SIMPLE STRATEGIC METHOD:
In my counselling technique, my approach is based on four tasks:
Honesty or Openness: the ability to risk oneself or reveal one's feelings in spite of feeling vulnerable.
Struggle is the meaning of life: to enjoy life passionately with its ups and downs and to accept conflict as an inconvenience and not "the end of the world."
Work, not words: to overcome one's lethargy, discomfort, or anxiety and to put into practice behaviors that are pro self and pro social.
Smile, or to centre oneself in the present: to have a positive and optimistic outlook towards other people and to our self. It ultimately means to live in the moment and to enjoy each moment to the fullest.
APPLICATION:
In my interactions with Martin, I saw him struggle with uncertainties and questions: a) his happiness, what makes him happy, and b) where he wanted to live in the future. As a result of his discomfort of being confronted with his negative and destructive behaviors, I talked with Martin about Openness, suggesting to him that whenever he came face to face with a confrontation he needed to express exactly what he felt or thought. First and foremost it was important that he simply talk about himself. Secondly, he needed to realize that simply being open and revealing often makes one feel better, because he sees that others understand. Martin needed to understand that Struggle or conflict with others is inevitably part of social interactions. Uncertainty, or understanding our place in life and how we fit into the overall plan of things is always an ongoing issue. When we realize that, we often feel anxiety about fitting in. Simply put we are all struggling for solutions and ways of working out problems. Thirdly, "Work, not words" was needed to change the negative patterns of his relationships. Happiness is the goal. So finally, in spite of everything Martin was to face in his quest for new responses he was to remember the title of the last song on Michael Jackson's latest CD History. It was entitled, "Smile." Martin had an affinity to Michael Jackson's music. Personal association in intervention strategies is vital. Staff continued to work with Martin over a period of time and help remind him of this task centred method designed to assist him with his current anger-related problems. Martin began to check his confrontations with greater self-confidence and reality that answers are not always instant.
CONCLUSION
Martin accepted this helpful process and with encouragement utilized it for several
