Psychology

Helping people out of a situation can vary depending on a number of reasons, including the age and gender of the one helping, and the nature of the situation or the kind of problem involved (Kazdin,  Cormier, 2006).  I once was in need of a car but did not exactly know which make or model to buy as I had specific needs for which I needed the car. So I went to a showroom in downtown London without any idea where to start. The salesperson there offered to help me out of the dilemma. She firsts of all tried all she could to ensure that she and I could have common grounds where we would both feel free to share what we thought was important for the occasion. So, she developed a therapeutic relationship with me and soon, although I was a little reserved and wary of opening up to strangers, I managed to explain my problem to her. Next, we engaged in an assessment of the problem at hand, and together she helped me understand how I could locate a good car based on factors such as applicability, place of use, and number of expected users (Textbook Revie Cram101 Textbook Reviews, 2009).

Through this assessment process, we managed to come up with goals which we had to achieve in order to have the problem solved (Cormier, et al., 2008). Therefore, we moved on with the goals and selected the best strategy that would allow both of us to meet our goal  getting the best sports car that would perform greatly on all road surfaces. Then, the strategy was implemented once we knew which way was the most ideal to go about. Finally, she helped me evaluate her to find out if the help she accorded me was useful (Sommers-Flanagan, 2004). Indeed it was helpful as I got the right automobile. Throughout the process, she avoided referring to me by anything else but as a client. She would reassure me through various body languages like eye contact, and at the end of it all, I felt really glad I sought her help.

On another occasion, I tried to get help from a school administrator regarding a good school for my two-year old daughter. The administrator, a man, was not so much helpful. He began by asking whether or not I was married, then why I needed the school. He went on to ask many other questions which were clearly not related with my problem or to his duties. Actually, the man kept asking all the wrong questions, making me to regret ever seeking assistance there (Zunker, 2002). The worst remarks he made was his offer to show me a better school if I could cooperate. As far as I was concerned, I had cooperated all along In frustration, I backed off, leaving him staring at me in disbelief.

Conclusion
These two situations, although closely related, were handled very differently. While in the first case I found help, I failed to find it in the second case because the would-be helper seemed to be interested in more personal matters than the official services which I needed. In the former case, the helper acted professionally, sticking to business codes of behavior. Having been very sensitive to issues like age, gender, race, and profession, she epitomized what professional help is all about. In the latter case, the man was mixing business and personal affairs and seemed to use his position for personal gain at the expense of the school. He was not sensitive to issues like gender, age, and the need.