Counselor's Therapeutic Characteristics

A counselor’s job is to journey along with their client and to provide insight and support to those who are at risk and those who are hurting and searching for comfort and acceptance. If the counselor is a Christian they will also want to share our Heavenly Father’s love with the counselee and help guide them on a path that will lead them to Christ. There are several different techniques that can be used to break through the walls of some people in order to help them recognize the basis for their feelings whether it is such things as sin or faulty

The role of the counselor in Experiential Family Therapy is to facilitate an experience and break down any inhibitions that have been built. As for Whitaker, therapy is an art, and he recommends substituting for theory faith in one’s own experience and the ability to allow the process of therapy to unfold in an authentic and genuinely responsive manner (Becvar & Becvar, 2013, p. 160).

In the relationship between counsellor and client the need for confidentiality is vital as it is not only the bases that the relationship is built on and it is a legal obligation.

Choosing a technique to use throughout the therapeutic process is essential to the client as well as the therapist. By choosing a particular therapeutic approach the therapist is simply implementing a tool to help navigate through the counseling phase. Therefore, without the necessary tools needed for therapy counseling would be extremely difficult for both the client and the clinician. The ability to use different techniques is also useful for those who choose a career in school counseling. Those who choose to go into the school counseling field are disposed to using techniques that help to quickly resolve a solution or one that has the ability to change a child’s thought process or behavior. Hence, many of the practices used in conventional therapy would not be practical to use as a school counselor because they may be deemed as inappropriate or ineffective to use when counseling children. Take for instance; Psychoanalysis many of the techniques used throughout Freudian therapy would not be useful for school counselors.

Every relationship, no matter the type is very complex. No matter how long two individuals have known each other, the relationship needs multiple things to survive and thrive. An effective helping relationship requires four necessary components: warmth, empathy, genuineness, and respect. During the course of this class I have learned of many skills which I must use to succeed in my chosen field and I have skills which I excel at and others which have room for improvement. To prepare for the upcoming exam I will tune in to all of the skills which I will utilize to pass the test. Through my preparations, I expect to learn more about my strengths and weakness and work on improving all of my skills to become a more effective counselor.

My roles as a therapist in the counseling process within community and private mental health system, I am there to help my client and listen to them. Before I

This paper will discuss the following 4 Core Functions of a Counselor: Case Management, Client Education, Crisis Intervention, Referral and their primary purposes.

I believe counseling is a collaborative partnership between client and counselor. Furthermore, this collaborative partnership is built from trust and acceptance of both client and counselor. I hope in conjunction with clients to understand the issues and concerns so to help them tap into their wisdom, creativity, and strengths to meet their current challenges. I believe in a comprehensive perspective through which clients can better comprehend themselves in the framework that our thinking about events can lead to emotional and behavioral upset. Moreover, counselors are to provide a safe environment for clients to explore their challenges and identify ways to move differently in overcoming these challenges.

However, such situations are best handled with professional help. This is where my role as a counselor is crucial. As a mental health counselor, my job is to provide the basic tools for my clients to function. An event that shaped my decision to become a counselor was a session that I led at Penelope House.

Both the ACA (2005) and AACC (2004) code of ethics require the counselor to maintain client confidentiality to the fullest extent. Working in the counseling field, trust is a rock in the foundational of a helping relationship and confidentially plays a large role in the client counselor relationship. Both codes share similarities regarding their stance on confidentiality. When counseling others, a counselor is to inform their clients about their commitment to confidentiality as well as their limits before

A mental health counselor often helps their clients make positive choices and changes due to the decisions and insights they help facilitate. Many counselors work in hospitals with psychiatric patients or with mentally ill adults in continued day treatment programs. Some choose private practice or practice in counseling centers, government agencies, and corporations and youth homes. They usually work in pleasant and comfortable surroundings, working a standard workweek. Some counselors are available weekends or evenings for the convenience and needs of their clients. Mental health counselors are an extremely valuable part of the healthcare system.

As a potential counselor, there are many areas that I need to grow in to be an effective therapist. Being in a graduate program learning about different theoretical orientations, and participating in mock interviews has really been an eye opener for me. Not only am I recognizing my own personal style in therapy, but I feel I am identifying my strengths and weaknesses as well. Acknowledging that there is always room for improvement, I am also sensing which population I prefer to work with. Amongst the different types of populations (gender, ethnic background, religion, age), I understand there are various clinical issues that affect each group differently and would need a specific type of therapy or a treatment with combined therapeutic elements

Instead, the counsellor’s role is to provide an atmosphere in which the client, through the exploration of her situation, comes to see herself and her reactions more clearly and accept her attitudes more fully.

Counselor’s roles are very important. As the world becomes more complex everyday life is filled with increasing challenging problems and decisions. Students will need help in making decisions about their lives and the counseling will be very important. Counselors have to be competent and work with all school professions to address any issue that these individuals may be

"Sarah, we need your help in Ukraine this summer. Can I count on you?" This question changed my life profoundly. I was asked to be a counselor on JOLT, Jewish Overseas Leadership Program, an opportunity to interact with young campers in an impoverished country and positively influence their lives. Little did I realize that this experience would impact mine so greatly.