Page 2 of 2 Assessment 2 – Counselling Practice Session Transcript for

Page 2 of 2

Assessment 2 – Counselling Practice Session Transcript

for reflective learning and critical analysis

Note: only submit 30 minutes of 45-minute recording completed 29th July 2023.

00:20.2 Counsellor

This is counselling 6 3 9 1. Uh, assessment two for Creative Arts Counseling and Narrative Therapy. My name’s Amanda Moody and this is my client.

Hi, how are you?

00.21.0 Client

I’m good. How are you?

00:22.7 Counsellor

Good. Thank you for coming today. Okay. So, what’s brought you here for this session today? What’s on your mind?

00:32.5 Client

So, from the last time we spoke, um, a lot has happened, and I’ve just been feeling very stressed and overwhelmed.

So, I thought it might be a good idea to see you again.

00:44.7 Counsellor

I’m glad you did. Thank you. And thank you for sharing that. I’m wondering just right now, Where’s that in your body? Can you think about how it’s actually impacting you and your thoughts?

01:01.6 Client

Yeah. Um, my thoughts feel like their clouded and a little,

Um…..,

01:11.4 Counsellor

clouded and foggy

01:11.8 Client

And a little ……but when I think about it, and it also, I can feel it. So, it’s um, like anxiousness in my stomach and like in my throat is just like, like a frog in my throat. Yeah.

01:57.5 Counsellor

I heard you mention feelings a couple of times and that it’s a kind of tightness, like in your throat area. Um, Can you describe that feeling a little bit more, what is that?

02:16.6 Client

It’s like, it’s like you are going to be sick. Like it feels sick, but it’s not actual sickness. It’s just like you feel like your body is just like my body is under of blood of tense impression and. Like, I’m not getting the, it, it, it, it feels like this. Um, when I feel it, I think like this image in my head of like a cartoon character who’s like over fried and electrocuted zzzz, zzzz cartoon and goes like over overpowered and in a way where it’s like short-circuiting and you’re like, zzzz, zzzz, zzzzz yeah, like that.

03:00.4 Counsellor

So, like surges of power.

03:03.7 Client

Yeah, like, like the power, like Yeah, like I’m over, what’s the word? Like Yeah, like there’s too much going on.

It’s like being overpowered. Like too much power, too much current. And it’s like short-circuiting and it’s like, uh, a cant do this, I can’t do this. Yeah. Yeah.

3:25.6 Counsellor

What I’d like to do, if it’s okay with you, is to see if you can. Put colours to that. Is there any sort of emotions, colours, or whatever comes to you, comes to mind?

03:43.4 Client

Um, just it, it’s like it, it yellow? Yeah.

03:55.3 Counsellor

Can you tell me more about that?

03:58.5 Client

I don’t know why I am associating it to like looney tunes, or something middle like, like all that like goofy stuff that happens and like it’s in my head and it’s like looney tunes kind of thing where it’s like the electrocution is like thunder, the boat like that and it’s that yellow goldish and thunderbolts. I was like,

04:25.8 Counsellor

yeah, yeah.

You mentioned cartoons or cartoon characters. Um, and also if you feel comfortable, like to invite you to maybe put it on paper or, um, with different types of crayons or pencils, there’s a couple of different sizes of paper, would you be able to draw that for me.

04:52.0 Client

Sure.

04:53.2 Counsellor

And show, show me how that looks on paper.

04:56.5 Client

I can try.

04:58.9 Counsellor

Yeah. Yeah. No, it’s just whatever comes, it doesn’t, it’s not about the drawing.

04:59.0 Client

Mm-hmm.

04:59.1 Counsellor

It’s about what you feel when you pick up the, the choice of colour, the choice of paper.

04:59.3 Client

Mm-hmm.

05:01.5 Counsellor

Whatever comes, it’s not about the skill of drawing or anything like that, it’s about the colour you pick up or choose. So, if you feel comfortable just do whatever feels comfortable, whatever comes for you. Its not about the skill of art or anything like that.

