PYC3705 Transformative Counselling Encounters Previous Exams Questions and Answers

PYC3705 Transformative Counselling Encounters Previous Exams Questions and Answers PYC3705 EXAM PREPARATION – Previous Exams This document is an easy to read compilation of past UNISA Exam Questions and Answers Answers are motivated by a combination of: • Previous feedback to assignments • Excerpts from the Study Guide • Excerpts from the Study Notes Exams covered are: • 2018 May June – Exam Paper 2 • 2018 May June – Exam Paper 1 • 2017 Oct Nov • 2017 May June • 2016 Oct Nov • 2016 May June • 2015 Oct Nov • 2015 May June • 2014 Oct Nov • 2014 May June • 2013 Oct Nov • 2013 May June • 2012 Oct Nov • 2012 May June • 2011 Oct Nov Note that these are arranged with the most recent first, as the format and lay-out of these have changed over time (with the assumption of the most recent being the most relevant – without disregarding the importance of the older papers). Please note: This document is an additional tool for exam preparation. The Stuvia-user that compiled and uploaded this document takes no responsibility for incorrect answers. Students must ensure that they study the prescribed material and understand the content. 2018 May / June Exam Paper 2 Question 1 The unique aspects of Transformatory Counselling highlighted in the Transformative Counselling Encounters study guide are a) Holistic understanding of oneself and setting long term goals. b) Awareness of personal strengths and abilities c) Unburdening oneself d) Gaining a new perspective of the same situation The correct answer is 1. (a) & (d) 2. (b) & (c) 3. (a), (b) & (c) 4. All of the above Answer: The correct answer is 4 Refer: Tutorial Letter 202/2/2017 Reasoning: The unique aspects of Transformatory Counselling highlighted in the Transformative Counselling Encounters study guide are: — An orientation towards understanding purposeful encounters between people through meaningful engagement in a counselling framework; — A sensitivity towards the ethos (characteristics, tone and flavour) of contextappropriate counselling and understanding its potential to enhance humaneness and well-being in society; — An understanding of reflexivity (awareness, adaptation) as a tool that can enhance purposeful and meaningful engagement and become a tool towards self-and social transformation; an understanding of the world as a set of related systems and recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation, and; — An understanding of the language of process and its potential to evoke a deeper understanding of relational patterns and dynamics in counselling processes. It also creates an opportunity for the client to gain a deeper understanding of their own potential to make a difference in their personal life. Therefore, counselling involve a professional listening to the client and should provide a safe, sympathetic, accepting environment in which a client can unburden him/herself of problems and become better acquainted with their thoughts, feelings and beliefs. To come up with a new approach to an old problem, we often need to look at the problem differently. Counsellors can assist a client to see his/her situation more accurately (change perspective on the problem). It is through the use of these skill that the counsellor and client form a partnership in finding solutions. It is emphasised in Transformative counselling that the act of helping the client is to see things more clearly, possibly from a different view-point and creates an opportunity for the client to gain a deeper understanding of their own potential to make a difference in their personal life. It therefore is not preferable to help the client only to see the same problem in a new perspective without making him/her aware of his/her potential to approach the problem from a different view-point. Question 2 Providing equality of resources and opportunity for all people upholds the ethical principle of ___. 1. veracity 2. autonomy 3. beneficence 4. justice Answer: The correct answer is 4 Refer: Tutorial Letter 202/2/2017 Reasoning: The study guide suggests that clinical and counselling psychologists (and by implication counsellors) need to take into account more than just the ‘traditional values’ of personal growth, protection of health, and caring and compassion. They suggest attention to group and collective aspects of well-being: diversity, collaboration, support for community infrastructures, and social justice. This can be done by emphasising personal, relational and collective values to avoid disempowerment by blaming an individual, a family or a group. Value: Social Justice Ethical Principle: Counsellors challenge social injustice. Counsellors pursue social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people. These activities seek to promote sensitivity to and knowledge about oppression and cultural and ethnic diversity. Counselling must strive to ensure access to needed information, services, and resources; equality of opportunity; and meaningful participation in decision making for all people. Question 3 The study unit on surveying life within the cracks teaches us ___. 1. that by nature, human beings do not have the desire to solve their own problems hence a constant pool towards failing within the cracks 2. to think about people's experiences of pain, suffering and strive from the context which they are part of 3. to sympathise better with our clients 4. that we will not be able to solve our clients' problems unless we succeed in identifying pathological patterns in their behaviour Answer: The correct answer is 2 Refer: Tutorial Letter 202/2/2017 Reasoning: The study unit on surveying life within the cracks teaches us: • be sensitive to contextual cues and understand that counselling and counselling-related processes happen in context; • see counselling as a way of being in relationship to others; • understand the importance of having a frame of reference, and • see the importance of language as a connective device that can enhance counselling encounters and counselling-related processes. Question 4 Which of the following is not considered one of the three essential counsellor attributes for building the therapeutic relationship? 