Developing Ways On How To Counsel Children

Essay, Research Paper

Developing Ideas on How To

Counsel Children

Introduction

This article identifies several special characteristics of children that require adaptations of adult effective counseling skills. This article also offers modifications of basic skills to make them more applicable to the needs of children. Next, addressing children s special characteristics on counseling is discussed. Building trust in the relationship, maintaining a facilitative counselor, and using questions appropriately is discussed in full detail. This article is targeting counselors, parents, and children.

Professional Revelence

This article enhances issues related to the counseling profession by giving counselors and counselors in training encouragement to adopt basic skills when working with needs of children. According to Erdman and Lampe (1996) children often lack control over many important aspects of their existence. Pouting, remaining silent, crying, laughing, fidgeting, and fighting are some of the natural means children use to express their needs.

Erdman and Lampe (1996) state:

Counselors working with children need to be aware of their level of understanding, being careful to present information that is congruent with their development. (p.374)

Erdman and Lampe (1996) state small group activities in which children are encouraged to provide peer feedback and interaction, should be considered to help children assimilate and accommodate others point of view (p.374).

The implications for me as a developing counselor would be to respond to children with concrete examples, hands on activities, clearer interpretations of rules, and explanations of consequences. Furthermore give special consideration to clarification of the counselor role and responsibility.

Personal Reaction

I enjoyed reading this article. I wanted to gain an insight on how counselors should handle children with special needs. As a result, this information led to a logical and coherent article as a whole. This article has enhanced my professional development by giving me awareness on how to work with children in need. I am also aware of some special characteristics of children that require adaptations of adult effective counseling skills.