There are six main steps in the consultation process. These are establishing a relationship with the client, assessing the problem, setting goals, implementing solutions, evaluating the effectiveness of the treatment solutions, and terminating the relationship once the goal has been met.
1) Establishing a Relationship with the Client
The first step in the consultation process is establishing a relationship with one's client. When someone comes to a professional for advice, they are seeking honest opinions and a willingness to lend expertise. They are not wanting to be replaced in the existing relationships between them and their clients. They are also desirous of having a relationship with a consultant who knows their individual needs and responds to them personally. In many instances, generalized treatments will not work. Consultants must be willing to assist therapists on a case-by-case basis.
Relationships are crucial to all of the following steps. Good relationships allow for the effective expression of thoughts and ideas. Without a firm, respectful relationship between the consultant and the consultee, the participants in this system will not be able to create effective goals or engage in adequate assessment. Termination may occur before the ultimate goal has been achieved.
2) Assessing the Problem
Assessment of the problem is the first action taken by both the therapist and the consultant. It is extremely important because it creates a target for future goals, solutions, and evaluations. Problems can serve as a baseline against which future states of treatment and patient progress can be compared.
3) Setting Goals
Once the problem has been assessed, the consultant and the client must set expectations for the progress of treatment. Goals should be relevant, specific, realistic, time-related, and malleable. The malleability of goals is important. If it is clear after one or two evaluations that an end goal will not be met, clients and consultants should make the goal more realistic. Some theories, however, state that alteration of goals should not be performed. In any case, goals are necessary for future evaluation.
4) Implementing Solutions and 5) Evaluating Effectiveness
Once goals have been set and a solution has been formed by the consultant and their client, the solution should be implemented. Over time, the client should conduct periodic evaluations of the part of therapy that was causing the initial problem. Evaluations of the success of the implemented solution should be formal, recorded assessments based on the current data, the expectations set by the goals, and the baseline data of the initial problem. These evaluations should be standardized or at least performed according to set guidelines established by the client and consultant.
6) Terminating Consultative Relationship
After the goal of the consultation has been met, the relationship between the consultant and the client is terminated. An evaluation of the progress of the relationship may be performed.
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