How a Person Perceives Himself or Herself in Relation to Others, Lies at the Heart of the Counselling Process: Counselling Assignment, SUSS, Singapore

The notion of self, about how a person perceives himself or herself in relation to others, lies at the heart of the counselling process. Our worldviews and personal experiences shape the way we interact with clients or patients. In order to engage with the self of the elderly person, it is therefore important to have an appreciation of our own sense of self as a helper. The purpose of this assignment is two-fold.

First, it provides you with an opportunity to reflect on your personal experiences (both positive and negative) with elderly people in your immediate and extended families, and various social settings.

Second, it encourages you to reflect on your experiences (both positive and negative) in working with elderly people at your workplace. Whether the elderly persons are from your own families or workplace, what are the insights and meanings derived from your encounters with them? What are the challenges? How do these past encounters help you to make sense of your own reactions to your patients or clients and their life issues? What implications can you draw from this self-reflection, which are applicable to your role as a helper in the counselling process?