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Counseling “Leads”

Stage I	Establish rapport / Build a relationship
	Unconditional Positive Regard, Genuineness, Empathy Establish trust. Engage in Active Listening Reflect, reflect, reflect … feelings or thoughts Open-ended questions Attending behaviors: “Ear contact,” “mmm’mm,” “I hear you.” Tracking - responding to what he or she has just said. “Take your time”. Give permission to ventilate Silence can be a powerful form of active listening.
Stage II	Clarification / Define the Problem
	Who is this person? What has made him/her call today? What is at the heart of the call/session? Break it into smaller pieces. Gather information. What does this problem mean to him or her? Reflect, reflect, reflect … Open-ended questions or closed-ended questions. Assess the situation for risk, emergency, or danger. Bring up a difficult subject.
Stage III	Explore Resources
	Prior strains? Available resources? Perception of the problem? What has he/she tried before? What options does he/she see? Who can they turn to for support or help? What special considerations factor in to the resources? Facilitate his/her development of the solution or options. Refrain from giving advice! Let the caller do the work.
Stage IV	Plan of Action
	See “SMART” Plan Pace him/her and yourself … “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Break plan into manageable steps - Summarize. Anticipate problems The call may be resolved before it gets to action planning.
Stage V	Wrap up the call/session
	How does he/she feel now? Commend him/her for making call - for risking. Offer the Crisis Center or other resources. If there is a special reason follow-up, plan and make clear. Give feedback.