Counseling and Advising: Integrating Theories, Skills, and Techniques

1. Counseling and Advising: Integrating Theories, Skills, and Techniques Rebecca Gubernick M.Ed., Ed.S. Academic Advisor, University of South Florida

2. Objectives • Align mental health counseling practices, theories, and interventions with the various Appreciative Advising stages • Apply rapport-building skills and strengths-building skills with students utilizing Person-Centered Counseling and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy techniques • Utilize case studies to integrate and demonstrate mental health counseling techniques within academic advising sessions • Discuss the benefits and challenges of merging the communities of mental health counseling and academic advising in relation to student success, retention, and persistence. • Reflect on best practices to apply mental health counseling skills at their home institution

3. Similarities and Differences between Counseling and Advising?

4. How did my worlds blend?

5. Counseling Theories • Not just the stereotypical Freud and Psychoanalysis • Transferrable skills of counseling to academic advising • Person-Centered Counseling • Carl Rogers • Foundational skills • Solution-Focused Brief Therapy • Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg • BRIEF • Other Theories relevant to advising • Narrative • Chaos

6. Appreciative Advising Stages • Disarm • Discover • Dream • Design • Deliver • Don’t Settle Bloom, J., Anderson, C., Propst, A., Doyle, H., Forche, B., Freidhoff, R., Habley, W., He, Y., Hutson, B., Konkle, E., Murray, J., Robinson, C., Ruda, D., Smoak, K., Stuessy, R., & Vance, T. (N.D.) What is Appreciative Advising? Retrieved from http://www.appreciativeadvising.net/

7. Build Rapport Establish trust in advising relationship How can we build trust and rapport? 1.“Disarm” and Person-Centered Counseling

8. Ways to build trust the Rogerian Way • Body Language • Be Present • Eye Contact • Smiling • Nodding- Acknowledgment • Lack of Physical Barriers • Genuineness • Empathy • Unconditional Positive Regard • No Judgement • Active Listening Ackerman, C. (2017, July 21). Carl Rogers’ Client Centered Therapy: Definition, Techniques, and Goals. Retrieved from https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/client-centered-therapy/

9. What do you notice?

10. Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) • “Water the Flowers, Not the Weeds” • “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it” • Goal Oriented • Brief • Directive • Empowerment • Positive • Future-Focused • Academic Goals and Careers • Advisor: “What do you plan to do this week that would designate that you are progressing towards your goal?” Solution Focused Therapy/Solution Focused Brief Therapy/Brief Therapy. (2008). Retrieved from https://psychologytools.com/solution-focused.html

11. 2. “Discover” and SFBT • What is the student doing well? • Identify strengths • Apply strengths and skills to academics • Assessment • Open-Ended questions • Advisor: “I see you are doing great in your Chemistry class, what is it you like about the course?” Dolan, Y. (2015). What is Solution Focused Brief Therapy? Retrieved from http://www.solutionfocused.net/what-is-solution-focused-therapy/

12. Wandering Map Brooks, K. S. (2010 -2011). Connecting Students to Careers: Training and Instruction Guide. Sacramento, CA: California Community College Chancellor's Office.

13. 3. “Dream” and SFBT • Miracle Question • “Ideal Life” or “Dream” • Advisor: The Miracle Question states, “if you went to sleep tonight and by magic your problem no longer existed what would your life look like?” • Scaling Questions • “On a scale of 1-10, what number would you identify with to describe the problem/stress/frustration?” • What would it take to go from a 7 to a 6? • Continue to understand the concern and develop a plan Burg, J., & Mayhall, J. (2002). Techniques and Interventions of Solution-Focused Advising. NACADA Journal, 22(2). Retrieved from http://www.nacadajournal.org/doi/pdf/10.12930/0271-9517-22.2.79

14. 4. “Design” and 5.“Deliver” and SFBT • Helping the client begin to see solutions • Exceptions • Implement plan towards “Dream” • Encouraging • Be supportive of goals • Approachable • Follow-Up and adapt as necessary • “Can you tell me about a time that you did really well on a writing assignment?” Burg, J., & Mayhall, J. (2002). Techniques and Interventions of Solution-Focused Advising. NACADA Journal, 22(2). Retrieved from http://www.nacadajournal.org/doi/pdf/10.12930/0271-9517-22.2.79

15. 6. “Don’t Settle” and SFBT • Celebrate Successes • Active Listening • Validating • Positive • Together the academic advisor and student will continue to work on their goals and create new expectations and reflect on the previous successes. Ackerman, C. (2017, July 21). Carl Rogers’ Client Centered Therapy: Definition, Techniques, and Goals. Retrieved from https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/client-centered-therapy/

16. Case Studies • What counseling theory/theories could you use with your scenario? • What strength-based skills would you implement?

