Characteristics of Skilled Helpers

1
Characteristics of Skilled Helpers
2
Objectives

• List and explain the characteristics of skilled
  helpers.
• Continue to develop a self-awareness of ones own
  helping characteristics compared to those of
  skilled helpers.
• Begin to practice critical skills of genuineness,
  empathy, respect and optimism.

3
Characteristics of Skilled Helpers

• Optimism
• Racial and Cultural Identity
• Self Awareness and Self Acceptance
• Personal Values for Helping
• Genuineness

• Empathy
• Respect
• Capacity for Intimacy
• Inviting Interpersonal Style
• Autonomy
• High energy level
• High ethical standards

4
Optimism

• Judging your reactions to different clients
• Definition Having a positive view of human
  nature
• Why is this important in helping?
• 1.
• 2.
• 3.
• 4.

5
Quote on Optimism

• All people have personal power. It is the
  helpers role to free the potential that resides
  in clients.
• SB p. 26

6
Racial and Cultural Identity

• Cultural Identity Familiarity with beliefs,
  traditions, history, values, and worldviews
• Racial identity What it means to be that race,
  internalizing this knowledge, and having a sense
  of belonging and connection to that racial group

7
Racial and Cultural Identity

• Implications for helping
• Helpers need to abandon _____ and increase _____
  of other cultures and races
• White privilege
• Prejudices Judgement or opinion formed before
  the facts are known
• Stereotypes A fixed notion held by a number of
  people about what a person or group is like

8
Example

• Stereotype Single mothers cant get to work
  because they are stressed by work and family
  demands.
• Prejudice I wouldnt want to hire a single
  mother in my firm because single mothers are
  unreliable.
• Stereotype African Americans have a lot of
  children.
• Prejudice African Americans dont deserve public
  assistance because they created their own
  problems.

9
Self-Awareness and Self-Acceptance

• Understand self and accept self freely
• ...as you are
• Appearance
• Sexual identity
• Personality

10
Personal Values and Helping

• Concern for others
• Belonging--connecting with others
• Responsibility--dependable and trustworthy
• Creativity--generate new ideas and ways of doing
  things

• Spirituality--sense of belonging to something
  greater than self

11
Genuineness

• Being spontaneous, avoiding defensiveness, being
  open to feedback, being honest, not hiding behind
  helping.
• Example 2.5
• Being intentional in the helping process. Respond
  with empathy when the relationship is
  well-established.

12
Empathy

• Ability to accurately experience the internal
  frame of reference of others while maintaining
  their own objectivity.
• The ability to perceive anothers problems as
  he/she perceives them.
• Sympathy?
• Exercise 2.6

13
Respect

• Accepting people with different values, religious
  beliefs, cultural, racial and ethnic heritages,
  sexual orientations, lifestyles, levels of
  functioning
• Reverence for human beings because they are
  human.

14
Capacity for Intimacy

• Ability to share innermost thoughts and feelings
  in non-sexual relationships with clients
• Trust

15
Inviting Interpersonal Style

• Open and caring, accepting and active
• Excited about what others are doing want to help
• Project acceptance
• Role play

16
Autonomy

• Psychological self-sufficiency
• Stand up for self and client
• Maxine example

17
High Energy Level

• Maintain physical and emotional energy.

18
High Ethical Standards

• Be honest
• Follow a professional code of ethics