I will pay for the following article Disscusion 3. The work is to be 2 pages with three to five sources, with in-text citations and a reference page.

I will pay for the following article Disscusion 3. The work is to be 2 pages with three to five sources, with in-text citations and a reference page. Counseling Session Reflection Grade This counseling being my first, I had mixed feelings on how I would react and what to expect of the issues presented by the couple. As it turned out, it was challenging, but thrilling at the same time. The first session was the most difficult one because I had no idea of the issue, thus the only thing that helped me was being able to think on my feet and reliance on earlier readings. Luckily, I managed to use these effectively and maintained a continuous flow throughout the counseling session. Consequently, I allowed the couple to express their feelings and issues appropriately, which enabled establishment and maintenance of a rapport, as well as goals of therapy. The second session was easier because I had time to prepare, and I was aware of what to expect, and so I prepared a plan, statements and questions to aid in the therapy. At the end of the termination, I gave the couple some referrals to professional counselors in their area, and these were Carol Erb, Ph.D of Pathways Christian Counseling, Dwight Robinson M.A. and Kim Neese, MA of Professional Counseling.

The success that was realized in these sessions was not only because of my counseling skills, but also because of the kind of interventions that I used for the therapy. Some of the approaches I used that worked effectively include assessment of genogram, which involved constituting relevant questions to help obtain relevant information involving each partner’s family history in genealogy, family therapy and treatment, as well as use of questionnaires. Other approaches include, building love maps, which is achieved through constituting question, which will help to gauge knowledge of inner psychological world, fears, joys, hopes and his or her history. This to measure cognitive room partners possess for their relationship, and finally, involve the couple in a conversation session on how they met, what ideologies they share and differs.

The PIAR2 Test was the primary assignment that I gave to the couple and as expected it contributed enormously to the intervention and success of achieving counseling goals. The most helpful aspects of the PAIR2 test were the scales, in which the couple showed compatibility and those that they showed extreme disparity. For example, the couple showed disparity in Order and Routine and also Social Status while compatibility was witnessed in Self-Acceptance, Change and Variety, Esthetic Pleasures among others. These helped in exploring the strengths and weaknesses of the parties, and consequently help them understand one another. This attribute plays a crucial role in strengthening the relationship, and eventually having a fulfilling and successful marriage (Miller, 2011).

As a counselor, a gained vast knowledge from this counseling experience as it helped in reinforcing and enhancing what I have learnt in theory. For instance, I got to explore the notion that cohabitating increases chances of divorce, and so before a cohabitating couple decides to get married they need to seek professional counseling. According to Worthington (2005), such marriages fail because cohabitating relationships suffer from lack of communication, commitment, tolerance among other virtues crucial for a successful marriage. As a result, the marriages are constrained by historical events and issues that may prevent it from withstanding marital issues bound to arise. These issues normally require commitment and dedication to manage, and effective communication to solve.

Thus, this counseling was successful and effective in helping the couple in building a strong and healthy relationship, which is based on a long term commitment by both parties (Hawkins, 1991). Premarital counseling between Carrie and John enabled them to acknowledge the imperative role that communication plays in marriage. For instance, it leads to love, understanding, deeper intimacy, and tolerance for each other. People in a cohabitating relationship tend to develop negative feelings towards marriage, and this is what causes high rates of divorce in the society. Therefore, premarital counseling works effectively to eliminate these feelings as it did for Carrie and John.

References

Hawkins, R. E. (1991). Strengthening marital intimacy. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

Miller, R. (2011). Intimate relationships. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Worthington, E. (2005). Hope-focused marriage counseling: A guide to brief therapy. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic.