Basic Counseling Skills

Building rapport with the client

Asking leading questions to clarify the client's understanding

Being in the company of someone else and giving them your full attention

To summarize the main themes that are emerging

To control the content, pace, and objectives of the session

To challenge defensiveness and heighten awareness

To make sure the client knows their story is being listened to

To focus on the central issues of concern

To build rapport with the client

A professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals.

The counselor repeats and feeds a shorter version of their story back to the client.

• To sum up the main themes that are emerging.

Open questions to clarify the client's feelings

Rhetorical questions to challenge the client's thinking

Leading questions to impair the counseling relationship

Using silence to control the content and pace of the session

Summarizing the main themes that are emerging

Making decisions about the central issues the client wants to deal with

To establish a sense of connection with the client

To control the content, pace, and objectives of the session

To challenge defensiveness and heighten awareness

Make sure the client knows their story is being listened to

• The counselor reflects back the main points of the session (what the client is saying and feeling) so that the client has the opportunity to recap, and to 'correct' the counselor if any parts of the summary feels inaccurate. 

Clarify the counsellor's understanding of the client's feelings

Only individuals with specific training in counselling

Only therapists and psychologists

People in various work roles, not just in counselling