Limits of proficiency are, as they sound, the limits to which a counsellor can work. Once again, boundaries are important. People come to counselling for an incredibly wide range of reasons, and not all counsellors are fully trained in all aspects of counselling. A counsellor’s initial training is the foundation which can be built upon as they gain professional experience and undertake further learning.
There are many different types of limits when it comes to proficiency, and these can include but are not limited to:
The type of client
A child would require a different approach to an adult seeking therapy.
The type of counselling required by the client
Logistical and theoretical circumstances need to be taken into account; A couple requiring systemic or family counselling would not benefit much from a counsellor only trained in Psychodynamic Counselling.
The presenting problem of the client
For example depression, bereavement or eating disorders – each of these require different training. There is a certain amount of overlap, but it is always better to be safe than sorry.
Personal reasons
It’s a good idea for a counsellor not to expose themselves to a limit around personal circumstances, for example if a counsellor had recently experienced bereavement, it may be unwise for them to work with bereaved clients until they have had time to work through their own grief.
Lack of training or experience
A counsellor’s own lack of training, expertise and experience must be taken into account in relation to the client’s needs and the depth of work required. In a perfect world, trainee and newly qualified counsellors would only work with clients within their scope of training and experience, but in reality this is very difficult to achieve, so it is best to be honest about proficiency limits.
Signposting is an important aspect when it comes to limits of proficiency, as it is an ethical and safe practise for counsellors that do not feel sufficiently trained or experienced enough to deal with certain types of problems to pass a client on to a fellow professional with more specific expertise or more experience. It is also ethically sound for a counsellor to inform clients or potential clients of their professional limits and areas of expertise, and this will help clients determine whether or not they would be able to help.
The risks of a counsellor working outside their limits of ability are manifold. A client could be seriously damaged by reckless words, or their problems not being “put back in their box” safely at the end of a session. There are also risks towards the counsellor, for example if they have recently been bereaved it is not a good idea for them to work with bereaved clients until they have worked through their grief.
