Deck 5: Common Concerns of Beginning Helpers

Question 1

John seeks your help because his wife has threatened to leave him if he doesn't improve his communication. He tells you that he is a loner and that his wife knew that when she married him. John claims that their marriage is fine and is there only to appease his wife. An INEFFECTIVE way to deal with John would be to

A) challenge his attitude, in order to break down his defenses and look at the part he is playing in the breakdown of the relationship.
B) ask John how he is being affected by his wife's problems, which may lead to problems that he wants to deny.
C) direct your questioning to how John felt when he approached the office for the counseling session.
D) ask John what areas he thinks that his wife needs help with.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following is LEAST likely to be an example of a transference situation?

A) Clients who make you into something you are not
B) Clients who want information about the helping process
C) Clients who displace anger onto you
D) Clients who are not able to accept boundaries

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Helpers may approach resistive behaviors with

A) impatience and judgment.
B) interest and respect.
C) complete neutrality.
D) intermittent reinforcement.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

It is useful to think of resistance as

A) something to be gotten around quickly so that clients can change.
B) a client's stubborn attempt to remain in safe ways.
C) a phenomenon that will destroy a working relationship.
D) the very material that can productively be explored in the helping relationship.

Question 5

Students in human services and counseling programs sometimes bring up all of the following EXCEPT

A) their lack of anxiety.
B) fears.
C) perfectionist strivings.
D) other personal concerns.

Question 6

Which of the following is the best way of helping a client who is trying to make you push him or her away?

A) Explore with the client how this behavior could be serving him or her.
B) Let the client know that you are aware of his or her games and that you refuse to be manipulated.
C) Tell your client that if this pattern continues, you'll certainly discontinue seeing him or her.
D) Refer the client to another helper.

Question 7

Which of the following refers to the attempt of clients to protect themselves from anxiety and defend themselves from pain?

A) Countertransference
B) Resistance
C) Self-doubt
D) Transference

Question 8

Every time Dan arrives at his therapist's office for a session, it seems his therapist is running late because the previous client seems to need extra time at the end of his sessions. Dan is livid and complains quite loudly that he is angry and wants to know why she is always running late for her appointments. You can assume that

A) he is simply manifesting transference and this needs to be processed with Dan.
B) he is exhibiting an irrational response triggered from a past situation.
C) his anger could be a justifiable reaction.
D) Dan is self-centered and wants immediate attention upon his arrival to the office.

Question 9

Which of the following statements of self-doubt of a helper refers to one of the greatest concerns about working with difficult clients?

A) I am concerned that I may have trouble being myself and trusting my intuition when I practice counseling.
B) I often feel I should know more than I do.
C) I expect that I will want to give advice to those whom I counsel.
D) I am likely to have trouble working with clients who are not motivated to change or who are mandated to come to me for counseling.

Question 10

Jane arrives at each weekly counseling session with a disaster. She usually starts each session with "You won't believe what happened to me this week. . ." and continues with a litany of woes. The most appropriate counselor response would be

A) "You need to examine the way you thrive on chaos."
B) "You must feel overwhelmed by all those problems."
C) "Why don't you sit quietly for a moment and reflect on what is the one concern that is most pressing to you at this time."
D) "You need to look at the part you are playing in all these situations."

Question 11

Barbara constantly compliments and attempts to flatter her counselor with statements such as "You're such a neat person," "I'm glad that you're my counselor," and "You are the reason that I am feeling better." The best counselor response would be

A) "I'm pleased that you see me in a positive light, but more important is the fact that you are feeling better because you are willing to work on yourself and do the things that are necessary for change."
B) "I'm glad that I'm your counselor too. We seem to have a good relationship and I seem to be helping you feel better about yourself."
C) "It's good to work with a client who appreciates my efforts."
D) "I'm sure you would work well with anyone."

Question 12

Which two qualities are critical for efficiently dealing with a client's defensive behavior?

A) I am concerned that I may have trouble being myself and trusting my intuition when I practice counseling.
B) Compassion and anxiety-free ability
C) Competence and self-diagnosis of one's own dynamics
D) Striving for perfection and patience

Question 13

All of the following are guidelines to consider for helpers when working with different types of clients EXCEPT the one that follows:

A) Provide clients with necessary information so they can get the most from the helping process.
B) Encourage clients to explore their fears and hesitations rather than expecting immediate trust.
C) State observations and hunches in a judgmental way.
D) Do not take clients' reactions in an overly personal way.

Question 14

Simply having feelings toward a client

A) automatically means that the helper is having countertransference reactions.
B) may be an indicator that the helper is feeling deep empathy and compassion for the client.
C) indicates that a referral may be in order.
D) is dysfunctional and creates problems in the counseling process that need to be addressed.

Question 15

Michael is seeking counseling because he is lonely and is looking for ways to meet people. You suggest various places to meet others, yet each suggestion is met with a "Yes, but" response. Frustrated, you sense that you are working harder than Michael to generate solutions. You should

A) tell him how frustrated and discouraged you feel.
B) renegotiate with the client what he wants.
C) continue to suggest other alternatives until Michael reacts positively.
D) refer the client to another person who may offer better suggestions.

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT an example of a counseling situation that could lead to countertransference?

A) You have been a victim of domestic abuse and your male client discloses that he hit his wife because he couldn't get her to stop nagging him about his drinking.
B) Your client is having problems with her 16-year-old daughter who keeps running away from home. Your own teenage daughter recently did the same thing and you are still reeling from the incident.
C) Your client is having problems making a decision about his career. You remember having similar struggles before deciding to go into the helping field.
D) You worked through your issues in counseling and discuss the possibility for countertransference with supervisor to remain alert.

Question 17

Which of the following is true of a helper at the beginning of their career?

A) The helper will try to solve problems therapeutically rather than interactively.
B) The helper may approach challenging behaviors with judgments.
C) The helper will always refer clients with whom he or she has difficulty.
D) The helper tends to make mistakes when working with difficult clients.

Question 18

A sign that countertransference may be occurring is when the counselor recognizes that he or she

A) is not easily irritated by the client.
B) feels intense anger toward a person that the counselor hardly knows.
C) allows the pain of the grieving client to be manifested.
D) is aware that the client is typically working much harder than the counselor during the session.

Question 19

Which of the following is the unconscious process whereby clients project onto a helper past feelings or attitudes they had toward significant people in their lives?

A) Transference
B) Countertransference
C) Resistance
D) Confrontation

Question 20

_____ refers to a variety of behaviors that is sometimes associated with difficult clients, but which needs to be understood and explored in the helping relationship.

A) Transference
B) Countertransference
C) Resistance
D) Confrontation

Question 21

What should a helper do when he or she recognizes a pattern of frequent referrals?

A) Learn creative ways of avoiding them.
B) Examine reasons for doing so.
C) Work with only those clients whom one is comfortable.
D) Trust one's intuition to practice consultation to all clients.

Question 22

Which of the following is one of the most important steps toward maintaining your competence when you enter into new areas of practice?

A) Self-directed learning
B) Fieldwork education
C) Collegial consultation with other professionals throughout the career
D) Surveying

Question 23

__________ is both an ethical and a legal concept.

A) Competence
B) Motivational interviewing
C) Parallel process
D) Resistance

Question 24

__________ is a humanistic, client-centered, directive counseling approach in which the therapeutic relationship is central to understanding the change process.

A) Psychoanalytic
B) Cognitive behavioral
C) Motivational interviewing
D) Psychodrama

Question 25

Which of the following would be a possible way of learning by relicensing for helping practitioners?

A) Graduation
B) Internship
C) Fieldwork education
D) Continuing education