Intervention Strategies

These flashcards cover key concepts related to intervention strategies in human services, focusing on helping processes, communication, and cultural considerations.

Motivational Interviewing

A counseling approach that aims to enhance an individual’s motivation to change by helping them explore and resolve ambivalence.

Crisis Intervention

Strategies and techniques used to offer immediate support and guidance to individuals experiencing a crisis.

Resolution-Focused Brief Therapy

A therapeutic approach that focuses on finding solutions in the present and exploring hope for the future rather than delving into past problems.

Helping Process

A structured interaction between a helper and a client which aims to provide assistance and support to meet the client’s needs.

Helping Relationship

The unique partnership in which a helper focuses solely on the needs of the client while setting aside personal needs.

Cultural Background

The set of beliefs, values, and practices inherited from one’s family or community that shapes an individual’s perceptions and behaviors.

Bi-directionality of Helping

The idea that both the helper and the client influence each other in the helping relationship.

Client Empowerment

A process that encourages clients to take control of their own lives, make their own decisions, and develop their own abilities.

Goals of the Helping Process

To assist clients in problem-solving, setting goals, building trust, and fostering independence.

Crisis Phases

The stages that a crisis goes through, typically including the pre-crisis, crisis, and post-crisis phases.

Nonverbal Communication

Messages conveyed through body language, facial expressions, and other physical gestures instead of spoken words.

Verbal Communication

The use of spoken or written words to convey messages, thoughts, and feelings.

Active Listening

A communication technique that involves fully concentrating, understanding, responding, and remembering what the client is saying.

Cultural Competence

The ability of helpers to interact effectively with clients from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Attending Behavior

Nonverbal and verbal behaviors that demonstrate to the client that the helper is actively listening and engaged.

Intervention Strategies

Methods employed by helpers to assist clients based on their individual needs and situations.

Strategies for dealing with client resistance

1. Recognize and accept the antagonism. 2. Ask for the client's perception of the problem. 3. Ask the client for solutions. 4. Change the pace or topic.

Characteristics of an "overly demanding client"

Clients who monopolize time, schedule frequent and unnecessary appointments, become dependent, and make demands that lead to helper frustration and resentment due to the unsuccessful nature of the helping process.

Strategy for helping an "overly demanding client"

Setting reasonable limits to decrease the client's dependency, limiting client-helper contact to working hours only, and examining the helper's own need to be needed.

Characteristics of an "unmotivated client"

Clients who are present because they were referred or encouraged to seek help, often due to external authority (e.g., parents, school, court) rather than internal desire for change, finding the helping process often uphill and showing resistance.

Characteristics of an "overly demanding client"

Clients who monopolize time, schedule frequent and unnecessary appointments, become dependent, and make demands that lead to helper frustration and resentment due to the unsuccessful nature of the helping process.

Strategy for helping an "overly demanding client"

Setting reasonable limits to decrease the client's dependency, limiting client-helper contact to working hours only, and examining the helper's own need to be needed.

Characteristics of an "unmotivated client"

Clients who are present because they were referred or encouraged to seek help, often due to external authority (e.g., parents, school, court) rather than internal desire for change, finding the helping process often uphill and showing resistance.

Main Intervention Strategies employed by human service professionals

1. Motivational Interviewing: explores internal motivation for change. 2. Crisis Intervention: responds to stressful events and emergencies. 3. Resolution-Focused Brief Therapy: used when limited time/resources require short-term intervention.

Distinguishing characteristic of Motivational Interviewing

Encourages the development of internal (rather than external) motivation or desire for change within a client-centered, safe environment.

Three key aspects of Motivational Interviewing

1. Collaborative Helper Role: The helper engages the client in a special conversation about change, acting as an expert and an equal partner. 2. Client-centered Goal: The helper's goal is to draw ideas and feelings from the client, who assesses the client's strengths. 3. Client Autonomy: The client retains autonomy for choice and responsibility for actions; helpers encourage engagement in change.

Supporting techniques in Motivational Interviewing

1. Expressing empathy. 2. Providing support for self-efficacy. 3. De-escalating resistance. 4. Finding discrepancies. 5. Open-ended questions. 6. Affirmation. 7. Reflections. 8. Summaries.

Social context considerations in Motivational Interviewing

Addressing cultural dimensions of clients' lives, including aspects like history and political experiences, immigration contexts, receptivity of the host community, language barriers, and discrimination to enhance the helping relationship.