17. Undecided student/Exploratory • Bobby is a second semester, first-time-in-college student, and is currently an undeclared/exploratory student. After this semester, Bobby must declare a major and he is uncertain what major he wants to pursue. He is actively involved in a music student organization on campus, commutes to school, and works in the evenings at his family’s restaurant. He has come to academic advising to discuss his upcoming registration and the stress of declaring a major within the next couple weeks. What steps would you take to assist Bobby?

18. Study Skills Riley is a junior, Mathematics major, and is struggling at ABC University. This is their second semester at ABC University having transferred from XYZ Community College. They transferred from XYZ with a 3.4 GPA, but anticipates going on academic probation this semester having all but one failing grade. The student really enjoys their philosophy elective course and anticipates an A- but F’s in mathematics and science coursework. Riley is confused as to why they were doing well at XYZ but is struggling at ABC. Riley has come to academic advising to explore their study skills and the difficult transition to ABC. What steps would you take to assist this student?

19. Stress and Anxiety Management Betsy is a pre-health sophomore and is struggling to balance her academics with her co-curricular activities including research and volunteering. Both of Betsy’s parents are in the health professions field and Betsy is incredibly stressed about not being admitted into medical school and is sometimes considering an alternative career but doesn’t want to let the family down. Betsy has come to advising to discuss the semester stressors. What steps would you take to assist Betsy?

20. Time Management Jimmy is a graduating Engineering major and has accepted a chemical engineering job after graduation. He has a 3.68 cumulative GPA but is struggling to finish out his final assignments that could prevent him from graduating on time. Instead, Bobby is heavily involved in his fraternity socials and philanthropies, and is the President of the Chemical Engineering Society. One of his instructors has contacted his Engineering advisor regarding his repeated absences from class and is concerned about his graduation status if he does not pass his final Capstone Exit course. What steps would you take to assist Jimmy?

21. Benefits and Integration in the Workplace • Rapport Building • Student Success • Retention • Persistence Antin, L. (2016, May 2). Solution Focused Brief Therapy. Retrieved from http://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/solution-focused-therapy

22. Limitations of Solution-Focused-Brief- Therapy in Advising • Time constraints • Empathizing • Future oriented (disregarding the past) • Reliant on open-ended questions • University Collaborative approach • Referrals to Campus/Community Resources Antin, L. (2016, May 2). Solution Focused Brief Therapy. Retrieved from http://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/solution-focused-therapy

23. Reflective Activity • What are some examples of strength-based and solution-centered skills in your academic advising appointments? • What are some best practices to implement at your institution?

24. References Ackerman, C. (2017, July 21). Carl Rogers’ Client Centered Therapy: Definition, Techniques, and Goals. Retrieved from https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/client-centered-therapy/ Antin, L. (2016, May 2). Solution Focused Brief Therapy. Retrieved from http://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/solution-focused-therapy Bloom, J., Anderson, C., Propst, A., Doyle, H., Forche, B., Freidhoff, R., Habley, W., He, Y., Hutson, B., Konkle, E., Murray, J., Robinson, C., Ruda, D., Smoak, K., Stuessy, R., & Vance, T. (N.D.) What is Appreciative Advising? Retrieved from http://www.appreciativeadvising.net/ Brooks, K. S. (2010 -2011). Connecting Students to Careers: Training and Instruction Guide. Sacramento, CA: California Community College Chancellor's Office. Burg, J., & Mayhall, J. (2002). Techniques and Interventions of Solution-Focused Advising. NACADA Journal, 22(2). Retrieved from http://www.nacadajournal.org/doi/pdf/10.12930/0271-9517-22.2.79 Dolan, Y. (2015). What is Solution Focused Brief Therapy? Retrieved from http://www.solutionfocused.net/what-is-solution-focused-therapy/ Solution Focused Therapy/Solution Focused Brief Therapy/Brief Therapy. (2008). Retrieved from https://psychologytools.com/solution-focused.html