Counselor-client Relationship Research Articles

School Counsellors, Values Learning, and The New Zealand Curriculum

The writer reports on a professional development workshop with a group of 16 school counsellors, which explored how their counselling work with students related to values learning. They found that counselling with students frequently, even typically, involves helping the students to develop the value thinking abilities outlined in The New Zealand Curriculum (Ministry of Education, 2007). The wide variety of therapeutic approaches that counsellors employ is illustrated. The distribution of power in the counsellor–client relationship is also explored, along with its effects for the learning environment in the counselling room. This study will be useful to school counsellors, teachers, and school leaders who are interested in ways in which the counselling room is a location for values learning, and how the distinctiveness of that learning environment can be protected and enhanced.

The Dance of Empathy and Understanding: Nurturing Rapport in the Counselor-Client Connection

This article explores the analysis of individual counseling service strategies in relation to the counselor-client relationship. The research method employed in this study is a literature review analysis. The results reveal that counseling is a process of providing assistance through counseling interviews conducted by a professional counselor to individuals facing various problems. Individual counseling emerges as a core service within guidance and counseling, enabling clients to express their personal issues and find solutions. The counselor-client relationship is of utmost importance, requiring the counselor to establish rapport, trust, and effective communication with the client. Building a strong therapeutic alliance is crucial for successful counseling outcomes. The counselor-client relationship is dynamic and evolves over time, fostering trust, mutual understanding, and personal growth. Furthermore, maintaining appropriate boundaries and adhering to ethical standards are vital aspects of the counseling relationship.

Gülmek Neden İyileştirir? Terapide Mizah Kullanımı Üzerine Bir Derleme

Humor is an important tool for expressing many emotions such as happiness, sadness, anger and surprise. In recent years, the use of humor has started to gain the quality of a therapy approach. The use of humor in therapy helps clients to express meaningless situations or inconsistencies in their lives in a humorous way by making them entertaining. At this point, it is very important for the counselor to be able to understand the purpose of the clients' arrival and their sense of humor depending on this purpose and to make interventions accordingly. Since the concepts of humor therapy and Laughter Therapy / Laughter Yoga are often used interchangeably in the literature, this study synthesizes both therapy approaches and tries to reveal their elements and importance. In this review, it is aimed to examine all aspects of the emergence of the use of humor in therapy, basic concepts, sub-dimensions of humor, counselor-client relationship using humor in therapy, humor therapy process, laughter therapy / laughter yoga process, laughter therapy / laughter yoga techniques, studies on the use of humor in therapy, why humor should or should not be used in therapy. In these respects, this study is expected to contribute to the literature and help fill the existing gaps. In addition, it is predicted that the widespread use of humor therapy and the use of humor therapy in different studies will benefit many clients and experts working in this field.

상담 과정에서의 내담자 경험에 대한 질적 메타분석

The purpose of this study is to provide basic data to help understand the therapeutic factors of counseling through review the results of qualitative research about ‘What does the client therapeutic experience in counseling?’. To this, qualitative meta-analysis was conducted for seventy-six researches published in Korean Citation Index(KCI) journals from 2001 to 2021. As a results, the clients had important experiences of ‘deep insight into myself, new relationship with counselor, acceptance, emotional explosion, and try it out’ in counseling. Each experience domains were as follows. First domain included ‘bring up problem’, ‘confirming pattern’, ‘changing perspective’, and ‘face myself’. Second domain included ‘build a rapport’, ‘build trust’. In third domain, ‘self-acceptance’, ‘accepted by counselor’, and ‘accepting others’ were included. Fourth domain included ‘emotions about counselor(or counseling)’, ‘emotional expression’, and ‘emotion after expression’. In fifth domain, ‘new attempts in counseling’, ‘performed tasks’, and ‘behavioral change’ were included. Based on these results, the implications for counseling practice and research were discussed by identifying therapeutic factors from the client’s point of view in the counselor-client relationship.

The 2023 Revision to the CRCC Code of Ethics: Implications for Defining and Protecting the Counselor–Client Relationship

The revised 2023 Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) Code of Ethics, adopted in September 2022, addresses changes in ethical standards related to the counseling relationship. To promote awareness and understanding of these changes, this article reviews the purpose of Section A (The Counseling Relationship) of the CRCC Code of Ethics and provides a summary of the key revisions that have been made to Section A in the new revised Code and how the changes in these sub-sections of Section A impact counselors/practice.

