • Relocating After a Tragic Loss - Lucille Rosetti
    • Guidelines for Teens Who Want to Thrive as Entrepreneurs - Lucille Rosetti
    • 5 Common Lifestyle Habits That Can Cause Skin Damage - Andrew Mark

Holistic Health or the Biopsychosocial Model

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Holistic Health (link to Essentials for Health and Wellness By Gordon Edlin, Eric Golanty, Kelli McCormack Brown) or the Biopsychosocial Model (BPS) posits that biological, psychological (thoughts, emotions, and behaviors), and social factors all play a significant role in human functioning. (The link is to Essentials for Health and Wellness By Gordon Edlin, Eric Golanty, Kelli McCormack Brown.)

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“Founder”: George L. Engels (1913-1999)

“… nothing will change unless or until those who control resources have the wisdom to venture off the beaten path of exclusive reliance on biomedicine as the only approach to health care". – G. L. Engels

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I agree with this and maintain we have physical, intellectual, social, emotional, vocational and spiritual needs - the neglect of which reduces the ability of one to withstand the effects of stress.

And we live in socio-economic conditions that can enhance or demean our long-term well-being.

In Holistic or Biopsychosoical (BPS) counseling a counselor does a “whole-health” inventory which is much more thorough than the initial intake. This would not likely be done in the first session because it is very directional and therefore doesn’t give the client the opportunity to talk about what she / he wants to address.

Here is an outline of the whole-health inventory I use.



Personal Well Being – the Biopsycho part of Holistic Health or BPS

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PHYSICAL

• Nutrition

• “anti-nutrition” including alcohol, junk food, caffeine and nicotine consumption

• Sleep

• Exercise

• Check in with Dr/NP (weight, blood pressure, blood work including hemoglobin, cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and thyroid functioning)

SOCIAL – Relationships with…

• Partner

• Friends

• Parents or Guardians

• Children or Dependents


EMOTIONAL


• Personal time or “down-time”

• Hobbies

• Good sense of humor

SPIRITUALITY

• That which gives meaning to one's life and draws one to transcend oneself.

• Volunteering

INTELLECTUAL


• Our brains need regular and diverse stimulation.

OCCUPATIONAL

• We thrive on meaningful, paying work.



Social – Economic Well Being – the Social part of Holistic Health or BPS

BASIC NEEDS

• Food security – always has groceries

• Clothing – especially in northern climates

• Shelter – safe pleasant housing

• Access to health care including dental, vision, hearing, dietary, etc.

CAREGIVING AND EDUCATION

• Child care or elder care

• Education


INCOME

• Income – over the poverty line

• Job security

COMMUNITY LIFE

• Safe recreational areas including parks, pools, hiking trails

• A valued role in the family, work and community.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

• Culture / race – addressing possible discrimination

• Gender / sexual orientation – discrimination

You can find easy to use forms at:

http://wholehealthcheckin.weebly.com/personal-health-overview.html

http://wholehealthcheckin.weebly.com/social-health-overview.html


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Would a counselor use every part of the holistic health list for every person?


No. And even with those people for whom a whole health inventory is done, a counselor would be more likely to check the “Personal Well Being” list since these are things that the client has the capacity to modify (personal empowerment.)

Achieving positive change in “Social-Economic” variables is very often beyond the client’s control. The counselor’s role in this situation may be one of advocacy – helping the client get access to services that she/he might normally not have access to, or even know exist!


Further Reading and Videos

Books

Holistic Health

"The Biopsychosocial Approach: Past, Present and Future" by Frankel, Quill, and McDaniel, Boydell & Brewer, 2003

Social Determinants

"Social Justice is Good for Our Hearts: Why Societal Factors Not Lifestyles are Major Causes of Heart Disease in Canada and Elsewhere" by Dennis Raphael, Centre for Social Justice, 2002

Videos

The opening to “Supersize Me”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj8cAbWh4ZA

Tony Benn bonus interview from "Sicko"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-2h0o3uZ-8


Where a great proportion of the people are suffered to languish in helpless misery, that country must be ill-policed and wretchedly governed: a decent provision for the poor is the true test of civilization.
- Dr. Samuel Johnson, 1770
Child with a Dove, c.1901
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