CHAPTER CHAPTER 44

SKILLS AND SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES FOR TECHNIQUES FOR

INTERVIEWING AND INTERVIEWING AND COUNSELINGCOUNSELING

I. GENERAL SUGGESTIONSI. GENERAL SUGGESTIONS

4. Don’t let people wander—4. Don’t let people wander—if they do:if they do:

Haynes & Pindzola 2012:Haynes & Pindzola 2012:

What they said earlier

What they just said right now

For example: **For example: **

When you mentioned that Joey When you mentioned that Joey stutters more on the playground, it stutters more on the playground, it reminded me that you talked reminded me that you talked about his sister teasing him at about his sister teasing him at home. Can you tell me more about home. Can you tell me more about this situation?”this situation?”

Another example: **Another example: **

““You talking about your husband’s You talking about your husband’s moodiness after his stroke reminds moodiness after his stroke reminds me of something you said earlier. me of something you said earlier. You had talked about the fact that You had talked about the fact that before his stroke, he had a really before his stroke, he had a really calm personality. Tell me more calm personality. Tell me more about the difference you see about the difference you see between him before the stroke and between him before the stroke and him now.”him now.”

5. Double-check 5. Double-check inconsistencies tactfully**inconsistencies tactfully**

NOT: “Earlier, you said something NOT: “Earlier, you said something different. Which fact is accurate?”different. Which fact is accurate?”

INSTEAD: “I’m confused. Earlier, I INSTEAD: “I’m confused. Earlier, I thought I heard you say that ABC. thought I heard you say that ABC. Now I am hearing XYZ. Can you Now I am hearing XYZ. Can you help me understand which one is help me understand which one is correct?”correct?”

6. If you don’t know the answer 6. If you don’t know the answer to a question, or are unfamiliar to a question, or are unfamiliar with certain information: **with certain information: **

““I am not as familiar I am not as familiar with that particular with that particular therapy technique, but therapy technique, but I will do some research I will do some research on it and get back to on it and get back to you. Why don’t we you. Why don’t we discuss it then?”discuss it then?”

7. If you run out of time and 7. If you run out of time and the person still wants to the person still wants to talk:**talk:**

““I’m so sorry—I have another meeting in I’m so sorry—I have another meeting in 5 minutes. Why don’t we set up another 5 minutes. Why don’t we set up another appointment so I can hear the rest of appointment so I can hear the rest of what you want to say?”what you want to say?”

““I hate to cut this short, but there is I hate to cut this short, but there is another parent waiting for a meeting. another parent waiting for a meeting. Here is my business card and email Here is my business card and email address—please feel free to email me and address—please feel free to email me and we can discuss this further.”we can discuss this further.”

Remember the psychology of Remember the psychology of email:email:

II. BEHAVIORS IN AN II. BEHAVIORS IN AN INTERACTIONINTERACTION

A. A. General BehaviorsGeneral Behaviors

Research shows that:Research shows that:

2. Guggles and 2. Guggles and Interruptions**Interruptions**

We try not to interrupt, We try not to interrupt, but sometimes we have tobut sometimes we have to

““I’m sorry, Ms. Jones, I I’m sorry, Ms. Jones, I hate to interrupt, but we hate to interrupt, but we only have 10 minutes left only have 10 minutes left and I wanted to be sure and I wanted to be sure we discussed your we discussed your concern about Jimmy’s concern about Jimmy’s vocabulary. What vocabulary. What specifically worries you specifically worries you about his vocabulary?”about his vocabulary?”

Guggles…Guggles…

B. Verbal BehaviorsB. Verbal Behaviors 1. 1.

For example: **For example: **

Let’s say that the mother of Precious P. Let’s say that the mother of Precious P. begins talking about Precious’ worthless begins talking about Precious’ worthless father who ran offfather who ran off

You can say “I’m so sorry that happened. You can say “I’m so sorry that happened. Being a single parent has to be so Being a single parent has to be so challenging. It must be especially challenging. It must be especially challenging when Precious doesn’t seem to challenging when Precious doesn’t seem to follow the directions you give her. Let’s get follow the directions you give her. Let’s get back to talking about the results of the back to talking about the results of the language testing I conducted. When I asked language testing I conducted. When I asked Precious to follow directions, she…”Precious to follow directions, she…”

2. Encouragers2. Encouragers

3. Interpretations3. Interpretations

Example of an Example of an interpretation:**interpretation:**

With Oscar’s mother, who is “too With Oscar’s mother, who is “too depressed” to take him for a necessary depressed” to take him for a necessary orthodontia evaluation, you can say:orthodontia evaluation, you can say:

““It would be very natural to be depressed It would be very natural to be depressed when the baby is always sick, your husband when the baby is always sick, your husband is gone a lot, and you feel so alone. I’m is gone a lot, and you feel so alone. I’m wondering too if the idea of braces right wondering too if the idea of braces right now feels really overwhelming, given now feels really overwhelming, given everything else that you are dealing with.”everything else that you are dealing with.”

