Chapter 5: Interpersonal Connecting and Information Gathering

Ch. 5 Interpersonal Connecting and Information Gathering I thought the interviewer professionally conducted herself throughout. Despite her marital difficulties and her husband's drinking, she showed the young customer warmth and consideration. I would also say that the interviewer gave careful regard to her requirements. I would want to draw attention to the fact that she spent more time asking questions than she did considering the client's emotional responses. She did display some empathy, but I think she could have gone further. Yes, she would respond to the client's question appropriately, but the interviewer should have shown a little more emotion while explaining the client's problems as a result of her husband's drinking. First Impressions and Diversity Issues: I'd say the customer did appear to leave a positive impression on her peers. She was dressed properly for an interview and had a lovely workplace. When the customer entered the office, she was very appreciative of her presence and eager to make her feel welcome. Basic interviewing skills: She possessed extremely strong foundational interviewing skills, in my opinion. I thought she was being extremely professional when she inquired about her husband's drinking. In addition, the woman acknowledged feeling a little distant from her spouse while the counselor questioned her. If she had asked more detailed questions, I believe she would have performed better. Her questions, in my opinion, were a bit too broad. Active Listening: Overall, I'd say the interviewer was attentive and did an excellent job. When a client communicated something upsetting to the therapist, for instance, the therapist would try to relate to their words and comprehend how they were experiencing, but she didn't always practice active listening. After a consumer responds to a question, the interviewer may go on to the next one. I believe the interviewer could have focused more on encouraging the client to share her remarks and thoughts with her spouse and on giving her ideas on how to make their relationship stronger or even persuade her husband to stop drinking. She needs to provide the customer with more options for things they could do. Focusing and Furthering: I don't believe she needs to alter the client's viewpoint when it comes to staying on the subject regarding talking about her spouse while intoxicated and being combative with her. Because the interviewer usually poses open-ended questions that enable the client to openly express her feelings, I would say that she considerably advances the issue. To assist the client in retaining her marriage and her husband's stability, the interviewer might ask her for more support when the problem has advanced. Summarizing: She did a terrific job of summarizing the client's situation to reach the best outcome for herself, her husband, and even her family. She is transparent about her efforts to support them emotionally by employing couples therapy and alcohol. As she hangs up the phone, she wishes that her marriage would end happily. By the end of the session, she had a genuine capacity for understanding and was optimistic about her chances of getting the help she needed. Empathy, Praise, and Support: She occasionally demonstrates empathy toward her spouse, in my opinion, by attempting to comprehend why he is so protective about drinking. She does not, however, exhibit a great deal of emotion, making it difficult to understand what she is going through. When interviewing a client, I think it's sometimes necessary to act emotionally so that the client can see that you are also affected by what they are going through. This will help the client feel supported and understand that they are not the only ones who are considering their problems. She has already helped a great lot by pledging to help the client locate a marital counselor so they can talk about this and get back on the right track. She seems ecstatic about strengthening her marriage. She could, however, speak more directly and use expressions like "that must be awful" or "how frustrating" to express herself. She only showed a small amount of sympathy for the outcome when she expressed her desire for her to have a happier marriage. She has to start listening more intently to what her clients are saying, in my opinion and put herself in their shoes. Additionally, the client's self-esteem will increase if she exhibits more empathy. Setting Boundaries: She does an excellent job of establishing limits. The interviewer cautions the client at the beginning of the session that if she wants treatment and counseling, she may need to disclose any suicidal behavior that puts her or anybody else in danger. She underlines that every conversation is private and secure, but she is required to provide information if the customer is associated with any unlawful activity. If it were up to me, I would have made an effort to get to know the customer and even made an effort to be more forthright and honest with them to put them at ease. I would show the client how precious she is in addition to reassuring her that she will get through this and giving her advice on how to deal with her husband in a firm manner or possibly even telling her what to say to her husband to enable her to be strong enough to at least stand up for herself. I may also advise her to inquire as to whether they can do some enjoyable outdoor activities together, such as visiting a park, taking walks, watching movies, etc. I would inquire about the husband's depressed symptoms and whether they are a factor in his excessive drinking, even if he could give a prescription for medication. I tend to binge eat, but when I take the medications my doctor prescribed, I feel better, can manage my stress without turning to food, or can ignore how other people see me. In all honesty, I would do more navigation.