Practising Hope With a Client Who Speaks Suicide

Suicide issues have been a consistent concern in Malaysia and everyone within the society has a moral obligation to intervene to prevent suicide. Counsellors are one of the many professional groups charged with this responsibility. The practice of counselling clients in the context of suicidal ideation is a complex and challenging therapeutic process with professional, personal, social, legal, medical, and ethical issues, and with shades of uncertainties inherent to the suicidal threat shaping the counsellor-client relationship. This is a time when it is clear that responsibilities for and influences on practice go beyond the client in the room where counsellors negotiate roles and responsibilities, make difficult clinical judgements and ethical decisions, and take responsible actions. Decisions are not simple and straightforward, and care must be delicately considered for each individual in his or her specific context. In this paper, I present an experience-near account of how professional practice could be shaped by the value of a counsellor’s personal lived experience. A qualitative with discursive approach was employed to examine a counsellor’s personal lived experience and how she practised hope by taking small steps to support a client presented with suicidal ideation. I show how feminists value positions a counsellor’s personal experiential knowledge in her practice to work alongside her preferred theoretical model which she was taught. I argue that the feminist principle of personal-political-professional offers a framework to recognise the shaping effect of counsellors’ lived experience in their response to clients with suicidal ideation. My witnessing of counsellor’s act of practice provokes me to re-examine my views of professional practice and the relationship between theory and practice. From the perspective of practice epistemology, I question how do one accounts for the kinds of knowledge one acquire from past experiences in life, within the landscape of professional practice?

Lehrberatung – der Übergangsraum zwischen Weiterbildung und Beraterpraxis

Educational and experiential counselling is an essential component of the advanced training of counsellors. It combines the theory and practice of individual psychology, analytical selfunderstanding, and practical counselling. This article sheds light on the role and self-conception of the supervising counsellors and describes their approach to practical guidance and supervision in depth. It outlines how the counsellors in training can use educational and experiential counselling as a transitional space to master psychodynamic counselling and to develop their personal style. In addition, the importance of the counsellor-client relationship for the success of counselling is described theoretically and illustrated with a practical example.

Photo-synthesis: Facilitating Goal Setting in Supervision Using Images and Creativity

ABSTRACTOne of the most important aspects of clinical supervision is goal-setting. In the early stages of supervision, supervisees may find it difficult to connect authentically with their supervisors due to the inherent power differential in supervision. Difficulty connecting may be exacerbated when students are attempting to set goals regarding their areas for growth. Based on literature reviewed on the counselor-client relationship, the authors posit that using images may increase vulnerability between supervisors and supervisees. Additionally, the authors introduce relational-cultural theory as a framework for connecting authentically through creative images. The authors present examples of using images in individual and group supervision, specifically employing The Coaching Game made by Points of You.

A Subpoena: The Other Exception to Confidentiality

A good deal of attention is paid in counselor education programs to the significance of confidentiality and the rare categories of exception that would compel the counselor to break that sacred vow. The exceptions identified are danger to self, danger to others, and child abuse. In some states, additional mention is made of situations involving elder abuse. Rarely, however, do counselor educators discuss the impact of litigation on the sanctity of the counselor–client relationship and the ability of a subpoena to pierce the cloak of confidentiality that otherwise protects a client’s innermost thoughts and raw vulnerability. This article is an examination of the long arm of the court system and, by extension, the role of a subpoena as the often overlooked, other, exception to confidentiality. The effect of court involvement initiated either by the counselor’s client or by an opposing party on the counselor–client relationship should be clearly addressed in informed consent discussions and written documents to avoid unforeseen complications when a counselor receives and responds to a subpoena.