When we provide When we provide interpretations:interpretations:

One trick I use…One trick I use…

C. Nonverbal BehaviorsC. Nonverbal Behaviors

2. Facial Expressions2. Facial Expressions

3. Eye contact3. Eye contact

4. Head nodding4. Head nodding

5. Body posture and 5. Body posture and leaningleaning

III. FUNDAMENTAL III. FUNDAMENTAL TECHNIQUES**TECHNIQUES** 1. 1. SummariesSummaries at the end of a session to at the end of a session to

highlight and review major pointshighlight and review major points

(with Cody’s grandma) “Dolores, thanks (with Cody’s grandma) “Dolores, thanks so much for coming. During this meeting, so much for coming. During this meeting, our school nurse Mike Wong shared that it our school nurse Mike Wong shared that it is important to see Cody’s pediatrician is important to see Cody’s pediatrician about possible juvenile diabetes. I said about possible juvenile diabetes. I said that I will continue seeing Cody for that I will continue seeing Cody for speech to work on his sounds. Lastly, Judy speech to work on his sounds. Lastly, Judy Wynn, our resource specialist, will test Wynn, our resource specialist, will test Cody’s reading and writing skills next Cody’s reading and writing skills next month to see if he needs resource month to see if he needs resource assistance. Are there any questions?”assistance. Are there any questions?”

Summaries**Summaries** VERY useful for keeping VERY useful for keeping

things moving!things moving!

““Mr. Brown, thanks so much Mr. Brown, thanks so much for sharing about how you for sharing about how you felt when you stuttered as a felt when you stuttered as a child. As I just said, Neil is child. As I just said, Neil is very embarrassed about his very embarrassed about his stuttering just as you were. stuttering just as you were. Again, my testing revealed Again, my testing revealed that he is a moderately that he is a moderately severe stutterer. Let’s talk severe stutterer. Let’s talk about some specific about some specific strategies that will help him strategies that will help him become more fluent.”become more fluent.”

2. Reflections2. Reflections

3. Confrontations3. Confrontations

One I had to use with a One I had to use with a mom:**mom:**

““You said that you want Alicia to well You said that you want Alicia to well in school, but she is absent and tardy in school, but she is absent and tardy a lot.”a lot.”

Then, to soften it Then, to soften it “My son struggles “My son struggles with some things in school too, and it with some things in school too, and it is hard to send him when he begs me is hard to send him when he begs me to stay home. Do you want to talk to stay home. Do you want to talk about some things we can do to help about some things we can do to help Alicia do better in school so she won’t Alicia do better in school so she won’t want to stay home?”want to stay home?”

4. Self Disclosure4. Self Disclosure

Recently, with a mom whose Recently, with a mom whose son was struggling in 3son was struggling in 3rdrd grade:**grade:**

““My own Mark received 2 years of My own Mark received 2 years of occupational therapy and 1.5 years occupational therapy and 1.5 years of vision therapy because his fine of vision therapy because his fine motor and reading comprehension motor and reading comprehension skills were so low. I know how hard skills were so low. I know how hard it is to see your child struggle to it is to see your child struggle to read basic books when all his read basic books when all his classmates are reading Harry classmates are reading Harry Potter. I think that an evaluation by Potter. I think that an evaluation by a neurodevelopmental optometrist a neurodevelopmental optometrist might be helpful for Sam.”might be helpful for Sam.”

Another example:**Another example:**

““I know how hard I know how hard it is to see a it is to see a loved older family loved older family member with member with dementia. I dementia. I remember when remember when my grandma had my grandma had Alzheimer’s—it Alzheimer’s—it was so sad to see was so sad to see her deteriorate.”her deteriorate.”

5. Repetitions5. Repetitions

For example: **For example: ** (early in meeting) “Cody’s teacher told (early in meeting) “Cody’s teacher told

me that he struggles to follow directions me that he struggles to follow directions in the classroom.”in the classroom.”

(later) “As we said, Cody has difficulty (later) “As we said, Cody has difficulty following directions in the classroom; I following directions in the classroom; I found the same thing in my assessment.”found the same thing in my assessment.”

(end of meeting) Because both Cody’s (end of meeting) Because both Cody’s teacher and I have noted his challenges teacher and I have noted his challenges with following directions, we will work on with following directions, we will work on this skill in therapy”this skill in therapy”

IV. QUESTIONS IN AN INTERVIEWIV. QUESTIONS IN AN INTERVIEW

A. A. Primary questionsPrimary questions

B. B. Secondary Secondary questionsquestions

C. Closed QuestionsC. Closed Questions

Closed questions….Closed questions….

Youtube…**Youtube…**

Sheldon asks too many questionsSheldon asks too many questions

These are all closed questionsThese are all closed questions

He is interviewing a potential new He is interviewing a potential new neighborneighbor

D. Open questionsD. Open questions

Allow a lot of Allow a lot of latitudelatitude

Draw a client outDraw a client out

Encourage answers Encourage answers that may be more that may be more accurateaccurate

Can be time-Can be time-consumingconsuming