Basic Counseling Skills include:

 

• Listening skills

• Mentoring skills

• HIV/Aids advice and care

• Marriage restoration and care

• Life skills

• Building Rapport

• Problem-Solving

• Time management

• Avoiding stress

• Workplace stress

• Distress

 

Some Basics to take into consideration when preparing for a session:

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• Preparation and reviewing.

• It's a Process and not a lecture.

• Give complete attention to the counselee.

• Endure with a 'holding back' counselee.

• If the counselee's morals and values differ, being respectful.

• Help to grow the counselee.

• Realize that many problems are physical in nature.

• Helping the counselee to accept his/her responsibility.

• Not feeling offended when a question disturbs your faith.

• Knowing the resources readily available.

• Keeping a written record is essential, but it must be discreet.

• How about the counselee's spiritual development?

• Using Scripture as your guide to assist in the counseling process.

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Clyde M. Narramore said: "Counseling is, in a sense, a projection of the counselor". You have heard the comment, 'We rub off on people.' This is especially true in counseling. As time is spent together, the counselee is greatly influenced. A counselor is more than an arsenal of techniques and a bag of ideas. He needs to be a firm believer in Christian principles. He needs to be energized by the power of God. He should not be like the exorcist in the book of Acts who thought they could ride along without any personal convictions, casting out evil spirits in the Name of Jesus 'whom Paul preacheth.' The demons were much better informed than were the exorcists concerning the ground rule. Read Acts 19: 15,16 ANT)"

 

Some Skills you'll need:

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• Godliness

• Having the fruit of the Spirit (Gal5:22-23)

• Interpersonal skills

• Presentation skills

• Leadership skills

• Passion for people

• Stability in own life

• Having a great track record

• High Moral values 

• Ethical in all his/her approach

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One last thing to take note off:

The Three (3) Reasons for breaking the rule of confidentiality

1. When a person is a danger to himself (Suicide)

2. When a person is a danger to someone else (Homicide)

3. When a person is a danger to the community (Genocide) 

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Disclaimer:

 

Many people, at some point in their lives, will find themselves in the role of a 'counselor' without having a true understanding of the concept of counseling or what the part of the professional counselor entails. We call that peer support/care.

 

There's a big difference between a professional counselor and a person who uses some counseling skills as part of their role, for example, their role as a friend or colleague.  A professional counselor is a highly TRAINED individual who can use a different range of counseling approaches and techniques with their proposed clients.