Exercise 1 – Focus groups

Instructions

Background Standardisation traditionally begins with a group exercise which brings people together and is not qualification specific. Participants have sometimes complained that this feels like a time- filler. The focus group exercises are in response to feedback from tutors about topics that would be of interest. Option 1 – difficult situations and how you handled them Option 2 – counsellor diversity from the client perspective

Option 1 - difficult situations and how you handled them Then carry out the exercise as follows: 1. Invite tutors to introduce themselves and say how long they have been teaching and at which level(s). 2. Put tutors into pairs to talk about the most difficult situation they have faced while teaching and share how they handled it – including anything they would have done differently. 3. In large group invite each pair in turn to share (if they feel comfortable) what they have discussed in a small group. 4. Facilitate general discussion on managing problems. 5. Remind tutors of support offered at CPCAB. Remind them of importance of recording difficulties and any agreed actions in eg tutorial records, teaching notes. Also remind them of the requirement for centres to provide access to group teaching supervision. A support structure must be provided for tutors. Centres are required to provide access to group process supervision to support tutors when difficulties arise. Regular group process supervision is strongly recommended for qualifications at level 4 and above. (Centre Recognition doc 3.1.3)

Rationale To share best practice in managing problems and difficulties. To remind tutors of support and CPCAB requirements

Resources None

CPCAB Exercise 1 – Focus groups

Option 2 - counsellor diversity from the client perspective Diversity is not always well taught on counselling training courses. The BACP journal and recent research articles highlight deficiencies in training and suggest that tutor’s own discomfort around these areas makes it particularly difficult. Where diversity is well covered it tends to focus on the diversity of the client rather than the diversity of the counsellor. This exercise we are about to do is one that you could use with your students to explore this issue. Then carry out the exercise as follows: 1. Invite tutors to work in pairs and share their responses to the following question: If you were a client commencing therapy for the first time how would you imagine your ideal therapist? Discuss briefly each other’s imagined therapist and jot down on a post-it note the characteristics of the ideal therapist including age/sexuality/ethnic origin/gender/any other specific characteristic of importance to you as a client. 2. Hand out randomly an image of the therapist you will actually be faced with when you as client meet your counsellor for the first session. Share your responses as ‘clients’ in terms of what you expected and the reality of who your counsellor is. 3. Now change ‘hats’ and discuss what effect the client’s reaction might have on you if you were the counsellor. How prepared would you be (as counsellor) to work with the client’s reaction/prejudice. How might the counsellor work actively to explore these issues. 4. In the large group facilitate discussion on the importance of the trainee’s sense of self and self-awareness when faced with apparent prejudice from the client. 5. Listen for good ideas about how to work with diversity. Encourage people to share their own experience. 6. Emphasise the importance of creating space to explore these issues in the training room given our own blocks and insecurities.

Rationale To challenge tutors to think about counsellor diversity as part of training. To offer an opportunity for tutors to share their own insecurity about teaching diversity. To Share best practice and creative ideas. To support trainee counsellors from minority groups to respond to negative responses/reactions from clients.

Resources Post-it notes - At least 8 different images (30 in total) of therapists who reflect at least one minority characteristic.

CPCAB