Contracting in Counseling

Contracting and Reaching Agreements

• Counselors should outline the client's situation as a choice to change ineffective coping behavior or continue to allow patterns to be problematic.
• The counselor should explore the thoughts and feelings that previously prevented clients from implementing change while examining the positive values that are important to clients as a result of the decision (consequences).

Adapting Conventional Interventions

• Incorporating indigenous or folk methods may be particularly useful if clients are heavily involved in their culture or request these methods.
• Form respectful relationships with indigenous and folk healers.
• Recognize the importance of spirituality in the lives of many diverse clients.
• Be aware of the ethical and practical challenges.
• Become aware of new practices that synthesize indigenous methods with traditional counseling.

Communication with Diverse Clients

• Therapy is a process of interpersonal interaction and social influence that relies on effective communication (verbal and nonverbal).
• Effective therapy requires accurate and appropriate communication.

Empowerment Skills and Interventions

• Empowerment is a commonly mentioned goal of counseling, particularly with diverse clients who may have experienced oppression.
• Counselors should use empowering interventions throughout the counseling process.
• Empowering interventions should give no more help than is required.

Advocacy Skills and Interventions

• Advocacy is distinct from counseling and involves working with systems to effect change.
• Advocacy ultimately gives clients more power and may not be able to be done by clients themselves within the system.

Internationalization of Counseling

• Counseling and the implementation of counseling services in non-U.S. cultures differ significantly from country to country and community to community.
• Each model is valid and effective in helping individuals within a given social context.
• Shortcomings of conventional counseling approaches exist.

Implications

• Awareness and competency in international counseling are essential.
• Collaborations and knowledge of international counseling are necessary for effective practice.

Indigenization of Counseling in Malaysia

• Studies highlight the need for indigenization of counseling in Malaysia.
• Western-based counseling theories may not be applicable in the Malaysian context.
• The Malaysian model of multiculturalism is based on an integrative model that promotes harmony and respect among different cultural and ethnic origins.

Multicultural Malaysia

• The diversity in beliefs, religion, traditions, and way of life is seen as a positive resource and not a difficulty or barrier.
• Common set of core Asian values comprise harmonious living, respect for elders, familial/communal orientation, relationship building, and importance on education.

Emic Perspective

• Counselors who function from this perspective are receptive to and respectful of various cultures' meanings and evaluations of experiences.

Multiculturalism as the Fourth Force

• Multiculturalism is considered the fourth force in counseling, adding a new dimension to supplement and strengthen the other three forces: psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and humanism.
• The fourth force has a huge influence on the field and precipitates a paradigm shift or major change in the way people think about human behavior.

This quiz covers the contracting process in counseling, including reaching agreements, reviewing goals, and determining outcomes.