37. 咨询环境
本章知识点阐述
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.