The Counseling Relationship Between Client & Counselor

Counseling is a unique relationship unlike any previous relationship a client has encountered.  As a counselor, I value each of my clients and hope that I will be able to provide the empathetic, warm, and inviting environment needed for the counseling relationship.  Since counselors value unconditional positive regard and openness, the counseling relationship is set up for success in a non-judgemental environment.  Counseling works because it can help bring out the positives of a person and connect a person to the innate social interactions among people.  The key for the counseling relationship is that the client has to "want" to engage within the relationship.

The goal of counseling is to create a new, safe relationship where the counselor works with the client on his or her goals for treatment.  Since the counselor is trained in theories, techniques, and inter-personal relationship styles, counseling offers the ability to create a different type of relationship where one can realize they are not broken, but merely stuck in a difficult place.  In counseling, the main focus of the relationship is on the client and the client's needs.  The counselor is a facilitator of the client's thoughts, emotions, and experiences; and helps to provide valuable insight to the client.  A counselor does not bring in his or her own personal issues, judgements regarding the client, or even advice for the client into the counseling session.  (If you wanted advice, you would have called a friend!). Counselors are trained to do more than merely be a friend one can turn too, counselors have a deeper understanding of life's troubles.  As the client works through challenges, the counselor journeys with the client to feel the client's troubles and seek coping strategies to assist.  The joy of counseling is that your counselor is trained to go to the "dark and scary" places with you and help guide you through the "muck of your mind."  Counseling allows clients the freedom to experiment with different outcomes or possibilities for whatever the scenario or frustration may be.  A counselor is also trained to help a client gain insight or meaning.  A counselor believes in the client and can see positives in the client when sometimes the client cannot see within oneself.  Through the relationship, the counselor works to help the client find his or her voice, as well as challenging the client to see problems from various viewpoints.  Therefore the counseling relationship can be a powerful and unique relationship.

WARNING: The counseling relationship does take time to build so that trust and rapport can be developed.  In addition, sometimes in counseling, a client may feel worse before they feel better because they are coping with tough concerns that have been suppressed for a long time.  It is at this difficult time when a client should stick with counseling, so that his or her counselor can help the client cope with the difficulties and realign the client's thoughts to maintain a healthier perspective.

If you would like to learn more about the counseling relationship or how I may be able to help you, feel free to email kcamelford@thrivecounselingcenterllc.com.

Brought to you by www.thrivecounselingcenterllc.com.