Practice Session Reflection
Counseling Skills & Techniques
Benander 4-2025
Self-Assessment
Practice Counseling Session # 2
Timestamp for Review: from 21:14 to 22:00
Complete this checklist (don’t worry – this is a work in progress!)
a. I avoided thanking the client, giving opinions, praising the client, and giving advice.
Yes ____ No X
b. I followed the client with summaries, encouragers and reflections instead of asking questions.
Yes X No ____
c. I practiced letting my summaries, encouragers and reflections stand alone without adding a
question.
Yes X No ____
d. The client spoke more during the session than I did.
Yes X No ____
e. I encouraged the client to describe and explore their feelings rather than just referring to them.
Yes X No ____
f. I thoroughly explored the client’s topic before assuming I understood it and before beginning
to problem-solve.
Yes and No
g. I avoided beginning questions with “Why” and “Have you tried?”
Yes X No ____
h. I avoided telling the client my understanding of why they did what they did or why they feel
the way they feel. Instead, I helped them explore their own understanding of these things.
Yes X No ____
Please address the following four questions, based on your review of your work as counselor in
the practice counseling session. Your Self-Assessment should be approximately 2 pages, double-
spaced.
1. A general discussion of your comfort in the room and the nature of your interaction with your
client.
2. Reflections on the skills you were focusing on in the practice session. What went well, and
what are areas of strength that you felt good about?
3. What do you think you could have done differently?
4. A discussion of your demonstrated areas for improvement and growth
Comfort and Nature of Interaction
At the start of my practice session, I felt a mix of calmness and nervousness. Once the
conversation began, I became more relaxed and confident in my role. Building rapport early
helped both me and the client feel more comfortable. As the session continued , the atmosphere in
the room felt open, supportive, and respectful.
I made an effort to stay fully present with the client by listening carefully and maintaining steady
eye contact. This helped me focus on their words rather than worrying about what to say next. I
also allowed myself to show more emotion and empathy than I had in previous sessions, which
made the interaction feel more genuine and human. The client seemed to respond well to this,
which encouraged a sense of trust and understanding between us.
Skills Focus and Strengths
In this session, my main goal was to avoid leading questions and instead use open-ended
questions that invited the client to explore their thoughts and feelings freely. I believe I did this
successfully. My questions encouraged reflection rather than short or factual answers. This
helped the client take the lead in the discussion and share more personal insights.
I also focused on active listening and reflection of feeling. I used simple encouragers such as
nodding, smiling, and saying “I see” or “That sounds like it was difficult.” These small gestures
showed the client that I was paying attention and cared about what they were saying. Another
strength was showing more genuine emotion throughout the session, which made my responses
feel more authentic and supportive.
What Could Have Been Done Differently
While the session went well overall, I did face a few challenges. There were moments when I
was unsure how to respond to the client’s statements or emotions. I hesitated because I did not
want to say something that could steer the conversation in the wrong direction. At times, this
hesitation caused the flow of conversation to slow down.
Another challenge was my response to silence. When the client paused or seemed unsure what to
say next, I sometimes felt uncomfortable and wanted to fill the silence too quickly. I am learning
that silence can be a useful tool and that allowing space for reflection can help the client process
their thoughts more deeply. In the future, I plan to practice becoming more comfortable with
silence during sessions.
Areas for Improvement and Growth
One area for improvement is learning how to handle unexpected or difficult topics more
confidently. I want to strengthen my ability to stay calm and grounded when the client expresses
strong emotions or complex issues. This includes trusting my skills and using techniques such as
summarizing or reflecting to keep the conversation focused.
I also want to continue developing my comfort with emotional intensity. At times, I noticed a
tendency to want to comfort the client quickly instead of simply staying present with their
feelings. Learning to hold space for these emotions without rushing to fix them will be an
important part of my growth as a counselor.
Lastly, I will keep improving my questioning and listening skills. My goal is to continue asking
questions that are open and nonjudgmental while also learning when to step back and let the
client lead. With more practice and reflection, I hope to build a counseling style that feels both
natural and supportive, centered on the client’s needs and experiences.