Every therapist develops a personal counseling perspective that defines the client-counselor relationship, the counseling process and the skills, techniques or exercises used in therapy. Techniques tend to be reflective of education, individual belief and values. While every counselor's method is individually specific and intentional of theoretical stance and practice, all therapeutic communication exercises include techniques, strategies and methods of intervention used to effectively help patients deal with presented issues or problems.
Reflection
Reflection is a therapeutic communication exercise engaging non-verbal and verbal communication as a means to clarifying understanding. This technique helps clients discover new perspectives and meanings about themselves and their surroundings. The therapist reflects back what the client states--or doesn't state--as a means for gathering further information in order to provide insight or directional thought for analysis.
Listening to Metaphors
Metaphors can be clues about a person's internal struggles. A therapist may listen to metaphors of clients as a means of understanding or in order to discover intricate questions that need to be asked. The translation of these metaphors can provide distinct information that enables a therapist to help a client deal with issues in therapy.
Non-Dominant Handwriting
Therapists use this technique as a means for initiating dialogue between the inner parent and inner child, the conscious and subconscious and the rational and intuitive, or the thinking side and feeling side. The dominant hand is the inner parent, which is the conscious, rational and thinking side. The non-dominant hand is the inner child, which is the subconscious, intuitive and feeling side. This therapeutic communication exercise encourages drawings and writings from both hands and dialogue between them. It is a means of self-integration and understanding and can provide comprehension.
Confronting Hidden Goals
This is a confrontation therapeutic technique used when a client attempts to deny feelings the therapist believes are present. The question is always asked as a speculative conclusion such as, "Could it be that you actually wanted him to leave?" or, "Is it possible you believed this was the only way out?" The therapist then watches non-verbal communication for a recognition reflex or a verbal acknowledgment that complies with the hypothesis.
The Question
Alfred Adler is the father of Adlerian psychotherapy and developed this technique to differentiate whether an issue stems from a physiological or functional basis. For instance, if a client presents with physical symptoms such as anxiety or panic attacks, the therapist would ask, "What would be different if you were well?" The answer given will provide insight into whether the physical symptoms are functional or physiological.
References
- "Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy": 8th Edition; Gerald Corey, Ph.D.; 2008
- "The Power of Your Other Hand"; Lucia Capacchione, Ph.D.; 1988
- "Adlerian Counseling and Psychotherapy"; 2nd Edition: Dinkmeyer, Dinkmeyer and Sperry; 1987
