Chapter 1: Intentional Interviewing, Counseling, and Psychotherapy
Chapter 1 introduces the foundational concepts of intentional interviewing,
counseling, and psychotherapy, offering a roadmap for the entire book.
• Defining the Helping Professions
◦ The chapter begins by defining interviewing, counseling, and psychotherapy,
highlighting that counseling is considered both a science and an art.
◦ It also explores the similarities and differences among these practices and
notes that the skills presented are basic to coaching as well.
• Core Goals of Counseling and Psychotherapy
◦ Key goals include self-actualization, resilience, and the resolution of
client issues.
◦ The aim is to facilitate clients' development and growth, helping them find
meaningful goals and change their lives.
• The Microskills Hierarchy
◦ The microskills hierarchy is presented as a foundational pyramid for building
cultural intentionality. It identifies specific communication skills that are the
behavioral foundations of intentional counseling and psychotherapy, clarifying the
"how" of all theories.
◦ This hierarchy rests on a base of ethics, multicultural competence,
neuroscience, positive psychology, and resilience (which are detailed in Chapter
2).
◦ It then progresses through attending and observation skills (Chapters 3 and
4), followed by empathic basic listening skills like questioning, encouraging,
paraphrasing, summarizing, and reflecting feelings (Chapters 5-7).
◦ Later stages involve influencing skills such as focusing, empathic
confrontation, reflection of meaning, and action strategies. The apex involves
integrating skills and developing one's personal style.
• The Five Stages of a Counseling Session
◦ A critical framework introduced is the five stages of the counseling session:
1. Empathic relationship: Establishing rapport and trust.
2. Story and strengths: Drawing out the client's narrative and identifying
their resources.
3. Goals: Collaboratively setting objectives.
4. Restory: Exploring alternatives and rewriting narratives.
5. Action: Taking steps toward desired outcomes.
◦ This framework serves as an overall system and checklist for client meetings.
• The Role of Neuroscience
◦ Cutting-edge neuroscience is highlighted as central to the future of
counseling.
◦ The text emphasizes that conversation changes the brain through the
development of new neural networks, an example of brain plasticity and
neurogenesis. Effective counseling develops useful new neurons and neural
connections. Neuroscience helps understand traditional approaches and increases the
quality and precision of practice.
• Multiculturalism
◦ The chapter stresses that "we are all multicultural beings" and that cultural
competence is imperative in counseling. Understanding and sensitivity to a client's
uniqueness are crucial for establishing a relationship and grasping their issues.
• Learning and Practice
◦ The book encourages students to record an initial counseling session to
identify their natural helping style and establish a baseline for growth.
◦ The microskills teaching and learning framework is practice-oriented,
involving introduction, awareness/knowledge/skills, observation, multiple
applications, action/practice with feedback, and developing a portfolio of
competencies. Practice is essential for mastery and expertise.
• Levels of Competence
◦ Four levels of competence are described:
1. Awareness and Knowledge: Self-awareness and understanding of counseling
concepts.
Chapter 1 introduces the foundational concepts of intentional interviewing,
counseling, and psychotherapy, offering a roadmap for the entire book.
• Defining the Helping Professions
◦ The chapter begins by defining interviewing, counseling, and psychotherapy,
highlighting that counseling is considered both a science and an art.
◦ It also explores the similarities and differences among these practices and
notes that the skills presented are basic to coaching as well.
• Core Goals of Counseling and Psychotherapy
◦ Key goals include self-actualization, resilience, and the resolution of
client issues.
◦ The aim is to facilitate clients' development and growth, helping them find
meaningful goals and change their lives.
• The Microskills Hierarchy
◦ The microskills hierarchy is presented as a foundational pyramid for building
cultural intentionality. It identifies specific communication skills that are the
behavioral foundations of intentional counseling and psychotherapy, clarifying the
"how" of all theories.
◦ This hierarchy rests on a base of ethics, multicultural competence,
neuroscience, positive psychology, and resilience (which are detailed in Chapter
2).
◦ It then progresses through attending and observation skills (Chapters 3 and
4), followed by empathic basic listening skills like questioning, encouraging,
paraphrasing, summarizing, and reflecting feelings (Chapters 5-7).
◦ Later stages involve influencing skills such as focusing, empathic
confrontation, reflection of meaning, and action strategies. The apex involves
integrating skills and developing one's personal style.
• The Five Stages of a Counseling Session
◦ A critical framework introduced is the five stages of the counseling session:
1. Empathic relationship: Establishing rapport and trust.
2. Story and strengths: Drawing out the client's narrative and identifying
their resources.
3. Goals: Collaboratively setting objectives.
4. Restory: Exploring alternatives and rewriting narratives.
5. Action: Taking steps toward desired outcomes.
◦ This framework serves as an overall system and checklist for client meetings.
• The Role of Neuroscience
◦ Cutting-edge neuroscience is highlighted as central to the future of
counseling.
◦ The text emphasizes that conversation changes the brain through the
development of new neural networks, an example of brain plasticity and
neurogenesis. Effective counseling develops useful new neurons and neural
connections. Neuroscience helps understand traditional approaches and increases the
quality and precision of practice.
• Multiculturalism
◦ The chapter stresses that "we are all multicultural beings" and that cultural
competence is imperative in counseling. Understanding and sensitivity to a client's
uniqueness are crucial for establishing a relationship and grasping their issues.
• Learning and Practice
◦ The book encourages students to record an initial counseling session to
identify their natural helping style and establish a baseline for growth.
◦ The microskills teaching and learning framework is practice-oriented,
involving introduction, awareness/knowledge/skills, observation, multiple
applications, action/practice with feedback, and developing a portfolio of
competencies. Practice is essential for mastery and expertise.
• Levels of Competence
◦ Four levels of competence are described:
1. Awareness and Knowledge: Self-awareness and understanding of counseling
concepts.