Developing clarity on the coaching‐counselling conundrum: Implications for counsellors and psychotherapists

AbstractCoaching, as a methodology for facilitating intentional positive change, has apparently become a permanent fixture in contemporary Western society. However, it would seem that counsellors and psychotherapists, despite been seen as having expertise in helping people deal with emotional difficulties and life challenges, have been relatively slow in positioning themselves in the coaching market. This has left other, possibly less qualified individuals to address the ubiquitous human need for goal attainment, self‐discovery and personal development. To develop clarity on the coaching‐counselling conundrum we firstly discuss the distinctions between coaching and counselling/psychotherapy, and we emphasise some key differences between the counsellor–client relationship and the coach–coachee relationship. We outline a tripartite metatypology of coaching (skills, performance and developmental coaching) and we use this to further make links between coaching and counselling. To address the question whether coaching is somehow less “valid” than counselling we then present an overview of the current evidence‐base for coaching and conclude with some key points for counsellors making a transition to coaching practice.

Critical Exploration of Counselor Client Relationship in Disability and Gender -Case Study

Critical Exploration of Counselor Client Relationship in Disability and Gender -Case Study

Human Communication and Effective Interpersonal Relationships: An Analysis of Client Counseling and Emotional Stability

The study analyzed the role of interpersonal communication in client counseling environments, establishing emotional stability, and building lasting effective counselor-client relationship. Numerous studies reviewed indicate that the quality of interpersonal communication between counselors/psychologists and clients is significant in improving clients’ self-esteem, emotional stability, interactional effectiveness, and responsive engagement. An extended literature review was conducted to analyze past communication patterns between counselors/psychologists and clients to evaluate the role of human communication in the quality of therapy and in the results achieved. Based on content analysis of clients-counselors interactions and relationships, review of related literature, and personal interviews and discussions, it was determined that effective interpersonal communication is critically important in achieving clients’ high level of recovery, speedy compliance, and enhanced self-awareness. This study clearly establishes that communication is a significant part of a successful counseling practice. Additionally, productive counseling largely depends on communication competence - the ability to articulate instructions and procedures clearly, persuasively, and consistently both verbally and nonverbally.

A psychodynamic approach on group career counseling: A Brazilian experience of 40 years

Career guidance and career counselling have traditionally been conducted in an individualized fashion focusing on the counsellor-client relationship. Specialized literature, however, points to the potential use of group strategies. This article seeks to contribute to the advancement of studies in group career counselling practices, by introducing and discussing the theoretical-technical group career counselling model that was developed, evaluated and consolidated in Brazil over the past 40 years. It is an unstructured group intervention model with a therapeutic objective based on a psychodynamic approach. Limitations and potentialities of this group intervention and model are discussed.

Treatment Processes of Counseling for Children in South Sudan: A Multiple n = 1 Design

Studies into treatment processes in low-income settings are grossly lacking, which contributes to the scarcity of evidence-based psychosocial treatment. We conducted multiple n=1 studies, with quantitative outcome indicators (depression-, PTSD- and anxiety- symptoms, hope) and qualitative process indicators (treatment- perceptions, content and progress) measured before, during and after counseling. We aimed to explore commonalities in treatment processes associated with change profiles within and between cases. The study was conducted in South Sudan with children aged between 10 and 15 years. Change profiles were associated with the quality of the counselor-client relationship (instilling trust and hope through self-disclosure, supportive listening and advice giving), level of client activation, and the ability of the counselor to match treatment strategies to the client's problem presentation (trauma- and emotional processing, problem solving, cognitive strategies). With limited time, due to restricted resources in low-income settings, training courses can now be better focused on key treatment processes.

Mindful Music Listening as a Potential Treatment for Depression

This column is designed to underscore relationally based creative interventions used by counselors and psychotherapists in their practices. Our intention is to provide examples of novel, innovative ways of working with clients in their efforts to deepen self-awareness and their connections with others. Although the interventions within this column will be presented in a linear “how-to” manner, an essential premise of this column is that interventions submitted for publication have a contextual and relational basis. Basic to this column is the therapeutic focus of working through latent hurts and impediments to our clients' health and happiness. Client goals generally involve creating the requisite emotional space needed for genuine relational choice for connection to manifest. If you have created a useful therapy tool or if you have adapted an existing creative tool that you would like to share with readers, please follow submission guidelines in the author information packet available at http://www.creativecounselor.org/Journal.html Depression is one of the most common mental health issues. Although drug therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy remain popular and effective treatments, alternative interventions such as the use of music listening and mindfulness practice as interventions during therapy have gained ground. Research on the use of music listening and mindfulness practice shows each to be effective in treating depression. The authors propose a combined intervention called Mindful Music Listening, during which clients with depression use mindfulness skills while listening to music to notice, label, discuss, and learn to manage their emotions. Possible advantages include greater client self-awareness and emotional regulation as well as a strengthened counselor–client relationship.