05:18.0 Client

Okay.

05:20.0 Counsellor

Yeah, and I, is it okay if I just move back out of the way and give you the space to do that? I’ll be here, but just to the side.

05:21.0 Client

Okay, that’s fine.

05:21.02 Counsellor

Okay. Help yourself.

05:21.5 Client

Okay. Can I pick any colour?

05:21.7 Counsellor

Any colour that you feel, it’s up to you. You can have colours. Yeah, whatever.

05:23.6 Client

Can I start over?

05:89.8 Counsellor

Of course, you can. Of course, you can. It’s your, your, um, experience. So just feel comfortable. Take your time.

11:36.9 Counsellor

One minute to go.

12:15.6 Counsellor

So, make your final touches.

12:18.8 Counsellor

Thank you. How do you feel about the picture?

12:22.8 Client

Um, like it’s all out. Yeah.

12:28.9 Counsellor

Can you describe it or explain it to me?

12:34.3 Client (becomes upset, shares their emotional state)

Um, it, um, It is what’s been going on in my head, um, and putting it down on paper. I can understand why there’s that colour of electrocution and there’s just a lot going on, and then I realize why it’s related to. Like this overpowering over powerness. And um, and that hasn’t happened before where this image of like electrocution has been there, and this is the first time we have like mentally imaged it does this. Um,

and the reason for that is, um, My partner had numerous serious seizures in the last two months and watching him go through that and convulsing and all of that, I think I’ve taken a picture and put it in my head and feeling like everything is just seizing up. And, um, watching him go through epileptic tests and being there and watching him go through and try to go through all the bright lights.

And then, sure enough, he doesn’t have any brain damage. And that’s why I put the, um, medication because. It’s just a lot of medication that’s going on. Finance and is the only person. Mm-hmm. This is like, there’s no signal. Mm-hmm. And watching him not being there but being there and feeling like holding the pressures on the hand. And now I know why it’s electrocution because. Watching him going through that and being there and figuring out what to do.

15:18.3 Counsellor

Yes. It’s unexpected. I’m sorry. I apologize. I’m feeling, I’m feeling you, you’re in a safe place.

I can hear that there’s a lot of. A lot of things on your plate will really weigh you down.

15:32.6 Client

Yeah.

15:33.7 Counsellor

You are worried about a loved one, you’re really concerned about a loved one.

15:35.8 Client

Yeah.

15:37.1 Counsellor

Going through some really serious medical conditions.

15:41.0 Client

Yeah.

15:44.3 Counsellor

And they’re receiving medical treatment and all that worry and all that concern. And now you’ve recognised, or you’ve actually worked out where that Loony Tune Cartoon Lightning Bolt is about, how does that make you feel?

16:03.2 Client

Like, I realize that’s why I am having this mental picture every time something else happens, I feel. Like I’m being short-circuit and it weighs me down, it makes me feel quite tense. Um, and every time I hear the news, I feel like I don’t know what’s going to happen next. It comes down to that.

16:16.0 Counsellor

Mm-hmm.

16:20.0 Client

And I guess now when I put it down on paper, it reminds me, of, where it’s coming from and it’s me watching him go through those episodes and, and I think that that real thing that happened is now in my head and also playing a role in how I post those things.

17:00.7 Counsellor

Mmm, I’m inviting you now to think about how this picture might be, if there was clarity, if there was like healing, and if your loved one was ok.

17:07.4 Client

Yes. Okay.

17:36.5 Counsellor

I wonder maybe if there’s some kind of a thing, like a message or something coming through, can we have another go at that?

17:45.9 Client

Yeah, I can do that.

17:50.4 Counsellor

Can I invite you to, to doing another drawing?

17:50.7 Client

Yeah.

17:53.3 Counsellor

Yeah. For what it might look like.

18:02.7 Client

So, something that brings some clarity.

18:04.1 Counsellor

whatever, whatever you, whatever comes to mind if, if your loved one is healed. So, what would the picture look like if he comes through all this treatment and he’s okay?

