The Helping Process

Dalarse Demby

BSHS 395 Client Assessments and Planning

Dr. Session

June 13, 2016

The helping process is the process in which the helping professional helps those in needs by attempting to successfully navigate through the three steps in the Helping Process. Assessment, Planning and Implementations. It is through these three phases that the professionals use the skills and techniques they learned through education to help the client identify problems, and learn to effectively resolve issues. Through the helping process can also help the client become self-sufficient by way of providing the client with necessary tools to problem solve and advance through life’s issues.

        Assessment is the phase in which the initial contact is made between the client and the professional. This initial meeting is one of the most vital meetings between the professional and the client. The client will be assessing the professional just as the professional should be assessing the client. During the initial contact the professional proceed with caution, being very mindful of body languages such as facial expression, hand gestures and even posture. The professional mustn’t come off as uninterested or judgmental or this could cause the client to resist the urge to divulge information. Therefore causing a lack of communication which could then serve as a road block in the assessment, diagnose and treatment plan. Open and honest communication is necessary during the assessment process. If the client doesn’t feel comfortable and doesn’t engage or communicate well with the professional the proper information made not be given and therefore the professional cannot properly assess the client.

        There is more to assessing the client then what the client has to say. The professional must assess all contributing factors such home environment, characteristics of relationships and the way the client views themselves. Once the professional gains a clear and concise view and ideology of the client it is then the job of the professional to assist the client in defining his or her goals, purpose, and roles as defined by agency (McClam & Woodside 2012). The professional will also include the client in creating a treatment plan that makes the client happy and helps the client meet goals set forth. As well as making sure the treatment plan has the client’s best interest at heart.

        Planning is the next phase in the helping process. During this process the professional works with the client creating a plan to achieve goals. The goal of the professional is to help the client improve in certain skills and in certain areas of their lives. The professional has identified the client’s strengths and will use those strengths abilities and resources in the planning process. All surrounding factors in the clients life after being assess will be used the progress plan. The greater amount of resources one can use the better the possibility is for a successful outcome. Once a plan including both the goals of the client and the professional has been set forth it is then that the client and the professional assumes responsibility of assisting in the resolving of issues and the successful progress of ones life.