Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Chapter 7 Observing and Reflecting Feelings: A Foundation of Client Experience

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Observation and Reflection of Feeling Skill Function Makes feelings and emotions explicit and clear. Makes implicit or hidden emotions explicit and clear to the client. Enables you to note and understand client’s feelings, emotions, behavior and description of key situations.

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Observation and Reflection of Feeling Skill Function Note ambivalent feelings on a subject. Help sort out complex feelings and thoughts. Ground the conselor and client in basic experience. Focus on deper goals and feelings; avoid intellectualizing. Acknowledge the richness of their emotional world.

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Reflection of Feeling Explicit Implicit Nonverbal Mixed 1. Observe the feeling. 2. Name the feeling. 3. Repeat to the client.

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Recognize Key Emotions Emotional words used by others. Implicit emotions, not actually spoken. Nonverbally expressed emotion. Mixed verbal and nonverbal clues. Observe

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Verbal behavior Nonverbal behavior Discrepancies, incongruities, mixed messages, contradictions and conflict Observing Client Feelings

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 1.Choose a sentence stem. 2.Pinpoint and label feeling(s). 3.Use brief statement of context. 4.Use appropriate tense. 5.Check for accuracy. Technique of Reflecting Feeling Stem optional Past Present Future

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 1. Choose a sentence stem … or not. “I hear you say you feel…” “Feels like …” “You feel sad…?” “Mary, looks like you are happy.” Sentence stems are optional. Choose appropriate times to use a sentence stem. Examples:

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 2. Pinpoint and label feeling(s). Use accurate feeling words. Use more than one feeling word with mixed emotions. Precision and accuracy are key when you name feelings.

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 3. Use brief statement of context. Broaden with statement of context. Add context to reflection of feeling with words like – about, when, and because.

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 4. Use appropriate tense. Match the tense of client story. Reflections in present tense are most impactful.

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning 5. Check for accuracy. Ask for feedback on the accuracy and usefulness of your paraphrase. Accuracy is particularly helpful when feelings are unspoken. Example: “You feel angry today -- am I hearing you correctly?”

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Note Positive Emotions Broaden the scope of client of visual attention. Expand choices for client action. Increase capacity to cope in a crisis. Produce flexible, creative, and integrative thought patterns.

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Focus Positive Emotions Reflect positive feeling associated with wellness assessment Focus on positive aspects to balance the necessary focus on problem areas. Assign “positive homework” such as volunteer charity work, exercise, or recreation.

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Positive Feeling Focus on the positive, to the exclusion of focus on negative emotions. Be afraid to allow clients to express or explore negative emotions. Minimize difficult emotions too quickly. DO NOT-

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Noting Emotional Intensity: A Developmental Skill Feelings vary in intensity and expression. Ability and willingness to explore emotion varies among clients. Distinguishing how a client reacts emotionally is key. Developmental Counseling and Therapy (DCT) key observational skills identify and organize the depth of client emotional experience.

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Developmental Emotional Styles Sensorimotor Concrete Abstract formal-operational Abstract dialectic / systemic

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Sensorimotor Emotional Style Clients experience emotions rather than naming them or reflecting on them. Positive: Access to real and immediate emotional experiences. Negative: May be(come) overwhelmed by emotion. Help clients re-experience issues.

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Sensorimotor Emotional Style What are you feeling at this moment? Can you develop an image of that experience? What are you seeing/hearing/feeling at this moment? Enhance or open sensorimotor, deeper emotions.

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Feelings, causation, and context may be presented. Positive: Naming of feelings can be therapeutic for clients out of touch with feelings. Negative: Making emotions concrete moves away from sensorimotor emotional expression. Reflection of feeling focuses on concrete emotional style and forms a foundation for moving to in-depth emotional exploration. Concrete Emotional Style

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Concrete Emotional Style What are you feeling? You feel sad (or glad, mad, scared). You feel X because Y (or when Y occurs). Focus on concrete emotional style and form a foundation for more in-depth emotional exploration.

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Abstract Formal - Operational Emotional Style Client avoids experiencing emotions by being less concrete, more abstract, reflecting on emotions. Positive: Some clients are very good at reflecting abstractly about their feelings. Negative: Some clients never allow themselves to experience emotion at the full sensorimotor level. Help clients reflect back and understand their patterns and modes of emotionality.

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Abstract Formal - Operational Emotional Style Help clients reflect back and understand their patterns and modes of emotionality. As you reflect on that feeling, what do you think? What are your patterns of emotion? Do you feel that way a lot?

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Abstract Dialectic / Systemic Emotional Style Emotions are complex and analyzed rather than experienced. Positive: Clients are effective at analyzing emotions; their emotionality will change with context. Negative: This analytic view moves farther away from direct experiencing. Help clients gain multi-perspective thought on their emotional experience.

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Abstract Dialectic / Systemic Emotional Style Where do you think you learned that pattern of emotional expression? How do your emotions change when you take another perspective on your issue(s)? Help clients gain multi-perspective thought on their emotional experience.

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Identification and Classification Generate an extensive list of affective words. Distinguish a reflection of feeling from a paraphrase. Identify and classify reflections of feeling. Discuss preliminary issues of diversity related to this skill. Write reflections of feeling that encourage clients to explore their emotions. Recognize developmental styles of emotion.

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Basic Competence Acknowledge feelings briefly in daily interactions outside of interviewing. Use reflection of feeling in a role-played interview. Use the skill in a real interview.

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Intentional Competence Facilitate client exploration of emotions. Get feedback from clients saying you help them clarify their emotions. Help clients shift from overly emotional to calm states. Facilitate client exploration of mixed emotions from one situation. Recognize and facilitate client exploration within the four styles of emotional expression.

Copyright ©2007 Brooks/Cole, a division of Thomson Learning Teaching Competence How to observe emotions in those a round them. How to acknowledge emotions. To Reflect feelings to others when appropriate. To individuals and small groups. Teach observation and reflecting feeling skills: