Elements and Performance Criteria
- Establish rapport and explore the clients understanding of grief and loss
- Engage with client using their framework and language to establish an environment of safety and trust
- Join with the client to explore client's understanding of grief and loss
- Assist clients to understand how their unique context has impacted on their experience of grief and loss
- Explain the role of the counsellor in dealing with loss
- Assist clients to understand the different impacts of grief and loss
- Explain the possible range of responses to grief and loss
- Use effective intervention techniques to assist the client to normalise their responses to grief and loss
- Use correct terminology and concepts in the grief counselling process
- Identify the key issues in bereavement counselling setting
- Apply the counselling strategies to a broad range of diverse responses to grief
- Formulate counselling responses to grief and loss
- Monitor and respond to client presentations including safety and assessed risks
- Assist client to set goals or outcomes for the grief and loss process, dependant upon clients position in grieving process
- Match therapeutic interventions to client's needs and goals
- Facilitate referrals to other support services where appropriate
- Terminate counselling sessions
- Recognise when the counselling is no longer serving the interests or needs of the client
- Discuss with the client/s when counselling no longer appears to serve the clients interest or needs and either renegotiate the professional relationship or terminate the service
- Engage client/s in determining any further external interventions as identified and arrange appropriate referrals
- Discuss with the client any interruptions to counselling, planned or otherwise, and implement alternative interim counselling
- Seek feedback from the client/s about the counselling service provided
- Review counselling progress and provision regularly with the client
- Obtain feedback from the client throughout and at the conclusion of the counselling service
- Use a range of feedback strategies to encourage client contribution to improved counselling practice
- Review client feedback and use this to inform practice reflection and improvement in conjunction with supervision