Experiential Counseling Techniques

Traditional counseling is talk-based. Patients see a therapist to talk about problems and how to resolve those problems. While therapists take different approaches, such as focusing solely on childhood trauma, talking is the basic therapeutic activity. Alternatively, therapists with experiential counseling training use movement and role play to help patients through emotional and mental crises.

Creative Therapy

• Art and music therapy are common types of experiential counseling. The patient plays an instrument, colors or draws, which allows for the brain to focus on the creative aspect of art or music. The counselor then can ask questions, investigating the incident or problem that brought the person to therapy. Creative therapy also allows the patient to look at the art or instrument rather than at the counselor, which can be easier for some patients.

Recreational Therapy

• Recreational therapy also works based on the idea that a patient's thoughts and memories can open up if the body is otherwise occupied with an activity. In recreational therapy, the person plays a sport or maybe just walks with the therapist. If the patient does something physical, emotions might flow more freely when the body is comes to rest.

Role-Playing

• This form of experiential counseling often deals with conflict resolutions in the workplace. Rather than talking about a problem, the experiential therapist guides the patient through a role-playing experience to help identify different ways a person could react to the situation. Role-playing is not limited to the workplace, however. Someone with significant anxiety, for example, could role-play to come up with responses for the issue creating anxiety.

Reliving Experiences

• A final experiential counseling technique is reliving bad experiences. Counselors help patients talk through a problem relationship. Patients might revisit negative experiences in childhood or problems in a marriage. The focus in these sessions centers on what the patient wishes had happened, which allows the patient to explore more fully how that would feel differently and begin to let go of negative emotions.