37. 咨询环境

37 咨询环境

在前面的章节中，我们讨论了咨询是如何在求助者和咨询师之间建立一种安全、信任的关系。为了促进这种关系的建立，在面对面咨询的情况下，如果咨询环境能让求助者感到舒适和放松，这将是非常有帮助的。

不幸的是，咨询师并不总是能够使用专门设计的咨询室。在某些情况下，咨询师需要到家庭、机构、学校或政府部门进行咨询，必须利用原本用于其他目的的空间。在这种情况下，咨询师应尽一切可能保护求助者的隐私。许多成年人和儿童不喜欢别人知道他们在看咨询师。在办公室和学校，由于缺乏隐私，咨询过程的保密性可能会在某种程度上受到影响。显然，咨询师需要尽最大努力找到最私密的设施和安排。

咨询室

每当我们走进一个房间，那个房间都会对我们产生影响。对你来说也是这样吗？你有没有注意到，有时候当你进入一个房间时，你会感到舒适和放松，几乎像是房间欢迎你一样？而在其他时候，你可能进入了一个感觉冷冰冰、不友好的房间。一个设计良好的咨询室会有温暖、友好的感觉。除了房间温暖、愉快、欢迎和舒适外，如果能设置成特别适合咨询的样子，那就更好了。

如果咨询师有自己的个人房间，那个房间可以反映出他们的一些个性。我们的咨询室装饰着植物和图画。墙上的画宁静，展示着树木和风景的自然场景。颜色柔和而不刺眼，这些与舒适的家具结合在一起，营造出欢迎、放松的氛围。

你的房间会与我们的不同，因为我们每个人都有不同的品味。我们建议你尝试让你的房间成为你的一部分，这样你才会在里面感到舒适，那么很可能寻求你帮助的人也会感到舒适。

最好你的咨询室里有舒适的椅子供你和求助者使用，以及其他适合专业办公室的家具。你可能需要写报告、起草信件、保存记录和处理一些行政事务。因此，一张桌子、电话和文件柜将很有用，再加上书架用于存放专业书籍。

咨询室需要具有吸引力。

房间布局

图37.1所示的草图展示了一个适合个人咨询的咨询室布局。请注意，书桌和文件柜不显眼地放在角落，面向墙壁，这样可以减少它们的存在感。虽然我们在进行行政工作时会使用书桌，但在咨询时，我们会邀请寻求帮助的人坐在舒适的椅子上，我们则坐在类似的椅子上面对他们，与他们平视。我们故意避免坐在书桌旁，因为这样做会带来关系中的不平等。此外，我们更喜欢没有桌子隔开的空间。使用这种布局可以让求助者作为平等的伙伴加入我们，共同探讨他们的问题，而不会把我们视为被桌子隔开的强大专家。如果我们需要在求助者面前坐到书桌旁做一些书面工作，我们会确保书桌不会隔开我们。

我们没有访客椅和咨询师椅，而是使用两张相似的椅子。当寻求帮助的人进入房间时，我们会邀请他们选择任意一张椅子坐下。然而，如果他们犹豫不决，我们会指引他们选择一张椅子。这是一个小细节，但很重要。寻求帮助的人在进入咨询室时通常会感到焦虑，因为这不是他们的空间，他们可能还会担心咨询过程。有些人如果可以选择座位会更自在，而另一些人则更愿意由你指定座位。

图37.1 咨询室布局

植物 图片 书桌 门 电话 文件柜 豆袋椅 白板 时钟 图片 / 扶手椅 图片 盆栽植物 窗户 书架

我们尽量安排椅子，使它们不直接对着窗户的光线。朝向窗户可能会不舒服，因为长时间的眩光会导致眼睛疲劳。在咨询过程中，求助者和咨询师大部分时间都会互相看着对方，所以背景对舒适度很重要。最好是椅子相对但稍微倾斜，中间有足够的空间，使求助者不会感到个人空间被侵犯。

正式不会 增强咨询 关系

所需设备

我们更喜欢在每个咨询室里都有一块白板。那些主要以视觉模式思考的人，如果重要的陈述写在白板上，或者他们的选项列在上面，他们可能会更集中注意力并提高意识（有关意识模式的个人差异，请参见第11章）。有时，一个人的困境可以通过一个比喻性的草图来表达。白板在帮助人们挑战不合理信念或构建坚定陈述时特别有用。它也可以作为执行教育和行政任务的辅助工具，这些任务咨询师不可避免地需要承担。

