Mental Health Counselor Mock Interview
Practice 40 Mental Health Counselor interview questions covering clinical scenarios, ethics, and therapeutic approaches.
Question 9 of 40
Tell me about a time when your counselling strategies helped a client to address a substantial issue. What strategies did you deploy?
How to Answer
Example Answer
Entry Level
Community Answers
Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
The interviewer wants to know more about your counseling and treatment style, and they want a specific story-example that highlights your work.
Since this question is a 'tell me about a time...' query, try to give a story-based example using the STAR framework. Star is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, Result. This method will allow you to organize a clear and engaging response.
Give an example of a time when you were able to give your client the tools they needed to make a significant change in their life. Describe how you identified what they needed and how you helped them take steps to do things differently.
Ryan Brown created and launched MockQuestions in 2008.
"(Situation) When working for Clinic ABC, I had a client in her late 40s. She had been in an unhealthy marriage for many years, and I was the 8th counselor she had hired. (Task) After reviewing her file, I knew that I needed to take a straightforward approach with her and address the fact that she continued to fire and hire counselors. (Action) In our first session, I asked her why she changed counselors so often. I needed to get to the heart of the issue. She admitted that once the sessions became too painful, she would move on. Knowing that she had significant emotional blocks, I continued to work with her on each one in a systematic way. I utilized different approaches, including psychodynamic counseling. (Result) We worked together for a year, which was much longer than any other counselor was able to keep her engaged. Today, she has left this abusive marriage and is attending college to gain her counseling degree with a focus on helping women in situations of domestic violence. It was an honor to be her counselor and see her overcome this significant pain in her life."
Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
"(Situation) While interning at Clinic XYZ, we had a client who expressed feelings of depression and disconnection. (Task) As an intern, I spent the majority of my time observing the client sessions. I took notes and helped the lead therapist with session documentation. (Action) I observed the counselor using a variety of techniques such as humanistic and client-centered therapy. He wanted this patient to realize that she could reach a greater potential. Part of the issue stemmed from a lack of social connection. Hence, the counselor helped her gain a different perspective on social media and put a greater emphasis on going out to social events to make genuine connections. (Result) This method helped the client to manage expectations surrounding how she envisioned her life. The shift led to numerous improvements that built her self esteem over time. As a future Mental Health Counselor, I am interested in practicing client-centered and cognitive behavioral therapy with my clients. I think it is important to help my clients identify their thoughts and emotions and how these impact their daily routine."
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Anonymous Answer
I utilize to DBT with my clients and have found it useful in working with clients who have a behavioral diagnosis and eating disorders because they often suffer from extreme emotional dysregulation and have difficulty shaping their behavior towards more adaptive responses. To help clients manage this, I validate their emotions and encourage the use of "opposite action" skills because they are typically trying to avoid something. By utilizing this skill along with deep breathing techniques, my clients have learned to stay present and navigate difficult emotions.
Rachelle's Feedback
DBT can be very impactful, and you do a wonderful job explaining exactly why and how. This question is a 'tell me about a time' query, which requires a specific example of a time when you used this technique with a client. I recommend giving a specific example in your interview, and including the outcome, so long as that would not break any confidentiality, of course.
Anonymous Answer
This client suffered from Bipolar Disorder and he visited the counseling center for the first time as a walk-in patient. The client was very upset with his supervisor and wanted to approach him for a fist fight. However, he came to the counseling center very angry. He was yelling, stumping his feet, swearing, hitting at things that were close in proximity. He was assigned to me and I quickly started working on calming him. I spoke with him calmly and gently, reassuring him that I am here in support of his well-being. After getting him to sit, I began doing some deep breathing techniques with him for relaxation. On acquiring some form of emotional control he shared the difficulty he was encountering with his supervisor. However, during that dialogue, he yelled loudly several times. I quickly dialed my supervisor and had her sit in the session with me for safety. I then asked the client if he felt emotionally okay where he could have spoken to his supervisor in our presence and he gave us permission to ask his supervisor to sit in the session. The supervisor was available and he came and they were able to dialogue and come to an agreement. The client and his supervisor were able to leave the counseling center with an understanding of their functioning.
Stephanie's Feedback
Great specific example! You do a good job of illustrating the strategies you used to support this client.
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