18:26.5 Client

Mm-hmm.

18:28.8 Counsellor

What is it going to look like on paper?

18:29.01 Client

Okay.

18:30.3 Counsellor

I’m moving back here. Yeah.

18:31.2 Client

Okay.

19:10.2 Counsellor

I’m just moving back here so I’m not looking over you.

19:10.9 Client

Thank you.

20:30.4 Counsellor

Should have like a dish? (referring to the falling crayons on the table)

20:31.1 Client

That’s okay.

27:08.1Counsellor

A couple more minutes for the final touches to your drawing.

28:82.3 Counsellor

We can come back. Are you okay?

29:08.1 Client

Yeah.

29:80.9 Counsellor

It’s okay if I come back over and

30:01.6 Client

Absolutely.

30:05.1 Counsellor

So, I’m going to invite you to discuss this in three parts. We’re going to break this down into.

You tell me about your picture first.

30:20.0 Client

Okay.

30:22.9 Counsellor

And you’re going to look at how it relates to your feelings and emotions and describe that for me and finally, what I can reflect back to you. Okay. Is that okay?

30:24.9 Client

Um, so the picture is something I, um, that. Happy morning to do for a while is to take our puppy to go see the beach for the first time, um, and to see his reaction.

And with everything that’s going on, we haven’t been able to do that. So we’re really to do life at the moment. Um, and I just can’t wait to see his reaction on his face with all this water and sand, and this water on his body. And what is he going to do? Yeah. Um, but I noticed that I put a lot more effort into drawing my puppy than I did on us.

31:25.1 Counsellor

So why do you think that is?

31:25.5 Client

I love him so much. Yeah,

31:27.5 Counsellor

Hm, you love him.

31:39.7 Client

Yeah. And his big like jumbo ears. Um, and the puppy means a lot to us. Um, my partner, I’m the second human. Um, my partner is really attached to him. And, um, we are training him to be a support animal to help people, with us and also to go on flight for us and sit next to my partner because he gets anxious flying. But yeah, and green is about going out, it is something we’ve been wanting to do for a long time, but we don’t. We don’t do anything. Yeah. And then the bird is something I admire. Um, and I don’t know, I just have been admiring them for quite a while now, and I’ve seen them from my house. Well, they just, they have to like, they have something to them and yeah.

32:46.6 Counsellor

If it’s all right with you, I just need to come back to the puppy, if that’s ok.

32:47.1 Client

hmmm

32:4Counsellor

I want to go back to the puppy. Mm-hmm. If the puppy could say something to you, what do you think he might say?

32:54.8 Client

Give me food, besides that, It’s going to be ok, do everything. Makes, makes me happy.

if you could talk. I wish you talked.

33:38.3 Counsellor

And the bird. If the bird could tell you something, what would the bird say?

33:39.9 Client

It’s okay. Yeah, that’s what he would say spread your wings and fly, peaceful.

33:40.9 Counsellor

Spread your wings and fly. Go on, It’s your story,

34:02.3 Client

Its wings spread a lot more wider. There’s a lot of colours, there’s a lot more, no black and white. It’s like things that happening. Peaceful. Yeah.

34:37.3.Counsellor

Yeah, that’s exactly what I see hope and peace.

34:39.1 Client

hmmm

34:40.1 Counsellor

Yeah. I see how hard it is for you. You’ve got lots of hard days ahead.

34:50.8 Client

Yeah.

33:41.2 Counsellor

And lots of things happening. I really hear you. But it’s okay. You’ve got a lot of new plans, so it’s okay to be sad. It’s okay to have concerns, .

34:73.1 Client

As you said Yeah, I feel like this, like a weight is lifted off me, on my neck at all of this. Yeah. Yeah.

35:01.9 Counsellor

Yeah, we’re sharing, that’s the word sharing, you were, weighed down.

35:25.6 Client

Yeah.