Person-Centred Rehabilitation Counselling: Revisiting the Legacy of Carl Rogers

AbstractThis article explores the relevance of Carl Rogers' person-centred approach (PCA) to rehabilitation counselling. His major theoretical contribution concerning the primacy of the client's actualising tendency and the six ‘core conditions’ of the counsellor–client relationship deserves greater recognition in vocational rehabilitation. The most widely known and researched core conditions have focused upon the proverbial triad: congruence (genuineness), unconditional positive regard and empathy. However, all six core conditions are discussed with emphasis placed on recent refinements to Rogers' original theory and their importance to rehabilitation counselling. Evidenced-based research concerning the impact of PCA-oriented rehabilitation counselling is lacking. It is argued that the efficacy of PCA can be extrapolated from meta-analyses in other fields of psychotherapy and education.

Let's talk about sex: helping substance abuse counsellors address HIV prevention with men who have sex with men

Integrating HIV prevention into substance abuse counselling is recommended to ameliorate the health outcomes of men who have sex with men. However, culture-based countertransferences (CBCs) may hamper this effort. Using a case illustration, this paper will explain the manifestation of CBCs held among substance abuse counsellors and how they hinder counsellors' work with men who have sex with men. The following CBCs will be explored: distancing, topic avoidance, heteronormativity, assumptions and denying client strengths. These CBCs allow counsellors to avoid discussions about sexual practices and curtail HIV prevention counselling, while undermining the counsellor-client relationship. Based on the empirical literature on HIV and substance abuse prevention with men who have sex with men, we provide recommendations to help counsellors overcome CBCs and integrate HIV prevention consistently with men who are in treatment for substance abuse.

Experiences of Rural Vocational Rehabilitation Clients Who Leave the System Prematurely: A Qualitative Exploration

Vocational rehabilitation (VR) clients who leave the system prematurely experience worse employment outcomes than clients who stay in services. The authors conducted this study to learn about factors leading to premature exit by rural VR clients. Results will inform survey development for a large longitudinal study on this topic. The authors content coded 27 qualitative telephone interviews with former rural VR clients who exited the system prematurely. Reported reasons for premature exit included (a) discrepancies between services provided and services desired, (b) unmet counselor expectations, (c) counselor—client relationship problems, (d) health issues, (e) limited job opportunities, (f) work disincentives, and (g) slow service speed. VR might reduce premature exits by helping clients better understand the VR process, including the types of VR services offered and associated counselor expectations.

The Virtues of Cultural Resonance, Competence, and Relational Collaboration With Native American Indian Communities: A Synthesis of the Counseling and Psychotherapy Literature

The article extends the scholarship, observations, and recommendations provided in Joseph Gone’s article, “Psychotherapy and Traditional Healing for American Indians: Prospects for Therapeutic Integration” (2010 [this issue]). The overarching thesis is that for many Indian and Native clients, interpersonal and interethnic problems can emerge when a counselor’s lack of culturally resonant experience and knowledge, deeply held stereotypes, and preconceived notions interfere with the counseling relationship and impede counseling effectiveness. A brief synthesis of the counseling literature themes suggests that there is ample evidence that by using particular culturally resonant techniques, counselors can promote client trust, rapport, and cultural empathy and improve the counselor—client relationship, both in general and with American Indian and Alaska Native clients specifically. Topics consistent with Joseph Gone’s main thesis also are explored that relate to spiritual healing and other counseling considerations involving relational collaborations with Indian and Native communities. Information provided in this article is focused on helping to stimulate effective cross-cultural contacts between mental health counselors and Native American Indians.

Focus Groups: A Practical and Applied Research Approach for Counselors

Focus groups are becoming a popular research approach that counselors can use as an efficient, practical, and applied method of gathering information to better serve clients. In this article, the authors describe focus groups and their potential usefulness to professional counselors and researchers. Practical implications related to the use of focus groups in counseling practice are discussed, and case examples are provided demonstrating how focus groups can be useful to counselors.