1. Congruence 2. Open questioning 3. Unconditional positive regard. 4. Empathy Answer: The correct answer is 2 Refer: PYC3705 Study Guide, pg. 64 Reasoning: Option 2 refers to an essential micro-skill, while options 1, 3 and 4 refers to essential attributes. Among other things, the counsellor’s warmth, congruence, empathy and nonjudgemental and unconditionally accepting attitude towards the client are of great importance. Question 5 The following statement by the counsellor is an example of what skill? Client· What's the point in trying to stop using, I always relapse sooner or later Counsellor "You don't see the benefit of stopping at the moment" 1. Summarising. 2. Paraphrase 3. Reflection 4. Reframe Answer: The correct answer is 2 Refer: PYC3705 Study Note 3 Reasoning: Reflecting feelings is putting words to feelings observed in the client, while paraphrasing is conveying the same meaning in different words. Note that the counsellor’s response does not add any new content (a feeling) to what the client said, therefore option 2 is the correct answer. Question 6 Which of the following responses is a reflection of feeling for the statement? "The future looks good since I have stopped using alcohol? 1. 'You are anticipating some good times ahead of you now" 2. "That sounds great" 3. 'You have done well" 4. "Things are working out for you now" Answer: The correct answer is 1 Refer: PYC3705 Study Note 3 Reasoning: When reflecting feelings to your client: • Use an appropriate introductory phrase (e.g., sounds like...., you feel...., it seems...etc.) • Add a feeling word or emotional label to the stem. • Add a context or brief paraphrase to anchor or broaden the reflection. Question 7 Which of the following is an open question? 1. Do you always inject your drugs? 2. Will you consider going into detox? 3. What plans do you have for the next week? 4. How much per week does your drinking cost you? Answer: The correct answer is 3 Reasoning: Open ended questions can in most cases not be answered with a one-word response. Options 1 and 2 can be answered yes/no and option 4 can be answered with a value. Question 8 What is being built in the first interview that is required for counselling to continue? 1. Faith 2. Non-professional relationship 3. Rapport 4. Friendship Answer: The correct answer is 3 Reasoning: Rapport can be understood as a harmonious or empathic relationship. The development of rapport starts with the initial contact and continues throughout the counselling process. Effective rapport is crucial for individuals seeking counselling, as this may be the first encounter with a professional counsellor and this interaction may either encourage or discourage the client from seeking counselling in the future or following up for subsequent counselling sessions. Question 9 The aim of using active listening skills is to ___. 1. Help the client feel understood 2. Encourage the client to disclose information 3. Assist in establishing rapport 4. All of the above Answer: The correct answer is 4 Refer: PYC3705 Study Guide, pg. 36 Reasoning: Question 10 The client's right to agree to participate in counselling, assessment, or other professional procedures or service after such services are explained and understood is ___. 1. Professional responsibility 2. Personal responsibility 3. Professional relationship 4. Informed consent. Answer: The correct answer is 4 Refer: Tutorial Letter 202/2/2017 Reasoning: The psychologist should give the client the information she need to give informed consent right from the start. Topics to discuss include: • Limits of confidentiality • Nature and extent of your psychologist’s record-keeping • Expertise, experience and training • What services your psychologist can’t or won’t provide • Estimated length of therapy • Alternative approaches to treatment or service • Fees and billing practices Question 11 You have come across ethical approaches to problem solving in this module. One of those approaches has been to do with considering the effects of particular actions in particular contexts. 1. Normative ethical approach 2. Virtue ethical approach 3. Relational ethical approach 4. Legal ethical approach Answer: The correct answer is 3 Refer: Study Note 6 Reasoning: Relational approach • Considering the effects of particular actions in particular contexts • Combines relationship and ethics into a multidimensional concept • There is a complex medium through which decisions and interactions associated with a relationship are engaged with • Codes and standards inform rather than determine our ethical decisions • Each client, counsellor and situation is unique • Thinking and feeling through ethical dilemmas Question 12 Which of the following are not ways of being ethically responsible related to culture? 