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OUTREACH STREETWORK - AN OVERVIEW OF THE ART

NCJ Number
66131
Author(s)
W J COSSE
Date Published
1979
Length
134 pages
Annotation
THIS MANUAL, IN PROVIDING SYSTEMATIC STREET OUTREACH TRAINING FOR PROFESSIONAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS, EXAMINES THE COUNSELING RELATIONSHIP, HOW TO APPROACH CLIENTS, ANDD COUNSELING TECHNIQUES.
Abstract
THIS MANUAL CONSISTS OF 12, 90-MINUTE TRAINING SESSIONS FOR GROUPS OF 8 TO 10 PERSONS, COMPOSED OF BOTH THEORY AND PRACTICAL EXERCISES. TRAINING SESSIONS CONSIST OF GROUP INTERACTION AND SHARING RATHER THAN LECTURES BY THE INSTRUCTOR, WHO SERVES AS A FACILITATOR AND GUIDE. THE FIRST TRAINING SESSION AIMS TO BUILD TRUST IN THE TRAINING GROUP AND INTRODUCE COUNSELING CONCEPTS. DISCUSSION CENTERS ON REASONS FOR COUNSELING ANDD THE COUNSELOR'S SELF-CONCEPT. GOALS OF THE SECOND AND THIRD TRAINING SESSIONS ARE TO ENHANCE TRUST AMONG THE PARTICIPANTS AND IDENTIFY ROLES OF THE CLIENT AND COUNSELOR AND IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE COUNSELING PROCESS. THE FOURTH SESSION AIMS TO DEFINE MALADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR AND UNIQUE ASPECTS OF MENTAL HEALTH OUTREACH WORK, AND INTRODUCE THE THREE MAJOR TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS (SYMMETRICAL, COMPLEMENTARY, METACOMPLEMENTARY). SYMMETRICAL AND METACOMPLEMENTARY RELATIONSHIPS WILL BE ESTABLISHED BY COUNSELORS WTH THEIR CLIENTS. FIFTH AND SIXTH TRAINING SESSIONS REVIEW PAST WORK, FURTHER DISCUSS IMPORTANT TYPES OF COUNSELOR-CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS, AND IDENTIFY AND DISCUSS ASPECTS OF CONTRACTING (AGREEING, IMPLICITLY OR EXPLICITLY, TO SUPPLY NEEDS IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH A CLIENT). SUBSEQUENT TRAINING SESSIONS APPLY THE THEORY THAT HAS BEEN INTRODUCED, THROUGH PRACTICAL EXERCISES, TECHNIQUES FOR RESOLVING CONFLICTS WHEN CONTRACTING WITH A CLIENT, TECHNIQUES TO REMOVE CLIENT RESISTANCE TO COUNSELING, APPROACHING HIGH-RISK ADOLESCENTS, CONFRONTING CLIENTS WITH THEIR MALADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR, AND OTHERS. FINAL CHAPTERS DISCUSS WAYS OF MOVING YOUTH CONTRACTING ON THE STREETS FOR COUNSELING INTO TRADITIONAL THERAPY, AND ENABLE TRAINEES IN THE COURSE TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES. EXAMPLES OF EXERCISES ARE GIVEN. A BIBLIOGRAPHY WITH 18 CITATIONS IS INCLUDED.