我们总是在咨询室里方便的地方放一盒纸巾。不可避免地，有些寻求帮助的人会哭泣。手边有纸巾可以帮助减少他们的尴尬。

保密的需要

正如第40章所讨论的，保密在咨询中是必不可少的。除非确信不会被他人听到，否则人们不会感到舒适去披露亲密的个人信息。如果他们能听到咨询室外的声音，他们可能有理由担心自己会被他人听到。因此，咨询室最好进行适当的隔音处理，尽管这一理想往往难以实现。

保密是咨询中必需的

如果可能的话，咨询过程不应被敲门、进入房间或不必要的电话打断。因此，许多咨询师规定，当咨询室的门关闭时，除非在特殊情况下，否则其他人不得试图进入房间。在许多咨询机构中，当咨询室的门关上时，如果在特殊情况下需要联系咨询师，接待员会使用电话。除非在严重的紧急情况下，接待员只会让电话响几声，如果未接听，则不打扰咨询师。这最大限度地减少了求助者在咨询过程的重要阶段被中断的可能性，使他们感到保密得到了保障，并能在隐私中表达自己的情感，而不用担心被他人看到。

安全问题

咨询师需要采取所有必要和适当的措施来保护自己。不可避免地，某时某刻咨询师会遇到有暴力或性侵犯倾向的人。这是所有咨询师面临的问题，但必须认识到女性咨询师尤其容易受到伤害。

咨询师的安全需要得到保障

我们认为，所有提供咨询服务的机构和政府设施应在咨询室内安装报警按钮。这样，如果咨询师遇到危险，可以按下报警按钮，通知其他工作人员采取适当行动。显然，需要有一个合适的协议，以便在报警响起时采取适当的行动。由于安全问题，一些咨询师更喜欢将座位安排在靠近门口的位置，以便在需要时能够无障碍地离开房间。

设置你自己的房间

设置咨询室给咨询师提供了一个发挥创意的机会，可以使用自己的个人想法来创造一个适合的环境，让寻求帮助的人感到足够舒适，可以公开地探讨自己的问题。我们喜欢尝试咨询室的布局和装饰，使其反映我们的个人品味，并对他人友好。我们希望你在设置自己的咨询室时也能获得类似的满足感。

学习总结

• 咨询室需要对人友好。
• 最好让咨询师和求助者的椅子相似，并且之间没有障碍物。这有助于建立共情关系。
• 朝向窗户会不舒服。
• 如果椅子太近，个人空间可能会被侵犯。
• 理想情况下，咨询室应该隔音，并配有白板和纸巾。
• 有必要制定程序以确保咨询过程不被打断。

本章知识点阐述

进一步阐述知识点

37 咨询环境

1. 咨询环境的重要性

• 建立信任关系：咨询环境在建立求助者和咨询师之间的信任关系中起着关键作用。一个舒适、放松的环境可以让求助者更容易打开心扉，表达自己的感受和问题。
• 隐私保护：咨询师应尽最大努力保护求助者的隐私。特别是在非专业环境中（如家庭、机构、学校或政府部门），咨询师需要采取措施确保咨询过程的保密性。

2. 咨询室的设计

• 物理环境：咨询室应温馨、安静，确保求助者感到舒适和放松。
  • 温度和光线：保持适宜的温度和柔和的光线。
  • 家具布局：舒适的椅子、适当的桌子和文件柜，以及专业的书架。
• 心理环境：咨询室应营造一个无条件积极关注和支持的氛围，让求助者感到被接纳和理解。
  • 装饰：墙上可以挂一些宁静的自然风景画，摆放一些植物，营造温馨的氛围。
  • 颜色：选择柔和的颜色，避免刺眼的颜色。

3. 个性化咨询室

• 反映个性：咨询师可以根据自己的个性和品味来布置咨询室，使其成为一个反映自己风格的空间。
• 舒适感：咨询师在舒适的环境中工作，也能更好地与求助者建立联系。

4. 功能性设施

• 办公设备：咨询室应配备必要的办公设备，如桌子、电话、文件柜和书架，以满足写报告、起草信件、保存记录和处理行政事务的需求。
• 专业资料：书架上可以放置专业书籍和资料，方便查阅和参考。