35:26.9 Counsellor

So, if it’s okay with you, so what I want to do now is just sum up so far what I’ve heard you share with me,

35:28.3 Client

Yeah, sure

35:31.5 Counsellor

um, you’ve had a lot of things on your plate. Your loved one has been going through a lot of health concerns, receiving very serious treatment. You’re feeling you’re on your own with all of this, and yet I see your vision of hope and light, hope and strength, and you find that your puppy helps you with coping as well and also gives you amazing support, is that right?

36:10.0 Client

Yeah

36:30.7 Counsellor

If it’s okay with you, I think we’re just coming to the close of today’s session.

36:30.9 Client

Mm-hmm.

36:31.4 Counsellor

Is there anything that you would like to say or bring up at this point?

36:33.3 Client

Um…………I just……….And this has made me understand why. Thank you.

36:54.9 Counsellor

Would you like to give your picture a title?.

37:02.1 Client

Yes, can I write it down?

37:2.3 Counsellor

Of course, please do. I’m just going to get out of your way abit……………….. What did you call your picture?

38.01.0 Client

Uh, our puppy’s name is Nuggy. So, “Nuggy’s, day at the beach”.

38:07.3 Counsellor

Great. So how does that kind of version, what would you look kind of more about a lightning bolt and shocks (electrocutions) in your first drawing? Can you kind of now explain how that might have changed?

38:31.0 Client

I think it has to do with my ……understanding of where that came from and thinking of voice, the heart, and what happens next. And now from the other one. I get that electricity vibes and that’s why I’m building that.

38:59.9 Counsellor

Mmm, Okay.

39:06.9 Client

Yeah.

39:13.8 Counsellor

We’re just about to come to the end of our session. Just as a part of grounding, I’d like you to put the date on your artwork and I’d like you to keep both the pictures and look back as a reminder of power if you want to. It might help you to find peace.

39:38.8 Client

Yeah.

39:39.0 Counsellor

It’s up to you.

39:46.1 Client

Mm-hmm. Okay.

39:46.2 Counsellor

Okay. This is another thing I’m going to send you home with

That’s more of a little keepsake for you than homework.

40:02.7 Client

Okay.

40:10.0 Counsellor

This is called clay modelling, modelling clay. I’ve, um, when you can and when you are ready. I’d like to invite you to choose whether it’s just one colour, or two colours, how much the quantity, whatever you want to do. I want to place it between your and your partner’s hands.

40:36.6 Client

Yeah

40:37.9 Counsellor

I want to invite you to squeeze it. Holding each other’s hand.

40:38.1 Client

Yeah

40:38.8 Counsellor

Yeah. And you have the palm of your hands as one representing your strength together as a reminder, as a keepsake.

40:42.7 Client

Okay, cool. Thank you.

40:45.2 Counsellor

That’s okay, you’re welcome. It’s grounding for both of you. How are you feeling?

40:55.8 Client

I’m feeling okay. Are we still going?

41:01.0 Counsellor

Yeah. Yeah. Still in the session. I just want to make sure how you are going before we leave.

41:01.0 Client

No, I am. Okay. A lot better after. Um, a lot calmer, than in the beginning.

41:12.0 Counsellor

Yeah, that’s good. Thank you. We can have more sessions. of course. Whenever you’re ready. Um, when you are going home, are you driving or are you taking transport?

41:29.9 Client

Yeah, driving.

41:33.1 Counsellor

So, before you get into the car and start moving mm-hmm. Are you parked in a car park?

41:30.5 Client

Yeah.

41:31.3 Counsellor

Okay. Is it like a concrete, building structure?

41:31.9 Client

Yeah

41:40.4 Counsellor

So, I’d like to invite you to find a tree before you go into the carpark, and take some time for yourself, just a minute or two, place your hand on the tree if you feel safe, close your eyes, think about the tree as this is rooted to the ground. It is strongly and securely rooted in the ground. This will help ground your thoughts before driving home today.

42:04.5 Client

Okay. Thank you.

42:14.7 Counsellor

Go gently.