Show Your Workings Out

Samantha Crapnell

Oct 20, 2025

3 min read

Updated: 4 hours ago

Let me take you back to GCSE maths class.

Regardless of the learning about mathematics, the reminder to ‘Show Your Workings Out’ was constant. Resistance was always present, but the maths teachers insisted on its relevance.

The same is true when writing counselling assignments. This article explains why.

Let’s stay with maths class for a moment.

Maths question: 81 ÷ 5 Answer: 16.2

Teacher’s response 1: Yes, that’s right.

Teacher’s response 2: Yes, that’s right, but how do you know?

Now, let’s flip into a counselling lens.

Counselling question: Why don’t counsellors provide counselling to family members and friends?Answer: Because of the dual relationship.

Assessor’s response 1: Yes, that’s right.

Assessor’s response 2: Yes, that’s right, but why does that matter?

At its simplest, Response 1 is enough for ‘safe-enough’ or ‘ethical-enough’ practice. Argyris and Schön (1974) describe this as single-loop learning — noticing when something is wrong or not working and making corrections to ensure we are doing things right.

Let’s extend the example. It comes to light that you and a client have a mutual friend.

The single-loop learner identifies that there is a dilemma — a problem to be solved. They might conclude that the ethical response is to end therapy with that client. The dilemma is resolved.

But what if the information only comes to light in session 5 of 8? Is the response still as simple?

This is where double-loop learning (Argyris & Schön, 1974) comes in. The dilemma now requires a more nuanced response, based in critical reflection, a deeper understanding of ethics and an awareness of the bigger picture.

The double-loop learner asks not only, ‘What should I do?’ but also, ‘What are the implications of the actions I choose to take?’

Triple-loop learning goes further still. It involves the capacity to learn, adapt and evolve. In counselling, it invites reflection on our roles, responsibilities, duties and commitments. This is equally relevant to counsellors-in-training (CITs), qualified counsellors working within organisations and private practitioners.

Back to the Assignment

Let’s take this back to assignment writing, because it can be very annoying to receive Response 2 from the assessor when you have laboured over your assignment.

A reminder:

Counselling question: Why don’t counsellors provide counselling to family members and friends?Answer: Because of the dual relationship.

Assessor’s response 1: Yes, that’s right.

Assessor’s response 2: Yes, that’s right, but why does that matter?

You could respond that, ‘Ethics tells us that dual relationships are harmful.’

This would be a single-loop learning response. You have shown us that you know of this ethical rule.

To show the double-loop learner response, you need to explore the ‘What?’ and the ‘Why?’:

How do you understand the ethical concern that dual relationships may cause harm?
What is your understanding of harm in this situation?
Does this only apply to family members and friends, or might the principle apply to others too?
How far does this extend — immediate family only, or distant relatives too?
Why might a family member or friend feel harmed by a rule intended to protect?

And what about showing yourself as a triple-loop learner?

Triple-loop learning considers the ‘So what?’ — how the learning impacts your practice.

For example, what will you include in your contract about dual relationships? What will you include in your policies and procedures about how you would handle dilemmas involving dual relationships when they arise?

The answers to these questions emerge from the reflections undertaken through the double-loop learning process.

Why ‘Show Your Workings Out’?

So, why is it important to ‘Show Your Workings Out’ in your counselling assignment?

Because your ‘workings out’ show:

That you understand how your work relates to ethics, practice and theory — the three core elements of the assessment process on Training for Counsellors courses.
That you can respond to dilemmas with reflectivity and reflexivity.
That you can explain, justify and communicate your decisions with credibility to a client, peer or professional body.
That you are exercising your Internal Supervisor, developing an openness that supports your continued growth.

We started with maths because that’s likely where we first heard ‘show your workings out’ in our education. Just as in maths, this is about demonstrating understanding.

Showing the movement from single-loop learning to double- and triple-loop learning illustrates your developing capacity as a reflective practitioner.

Treating your assignments as opportunities to demonstrate how you are stretching into this prepares you for the real-world complexity of therapeutic work — both during training and beyond qualification.

