Definitions of Counseling Techniques

Therapeutic counselors can employ a variety of techniques aimed to help people. Counselors can vary greatly in their point of view and the specific techniques used. However, counselors who practice some form of talk therapy generally use the same basic techniques, in order to establish trust and help clients work through their problems. These techniques provide a solid groundwork for counseling.

Relationships

• Good counselors are aware that establishing a strong client-counselor relationship is the most important part of counseling. Counselors build relationships by establishing trust. This is done in part by creating strong boundaries, which includes keeping the relationship professional and making it clear to clients that friendships or other types of relationships are forbidden for counselors and clients. In this way, clients are able to openly discuss problems without fear of judgment or retaliation on the part of the counselor.

Active Listening

• Listening is an important technique for counselors. Active listening, specifically, is a way that a counselor can communicate that she is listening while allowing the client to continue to talk. This is done in part by the use of body language. The counselor nods her head, makes eye contact and physically shows that she is engaged in the conversation. A counselor who is actively listening can also offer unobtrusive verbal acknowledgements, which allow the person to continue to talk. For instance, the counselor may interject a simple "mm-hmm."

Open-Ended Questions

• Counselors use the ways in which they ask questions and the types of questions they choose to either open up or close down conversations with clients. Most often, counselors want to encourage clients to open up and share more information. For this, the counselor employs open-ended questions. These types of questions often elicit longer, more detailed responses. For instance, an example of an open-ended question is, "What's going on in your life?"

Theoretical Approaches

• Counselors can vary greatly in their theoretical approaches. The theoretical approach is important because it informs how the counselor works. For instance, a counselor who takes a cognitive-behavioral approach will be very directive in his interactions, using short-term interventions, and often will assign "homework" meant to give the client a chance to practice new behaviors. In contrast, a counselor who takes a psychoanalytic approach is likely to use techniques that include using free association and dream interpretation and may concentrate on the client's childhood relationships.