5. 吸引力

• 营造氛围：咨询室需要具有吸引力，让求助者感到欢迎和放松。
• 细节关注：从颜色、装饰到家具布局，每一个细节都应精心设计，以营造一个温馨、专业的咨询环境。

总结

咨询环境在建立求助者和咨询师之间的信任关系中起着重要作用。一个舒适、放松、具有吸引力的咨询环境不仅能保护求助者的隐私，还能让求助者更容易打开心扉，表达自己的感受和问题。通过精心设计和布置咨询室，咨询师可以更好地与求助者建立联系，提供高质量的咨询服务。

进一步阐述知识点

房间布局

1. 咨询室布局的重要性

• 减少不平等感：咨询室的布局应减少不平等感，避免使用书桌和文件柜等可能造成距离感的物品。书桌和文件柜应放在不显眼的位置，以减少其存在感。
• 平等的座位安排：咨询师和求助者应坐在相同的椅子上，面对面且平视。这种布局有助于建立平等的关系，使求助者感到更加舒适和放松。
• 避免正式感：过于正式的布局可能会增加求助者的紧张感，因此应避免使用访客椅和咨询师椅，而是使用两张相似的椅子。

2. 细节的关注

• 座位选择：当求助者进入房间时，应邀请他们选择任意一张椅子坐下。如果他们犹豫不决，可以指引他们选择一张椅子。这个小细节可以帮助减轻求助者的焦虑感。
• 心理舒适：求助者在进入咨询室时通常会感到焦虑，因为这不是他们的空间，他们可能还会担心咨询过程。提供选择座位的机会可以让他们感到更加自在。

3. 环境的舒适性

• 光线和背景：尽量安排椅子，使它们不直接对着窗户的光线。朝向窗户可能会导致眼睛疲劳。在咨询过程中，求助者和咨询师大部分时间都会互相看着对方，所以背景对舒适度很重要。
• 空间感：椅子相对但稍微倾斜，中间有足够的空间，使求助者不会感到个人空间被侵犯。这样的布局有助于建立一个开放、舒适的氛围。

4. 避免正式感

• 非正式的布局：正式的布局可能会增加求助者的紧张感，因此应尽量避免。使用非正式的布局可以营造一个更加轻松、自然的氛围，有助于建立信任关系。

总结

咨询室的布局在建立求助者和咨询师之间的信任关系中起着重要作用。通过减少不平等感、关注细节、提供舒适的环境和避免正式感，咨询师可以创建一个温馨、专业的咨询环境，使求助者感到更加舒适和放松。这不仅有助于建立平等的伙伴关系，还可以提高咨询的效果。

所需设备

白板

• 视觉辅助：我们更喜欢在每个咨询室里都有一块白板。那些主要以视觉方式思考的人如果重要的陈述写在白板上，或者他们的选项列在那里，可能会更集中注意力并提高意识（见第11章关于意识模式的个人差异）。
• 表达困境：有时，一个人的困境可以通过一个比喻性的草图来表达。白板在帮助人们挑战不合理信念或构建自信陈述时特别有用。
• 行政任务：白板也可以作为执行教育和行政任务的辅助工具，而咨询师不可避免地需要承担这些职责。

纸巾

• 情感支持：我们总是在咨询室里方便的地方放一盒纸巾。不可避免地，有些寻求帮助的人会哭泣。手边有纸巾可以帮助减少他们的尴尬。

保密的需要

保密的重要性

• 信任基础：正如第40章所讨论的，保密在咨询中是必不可少的。除非人们确信不会被他人听到，否则他们不会感到舒适去披露亲密的个人细节。
• 隔音措施：如果他们能听到咨询室外的声音，他们可能有理由担心自己会被他人听到。因此，最好让咨询室隔音，尽管这往往难以实现。

避免打扰

• 不间断的咨询：如果可能的话，咨询过程不应被敲门、进入房间或不必要的电话打扰。因此，许多咨询师有一个规则，即当咨询室的门关闭时，除非在特殊情况下，其他人不应试图进入房间。
• 紧急联系：在许多咨询机构中，当咨询室的门关上时，如果在特殊情况下需要联系咨询师，接待员会使用电话。除非在严重的紧急情况下，接待员只让电话响几次，如果没有接听，则不打扰咨询师。
• 减少中断：这最小化了求助者在咨询过程中的重要阶段被中断的可能性，使他们感到保密有保障，并可以在没有被他人观察的风险和尴尬的情况下表达自己的情感。

