Egans model of counselling

Gerard Egan was professor of Organisational Development and Psychology at Loyola University in Chicago,

Gerard Egan proposed a 3 stage model or framework known as Egans skilled helper model.

It is a useful tool in helping people to solve their own problems through empowerment and help them develop future opportunities.

Egans goals are to help

people 'to manage their problems and living more effectively and develop unused opportunities more fully 'help people become better at helping themselves in their everyday lives.'

With an emphasis on empowerment

Stage 1: Exploring Skills-The Present where you are at now

 Primary concern to provide a safe place for the speaker to tell their story in their own way To be fully heard and acknowledged Gently assisting them to see the bigger picture Guiding and supporting them Helping them to find a point to move forward from

Contains three (3) part

1a: an expansive part The helper encourages the speaker to tell their story, and by using good active listening skills and demonstrating the core conditions, helps them to explore and unfold the tale, and to reflect.

The helper Uses exploring skills include: good active listening skills Open-ended questions Silence Empathy Reflecting Paraphrasing Summarising

1b: a challenging part As the speaker is in the situation, they may find it difficult to see clearly, or from different angles. The helper listens and reflects to the speaker what is being said with the intent of uncovering blind spots or gaps in their perceptions and assessment of the situation. Allows the speaker to see the situation from another's perspective or view point

1c -Focusing and moving forward In this stage, the helper seeks to move the speaker from a feeling of being stuck or trapped with no way out Helps the speaker to identify an area they feel motivated to change The role of the helper is to assist the speaker in identifying and prioritizing an area or issue they would like to work on

Stage 2: Understanding SkillsPreferred where you want to be

In this stage the helper assists the speaker in identifying what they want to do. Enabling and allowing the speaker to see how things can be different, better. People often move from problem to action, or problem to solution

2a -a creative part The helper helps the speaker to brainstorm their ideal scenario; 'if you could wake up tomorrow with everything just how you want it, like your ideal world, what would it be like?' The speaker is encouraged to think outside the square Any idea is acceptable at this stage, the ideas are not limited to the practical only This can be a scary situation and/or concept for the speaker initially, but then hopefully liberating

 The role of the helper is to encourage, facilitate conversation and imagination Not to judge or analyse To be accepting To allow time To record the ideas, all of them.

2b -a reality testing part The role of the helper is to assist the speaker to formulate SMART Goals form all that has been identified and said by the speaker. The goals may be challenging but also the speaker will need to show motivation to achieve them

2c -moving forward In this stage the helper's aim is to test the realism of the goal before the speaker moves into the action phase. To help the speaker check their commitment to the goal To assist the speaker to see and identify that there may be challenges to achieving the goal but also rewards.

Stage 3: Acting Skills-Strategies How are you going to get where you want to be?
1.Help the client find possible actions 2.Help the client to find the best fit strategies -what will work for the client 3. Help the client to draft an action plan

This is the 'how' stage... how will the person move towards the goals they have identified in Stage 2? It is about possible strategies and specific actions about doing something to get started considering what/who might help and support the speaker And who/what may hinder the speaker making the change.

3a -another creative part! The speaker is helped to brainstorm strategies, as many as the speaker is able to think of. Identifying what people, places, ideas, organisations could help? The aim is to allow the speaker the freedom generate new and different ideas for action, breaking out of old mind-sets and habits.

The role of the helper To prompt and encourage thinking Brainstorming Eliciting new and innovative ideas

3b -focusing in on appropriate strategies Now is the time for the helper to assist the speaker to choose the realistic strategies form all the brainstorming ideas. Remembering realistic for the speaker, in their circumstances, consistent with their values? A useful tool to assist here is a Forcefield Analysis it helps to look at what internal and external factors (individuals and organisations) are there that could possibly help and/or hinder the desired or chosen action and how these can be strengthened or weakened respectively.

Forcefield Analysis A Forcefield Analysis helps to identify the pressures for and against change Force Field Analysis is a useful technique for looking at all the forces for and against a decision. In effect, it is a specialized method of weighing pros and cons. By carrying out the analysis you can plan to strengthen the forces supporting a decision, and reduce the impact of opposition to it.

3c -moving to action Planning for change The strategy/s are is broken into small achievable steps The helper works with them to turn good intention into specific plans with time scales. Ensuring that the speaker is keen to pursue the decided upon strategies