Cancer Staging and Skilled Helper Model

OVERVIEW OF THE SKILLED HELPER MODEL Gerard Egan described 3 stages in his helping model, which he sees as a “map that helps . . . in your interactions with clients”. † Each stage can support the helpee in asking a question of themselves. Stage 1: Current scenario: “What is here? ” • This is about building a trusting relationship with the helpee and helping them to explore and clarify their problem situation. • It deals with what is happening now for the helpee. Stage II: Preferred scenario: “What do I want here? ” • This is about helping the helpee to identify what they want. • It is about identifying what options are open to the helpee. Stage III: Action: “How might I help this to happen? ” • This is about supporting the helpee to look at how they might help themselves. • It is about looking at possible outcomes Note: The stages do not necessarily follow this order – helping relationships do not move in a straight line! Client-centred helping is fluid and flexible – and follows the helpee – perhaps moving in a spiral, round and down. This model is useful in helping us to look at the different ‘stages’ that we might experience with a helpee as our relationship develops. †Egan, G. (1994) The Skilled Helper: a Problem Management Approach to

Helping. Pacific Grove: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company (361. 323) Overview of Skilled Helper Model, H Baker, 2009 ———————– Helper Skills: empathy; upr; congruence; making & maintaining contact; reflecting; attending(to behaviour & feeling); clarifying; paraphrasing. Helper Skills: Stage I + identifying themes; focussing; offering alternative perspectives; sharing helper experience/feelings; helping client move to Stage III. Helper Skills: Stage II + facilitate helpee in developing and choosing ways to help self; helping helpee to consider and evaluate their choices.