安全问题

保护措施

• 自我保护：咨询师需要采取必要的措施来保护自己的安全。不可避免地，某时某刻咨询师会遇到有暴力或性攻击倾向的人。这是所有咨询师面临的问题，但女性咨询师尤其容易受到伤害。
• 报警按钮：我们认为所有提供咨询服务的机构和政府设施的咨询室都应该安装报警按钮。如果咨询师遇到危险，可以按下报警按钮，通知其他工作人员及时响应。
• 安全协议：显然，需要有一套合适的协议，确保在报警声响起时采取适当的行动。
• 座位安排：由于安全问题，一些咨询师倾向于安排座位，使自己靠近门口，以便在必要时可以迅速离开房间而不受阻碍。

设置自己的咨询室

创造环境

• 个性化：设置咨询室给咨询师提供了发挥创意的机会，可以使用自己的个人想法来创造一个适合的环境，使求助者感到足够舒适，能够公开探讨他们的问题。
• 实验布局：我们喜欢尝试咨询室的布局和装饰，使它们反映我们的个人品味，并对他人友好。希望你在设置自己的咨询室时也能找到类似的满足感。

学习总结

• 以人为本：咨询室需要对人友好。
• 平等的座位：咨询师和求助者的椅子应相似，中间没有障碍物。这有助于建立共情关系。
• 避免直视窗户：朝向窗户可能会让人感到不适。
• 保持适当距离：如果椅子太近，可能会侵犯个人空间。
• 理想配置：理想的咨询室应隔音，并配有白板和充足的纸巾。
• 避免打扰：制定程序确保咨询过程不受打扰。

37 The counselling environment In earlier chapters we discussed the way in which counselling involves the creation of a safe, trusting relationship between the person seeking help and the counsellor. In order to assist in the promotion of such a relationship, it can be helpful when counselling in a face-to-face situation if the counselling environment is one that will enable the person seeking help to feel comfortable and at ease. Unfortunately, it is not always possible for counsellors to have the use of a specially designed counselling room. In some situations, counsellors are visitors to a home, an agency, a school or a government department, and have to make the best use of spaces that are intended for other purposes. Where this is the case, it is desirable for the counsellor to do whatever is possible to protect the privacy of the person seeking help. Many adults and children don’t like others to know that they are seeing a counsellor. In offices and schools the confidentiality of the counselling process may be compromised at some level by lack of privacy. Clearly, counsellors need to do their best to find the most private facilities and arrangements possible. THE COUNSELLING ROOM Whenever we walk into a room, that room has an effect on us. Is it the same for you? Have you noticed that sometimes when you have entered a room you felt comfortable and at ease, almost as though the room welcomed you? At other times you may have entered a room that felt clinical, cold and unwelcoming. A well- designed counselling room will have a warm, friendly feel about it. In addition to the room being warm, pleasant, welcoming and comfortable, it is an advantage if it can be set up so that it is especially suitable for counselling. Where a counsellor has their own personal room, that room can reflect something of their individual personality. Our counselling rooms are decorated with plants and pictures. Pictures on the walls are peaceful, showing natural scenes of trees and landscapes. The colours are muted and not harsh, and these combine with comfortable furnishings to provide a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere. Your room will be different from ours because we are all different and have different tastes. We suggest that you tty to make your room an extension of yourself so that you feel at ease in it, and then in all probability'- the people who seek your help will feel comfortable in it too. Preferably the furnishings in your counselling room should include comfortable chairs for yourself and the person seeking help, together with other furnishings appropriate to a professional office. You may need to write reports, draft letter's, keep records and carry out some administrative duties. Hence a desk, telephone and filing cabinet will be useful, together with bookshelves for a professional library’.

A counselling room needs to be inviting

LAYOUT OF THE ROOM 1 he sketch in Figure 37.1 shows a suitable layout for a counselling room for the personal counselling of individuals who seek help. Notice that the desk and the filing cabinet are unobtrusively in a corner facing the wall, where their importance is diminished. While we use the desk for administrative work, when counselling we invite the person seeking help to sit in a comfortable chair and we sit in a similar chair facing them and at their level. We deliberately avoid sitting at the desk, as to do so brings inequality into the relationship. Additionally, we prefer to have open space rather than a table separating us from the person. Using this arrangement enables the person to join with us as an equal partner as they explore their issues, and we are not perceived as a powerful expert separated by a desk or table. If we do need to sit at the desk to do some written work in the person’s presence, we make sure that the desk doesn’t separate us from them. We don’t have a visitor’s chair and a counsellor’s chair, but rather two chairs that are similar. When a person seeking help enters the room they are invited to sit in whichever chair they choose. However, if they hesitate we will direct them to a chair. This is a small point, but an important one. A person seeking help will usually be anxious when they come into a counselling room, because it is not their space and they may also be worrying about the counselling process. Some people will be more at ease if they can choose their seat, while others will be happier if you direct them to a chair.

