The Interview Process

The Interview Process

Kelli Allen

BSHS/395

August 29, 2016

Kishea Paulemont

The Interview Process

The interview process is one of the most important parts of the helping process. Within the constructs of this process, the helper assesses the situation that the client presents with and begins to formulate a plan to help them overcome their problem. In the assessment phase, the helper will discuss confidentiality, and set the parameters for the process and will focus on the client’s strengths throughout this process. Effective questioning is key to the entire helping process as well as responding skills, paraphrasing, reflection, clarification and summarizing as a way to help a domestic violence victim and her need to obtain services.

Effective Questioning

Effective questioning is vital to any helping relationship. Asking the wrong question or responding inappropriately can negatively impact treatment and hinder the overall effectiveness as a professional (Miller, 2016). There are many techniques that can assist a counselor in the helping journey. Some of these include active listening, summarizing, clarifying, reflecting and mirroring (MHF: Module 6, n.d.). The primary goal is to help the client facilitate within themselves a strategy or plan for coping with life on life's terms. The questioning process includes open-ended questions which encourage clients to share more about themselves and their issues (Evans, Hearn, Uhleman, & Ivey, 2011), (Allen, 2016). There are three phases to a helping process that would include assessment in which the helper would explore options and begin to understand why the person and their problem. The goal of the counselor is to build rapport with the client. Good reflection techniques allow the client to know that the counselor is actively listening, gives clarification of what they are hearing, and encourages the client to be open to the counseling process.

In a case study, we see a counselor in an initial interview session with a client who is a woman in a relationship with a physically abusive man. How can helping professionals pose questions that will help this woman look at the relationship from all sides? The assessment phase of the helping process includes three phases in which there is a beginning, a middle and an end. The following is an interview transcript of how an effective counseling interview might look with this client.

Interview Transcript

Interviewer: The Counselor

Interviewee: Physically abused woman

Interview Setting: The counselor’s office

(Beginning of Interview Process)

Interviewer: I would like to welcome you today and thank you for coming in to see me. After looking at your initial paperwork, I see that you are here because you are having problems in your relationship? I would like to let you know that we have confidentiality policy in place. “Every communication during an interview should be confidential in order to encourage the trust that is necessary for the sharing of information” (McClam & Woodside, 2012, pg. 26).  Would you tell me a little bit about yourself and what brings you here today? (This would be an open ended question).

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