1. recognizing that traditional ways of providing help may not be sufficient for clients from another culture 2. assuming that the client wants to assimilate into the dominant culture 3. demonstrating interest in the client's culture 4. becoming aware of your own values Answer: The correct answer is 2 Refer: Tutorial Letter 202/2/2017 Reasoning: It is crucial that counsellors do not become culturally encapsulated. Cultural encapsulation puts counsellors at risk of using stereotypes, becoming judgmental, and imposing their values on their clients. Counsellors’ awareness of personal culture will benefit their clients and help them with the process of gaining awareness of cultures that are different from their own. The most important work for every counsellor is to become more culturally responsive and respectful. Cultural competence is first and foremost a commitment to take the next step, and the next and the next toward offering accessible and appropriate services for the diverse clients and communities being served. Counsellors need to learn to ask questions sensitively and to show respect for different cultural beliefs. Question 13 The ethical issue of "recognising limits" refers to 1. not going over the established time for the session 2. not practicing beyond the areas of competence 3. 1 and 2 4. none of 1 and 2 Answer: The correct answer is 2 Refer: Tutorial Letter 202/2/2017 Reasoning: As a counsellor, you strive to help your clients come to terms with issues presenting deep concern to their emotional health and well-being. Part of being an effective counsellor relies on knowing when you can be of assistance to your clients and when your duties as a counsellor prevent you from causing undue harm. Your limitations as a counsellor are determined by your level of experience, your expertise in a given counselling area and the legal requirements regarding your responsibility to warn in your practicing state. Counsellors should not practice outside of their area of expertise without proper training and supervision. A counsellor practicing in an academic setting may have received basic training in the treatment of clients with chemical addictions; however, if this counsellor has not had experience in the treatment of addictions, he/she should seek supervision and training in the area prior to engaging in active treatment with an addictions client. When appropriate, counsellors should refer their clients to other counsellors qualified in treating their patient's specific needs. Question 14 The client's right to keep the counselling relationship secret is ___. 1. Confidentiality 2. Their business 3. Privacy 4. The client's responsibility Answer: The correct answer is 3 Refer: Tutorial Letter 202/2/2017 Reasoning: Client's right to keep the relationship a secret is privacy. There a difference between confidentiality and privacy. We often use the terms "confidentiality" and "privacy" interchangeably in counselling. However, they mean distinctly different things from a legal standpoint. To begin with, confidentiality refers to personal information shared with a counsellor or therapist that generally cannot be divulged to third parties without the express consent of the client. On the other hand, privacy refers to the freedom from intrusion into one's personal matters, and personal information. While confidentiality is an ethical duty, privacy is a right rooted in common law. Question 15 Unconditional positive regard means ___. 1. liking everyone equally 2. verbalizing a lot of validation to clients 3. accepting a client despite his or her behaviour 4. principle ethics Answer: The correct answer is 3 Refer: Tutorial Letter 202/2/2017 Reasoning: Unconditional positive regard is a term credited to humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers and is used in client-centred therapy. Practicing unconditional positive regard means accepting and respecting others as they are without judgment or evaluation. Question 16 Empathy involves ___. 1. Feeling sorry for someone 2. Putting others before yourself 3. Putting yourself in someone else's shoes 4. Putting yourself before others. Answer: The correct answer is 3 Refer: Tutorial Letter 202/2/2017 Reasoning: Empathy has been described in different ways: walking in another's shoes, entering into another person's frame of reference or having the ability to experience life as the other person does by entering the person's world of thoughts, feelings, emotions and meanings. In counselling, empathy is an expression of the regard and respect the counsellor holds for the client whose experiences maybe quite different from that of the counsellor. The client needs to feel "held", understood as well as respected. Empathy means the counsellor is capable to accept and support the client through any issues, concerns, problems she/he can bring. The ability to empathise with another is enhanced by an alert attentiveness to facial expressions, body language, gestures, intuition, silences and so on. Sympathy on the other hand is not empathy. Sympathy is feeling sorry for someone. It is to create sorrow in oneself in response to the perceived sense of another. When we feel sympathy for someone we might view them with pity. While pity makes a victim of the sufferer, empathy empowers them: "I have a sense of your world, you are not alone, we will go through this together". Carl Rogers, the founder of person centred counselling, concluded that the important elements of empathy are: - the counsellor understands the client's feelings - the counsellor's responses reflect the client's mood and the content of what has been said - the counsellors' tone of voice conveys the ability to share the client's feelings. Question 17 Which of the following aspects might be considered as the central tenets of client-centred therapy? 1. Empathy. 2. Unconditional positive regard 3. Congruence. 4. All of the above Answer: The correct answer is 4 Refer: PYC3705 Study Guide, pg. 64 Reasoning: Among other things, the counsellor’s warmth, congruence, empathy and nonjudgemental and unconditionally accepting attitude towards the client are of great importance.