Reference

Argyris, C. & Schön, D.A. (1974). Theory in Practice: Increasing Professional Effectiveness. Jossey-Bass.

Originally published by Training for Counsellors on LinkedIn, 20 October 2025. Revised: 19 September 2026

Let me take you back to GCSE maths class.

Regardless of the learning about mathematics, the reminder to ‘Show Your Workings Out’ was constant. Resistance was always present, but the maths teachers insisted on its relevance.

The same is true when writing counselling assignments. This article explains why.

Let’s stay with maths class for a moment.

Maths question: 81 ÷ 5 Answer: 16.2

Teacher’s response 1: Yes, that’s right.

Teacher’s response 2: Yes, that’s right, but how do you know?

Now, let’s flip into a counselling lens.

Counselling question: Why don’t counsellors provide counselling to family members and friends?Answer: Because of the dual relationship.

Assessor’s response 1: Yes, that’s right.

Assessor’s response 2: Yes, that’s right, but why does that matter?

At its simplest, Response 1 is enough for ‘safe-enough’ or ‘ethical-enough’ practice. Argyris and Schön (1974) describe this as single-loop learning — noticing when something is wrong or not working and making corrections to ensure we are doing things right.

Let’s extend the example. It comes to light that you and a client have a mutual friend.

The single-loop learner identifies that there is a dilemma — a problem to be solved. They might conclude that the ethical response is to end therapy with that client. The dilemma is resolved.

But what if the information only comes to light in session 5 of 8? Is the response still as simple?

This is where double-loop learning (Argyris & Schön, 1974) comes in. The dilemma now requires a more nuanced response, based in critical reflection, a deeper understanding of ethics and an awareness of the bigger picture.

The double-loop learner asks not only, ‘What should I do?’ but also, ‘What are the implications of the actions I choose to take?’

Back to the Assignment

Let’s take this back to assignment writing, because it can be very annoying to receive Response 2 from the assessor when you have laboured over your assignment.

A reminder:

Counselling question: Why don’t counsellors provide counselling to family members and friends?Answer: Because of the dual relationship.

Assessor’s response 1: Yes, that’s right.

Assessor’s response 2: Yes, that’s right, but why does that matter?

You could respond that, ‘Ethics tells us that dual relationships are harmful.’

This would be a single-loop learning response. You have shown us that you know of this ethical rule.

To show the double-loop learner response, you need to explore the ‘What?’ and the ‘Why?’:

How do you understand the ethical concern that dual relationships may cause harm?

What is your understanding of harm in this situation?

Does this only apply to family members and friends, or might the principle apply to others too?

How far does this extend — immediate family only, or distant relatives too?

Why might a family member or friend feel harmed by a rule intended to protect?

And what about showing yourself as a triple-loop learner?

Triple-loop learning considers the ‘So what?’ — how the learning impacts your practice.

For example, what will you include in your contract about dual relationships? What will you include in your policies and procedures about how you would handle dilemmas involving dual relationships when they arise?

The answers to these questions emerge from the reflections undertaken through the double-loop learning process.

Why ‘Show Your Workings Out’?

So, why is it important to ‘Show Your Workings Out’ in your counselling assignment?

Because your ‘workings out’ show:

That you understand how your work relates to ethics, practice and theory — the three core elements of the assessment process on Training for Counsellors courses.

That you can respond to dilemmas with reflectivity and reflexivity.

That you can explain, justify and communicate your decisions with credibility to a client, peer or professional body.

That you are exercising your Internal Supervisor, developing an openness that supports your continued growth.

We started with maths because that’s likely where we first heard ‘show your workings out’ in our education. Just as in maths, this is about demonstrating understanding.

Showing the movement from single-loop learning to double- and triple-loop learning illustrates your developing capacity as a reflective practitioner.

Treating your assignments as opportunities to demonstrate how you are stretching into this prepares you for the real-world complexity of therapeutic work — both during training and beyond qualification.

Reference

Argyris, C. & Schön, D.A. (1974). Theory in Practice: Increasing Professional Effectiveness. Jossey-Bass.

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