This week we watched some roleplays from YouTube. I found them to be quite wooden and badly acted, especially given that they were reading from scripts.
We also did some roleplay of our own this week, focusing around using the formula for primary empathy. The formula is:
Listening to what is said and taking time to understand what has been said.
Then replying with “You feel…..” choosing the correct emotion and depth of feeling.
Then adding “because…..” indicating the specific experience and/or behaviour causing the person’s feeling.
Check that what you are saying is correct by simply saying something like “Is that right?” remembering to observe the body language of the client as well.
After we had started the roleplay, the two observers in our group joined in as counsellors as well, and it became more of a group discussion, in which we considered what question would be next to ask, and the client supposed what he would answer to each question, and then we would think about which of his answers would help him most. It was an interesting way to do it.
