Listening Skills Role Play

Listening Skills Role Play

BSHS/312

August 15, 2011

Tim Nolan

Listening Skills Role Play

Counselor: Ms. Adkins

Client: Ms. Thome

Situation

My client is Ms. Thome, a 50 year old woman. Thomes has been recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Along with this news she has learned that the cancer has spread to different organs in her body and is terminal. Cynthia is having a difficult time accepting and coping with her illness as she feels she has much more life left to live. Cynthia also fears leaving her two children and five grandchildren behind and the effects her illness and death will have on her family. Cynthia has always been a “social butterfly” and feels that counseling will benefit her tremendously. She is not afraid to discuss her feelings with her counselor.

Approach

To begin the counseling session, I began by stating to Cynthia that “I understand you have some feelings you would like to discuss with me today” (Lynee Adkins, 2011). I also state to Cynthia “that we are here to focus on her feelings and creation of personal growth” (Lynee Adkins, 2011). Cynthia then begins by telling me some of her feelings the illness has created. Cynthia states that “I am angry and resentful that my life will be taken at a young age when I feel so healthy and strong” (Cynthia Thome, 2011). Cynthia states that “I am very close with my grandchildren and am very concerned with the effects my death will have on them since they are such a young age”. “I worry about if they will remember me.” “I have thoughts of anger, sadness, anxiety, and despair and am having a difficult time accepting and coping with all of these new emotions” (Cynthia, 2011). I state to Cynthia, “I can imagine that these feelings are causing tremendous fluctuations in your thoughts and behavior, how does this make you feel?” (Lynee Adkins, 2011).

Reaction and Reflection

As the counselor my reaction to Cynthia’s case was empathic to her situation. Personally, I have not dealt...