PSYC 330: Interviewing

Terms and Definitions

Empathy/Accurate Empathic Understanding

Grasping the subjective world of the CT; Accurately communicating to Ct that you get it

Genuineness and Acceptance

Being real and honest with CT; external expression matches internal experience

Cognitive Complexity

Multiple motivations and reasons for people’s experiences (thick descriptions; complex thinkers)

Anticipatory Reactions (a hindrance to effective listening)

Client talks about parents not approving of career choice. Counselor anticipates client wants help confronting parents. Instead, client wants help finding a career that will satisfy self and parents

Preconceived Notions (a hindrance to effective listening)

Husband and wife attend couples counseling. Counselor is more attuned to hear gender traditional behavior – misses information that does not fit

Emotional Responses (a hindrance to effective listening)

“The client’s issue is so complicated! I’m scared and anxious that I am not a good enough therapist to help them”

Attentive Silence

CO not talking, CT may or may not be talking

Minimal Encouragers

brief verbal or non-verbal signals that show a listener is engaged and encouragers the speaker to continue

Reflection of content

addresses CT’s thoughts, perception of events and facts of story (content/cognitive)

Reflection of feeling

addresses feelings/emotions (affective)

Paraphrase/Reflection of feeling and content

connecting content and feeling

Relfection of meaning

addresses the below the surface message (values, interpretations, attitudes)

Being Here

In the physical therapy situation; attention on CO’s physical body; Ct’s physicalness, physical environment

Being Now

In the current time/moment; process/flow fo session-keeping conversational rhythm with CT

Being Open

Ready to perceive and receive here-and-now; open to dif info Ct is hsaring regardless of CO’s preconceived expectations; open to verbal and nonverbal info

Being with-and-for the Client

focus/goal is Ct’s healing; fostering a safe/accepting space

Facilitators of Nonpresence

Distractibility; Fear; hyper-intellectualization-over focus on content; fatigue-lack fo energy; reactivity-countertrasnference-unresolved personal issues

Polyvagal Theory

Neurophysiological framework explains how bodily responses and emotions can be influenced by the presence of others; communication is often automatic/outside conscious awareness

Cognitive Component of Emotion

Labeling the experience

Behavioral Component of Emotion

Facial expressions; actions

Physiological Component of Emotion

bodily reaction to an emotional experiences; including changes in the autonomic nervous system, brian activity, and hormonal responses

Adaptive Primary Emotions

Response to current situation (dissipate when situation resolved); specific bodily sensations; feel grounded; organize to get needs met; facilitate attachment to others and a sense of self

Maladaptive Primary Emotions

More about past and person, not current situation; general bad feeling in body; overwhelmed; doesn’t provide direction/organization; disrupt social attachments and sense of self

Secondary Emotions

Emotional reaction to or defense against having a primary emotional reaction (primary emotion that is expected is not consciously experienced. Cover up initial emotional response with an enmotional experience that is more tolerable/safe - secondary emotion).

This is an example of a secondary emotion

A woman is passed over for a promotion at work, this triggers anger (primary), but this is not considered an acceptable emotion, so she covers it with sadness (secondary), and only aware of sadness

instrumental Emotions

Expressing emotions to manipulate others (conscious or unconscious)

The goal of emotion-focused therapy is to

develop emotional intelligence

Etic

approach to counseling where a counselro belives and acts as though the same behavioral principles apply equally to all cultures

Emic

approach to counseling where a counselor recognizes that the same behaviors may have different meanings in different cultures or that different behaviors may convey similar meanings in different cultures