FRHD 3400 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9: Genogram, The Counselor, Afrocentrism

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Family Relations and Human Development
• Course: FRHD 3400
• Professor: Carol Anne Hendry

Document Summary

If you use focusing skills as defined, you can anticipate how clients may respond. Use selective attention to focus the counseling session on the client, theme/concern/issue, significant others (partner/spouse, family, friends), a mutual (cid:862)(cid:449)e(cid:863) fo(cid:272)us, the (cid:272)ou(cid:374)selo(cid:396), o(cid:396) the cultural/environmental context. You may also focus on what is going on in here and now of the session. Clients tend to focus their conversation or story on the areas that the counselor responds to. As the counselor brings in new focuses, the story is elaborated from multiple perspectives. If you selectively attend only to the individual, the broader dimensions of the social context are likely to be missed: selective attention is basic to focusing but works in different ways. Clients tend to talk about that which you give your primary attention. Through your attending skills (visuals, vocal tone, verbal following and body language), you indicate to your client that you are listening and what you are paying attention to.