Figure 37.1 Counselling room arrangement PLANT PICTURE I DESK DOOR a PHONE FILING CABINET BEANBAG WHITEBOARD jCLOCK PICTURE / ARMCHAIRS PICTURE POT PLANTS WINDOW BOOKSHELVES

We try to arrange the chairs so that they do not face directly into light coming trona a window. Looking towards a window can be unpleasant, as after a while the glare may cause eyestrain. During a counselling session, the person seeking help and the counsellor will be looking at each other most of the time, so the background against which each is framed is important for comfort. Preferably the chairs will face each other but at a slight angle, with enough space between them so that the person seeking help does not feel that their personal space is being invaded.

Formality won't enhance the counselling relationship

EQUIPMENT NEEDED We prefer to have a whiteboard in every counselling room. People who predominantly operate in a visual mode are likely to focus more clearly and gain in awareness if important statements are written on the board, and if their options are listed there (see Chapter 11 regarding personal differences in modes of awareness). Sometimes a person’s dilemma can be expressed through a sketch that metaphorically describes their situation. A whiteboard is particularly useful when helping a person to challenge irrational beliefs or to construct assertive statements. It may also be used as an aid when Carrying out educational and administrative tasks, which counsellors inevitably undertake as part of their duties. We always have a box of tissues in a handy place in our counselling rooms. It is inevitable that at times some people seeking help will cry. Having tissues at hand helps reduce their embarrassment.

THE NEED FOR PRIVACY As discussed in Chapter 40, confidentiality is essential when counselling. A person will not feel comfortable about disclosing intimate personal details unless they are confident that they will not be overheard. If they can hear voices from outside the counselling room, they may be justified in fearing that they can be heard by others. It is therefore preferable for counselling rooms to be suitably soundproofed, although this ideal is often not achievable.

Privacy is essential when counselling

If at all possible, the counselling process should be uninterrupted by the intrusion of people knocking on the door, entering the room or phoning in unnecessarily. For this reason, many counsellors have a rule that when a counselling room door is closed, no attempt should be made by others to enter the room except in unusual circumstances, hi many counselling agencies, when a counselling room door is shut, the procedure for contacting the counsellor when unusual circumstances make this necessary is for the receptionist to use the phone. Except in serious emergencies, the receptionist allows the phone to ring a few times only and if it is not answered then the counsellor is left undisturbed. This minimises the possibility that the person seeking help might he interrupted at an important stage in the counselling process. It enables them to feel that confidentiality is assured, and allows them to express their emotions in privacy without the risk and embarrassment of being observed by others. SAFETY ISSUES It is important for counsellors to take whatever measures are required and appropriate for their own protection. It is inevitable that at some time a counsellor will be confronted by a person who has violent or sexually aggressive tendencies. This is a problem for all counsellors, but it needs to be recognised that female counsellors are especially vulnerable.

The safety of counsellors needs to be ensured

We believe that it is essential for all agencies and government facilities that provide counselling services to have alarm buttons in their counselling rooms. Then, if a counsellor is in danger, the alarm can be pressed to alert other workers so that they can respond appropriately. Clearly, there needs to be a suitable protocol in place so that when an alarm does sound the action taken is appropriate. Because of the safety issue some counsellors prefer to arrange the seating so that they are seated nearest to the door, enabling them to leave the room without being obstructed.

SETTING UP YOUR OWN ROOM Setting up a counselling room gives a counsellor an opportunity to be creative, and to use their own personal ideas to generate a suitable environment where a person seeking help may feel comfortable enough to explore their issues openly. We enjoy experimenting with the layout and decoration of our counselling rooms so that they reflect our personal tastes and are welcoming to others. We hope you find similar satisfaction in setting up your own counselling room.

Learning summary Counselling rooms need to be person-friendly. It is preferable for the chairs for the counsellor and the person seeking help to be similar and have no barriers between them. This can assist in the creation of an empathic relationship. Looking towards a window is unpleasant. If chairs are too close, personal space may be invaded. Ideally a counselling room should be soundproof and have whiteboards and a supply of tissues. It is useful to have procedures to ensure that counselling sessions are not interrupted.