¶ … Counselor as a Therapeutic Person:
As an intimate form of learning, counseling profession requires the practitioner to shed off stereotyped roles and be real in the therapeutic relationship. This is largely because the therapeutic relationship is the platform with which the client experiences growth. In cases where counselors hide behind the safety of the professional role, the clients tend to hide themselves from the counselor. On the other hand, sterile counseling is likely to occur in situations where these practitioners simply become technical experts who leave their reactions, self, and values out of their work. Consequently, there is need for counselors to be real people in the relationship through personal qualities and characteristics that are important in mobilizing change in the client or other individual.
Becoming a Therapist:
The effectiveness of the counseling relationship is dependent on the ability of counselors to become therapists in the process. Through being therapists, counselors serve and act as role models to their clients and individuals seeking for their help. The clients are likely to imitate the counselors' behaviors, especially when the professionals exhibit incongruent behavior, deceit, and low-risk activity by being hidden and vague. On the other hand, the clients tend to be honest in the therapeutic relationship if counselors engage in suitable self-disclosure. Therefore, based on the actions and behaviors of the counselor, the process can either yield better or worse results from the clients. Nonetheless, clients can become more of what they have the ability to become or become less than they may be.
It's important for counselors to be therapists and open since clients look at counselors themselves and select how they would like to change. According to the findings of research literature, the counselor is regarded as the most significant determinant of therapeutic results. The quality of the relationship is primarily based on the counselor's theory and techniques which are determined by the personal qualities and characteristics. Counselors should therefore create a style of counseling practice that reflects their uniqueness as individuals. The counseling theory by these practitioners should be aligned with what complements the individual personally and uniquely (Corey, 2010).
The importance of using or integrating several therapeutic approaches is evident from the fact that various...
The integration of divergent perspectives and approaches in the counseling practice are vital in the practitioner's practice. Notably, the efficiency of a personal approach is dependent on the efficacy of the counselor's individual characteristics and qualities. Therefore, an efficient therapeutic relationship between counselors and clients requires the use of the qualities and characteristics of the individuals.
Personal Qualities and Characteristics of Effective Counselors:
Effective counselors contribute to positive outcomes in the lives of their clients because they possess some or a huge number of several personal qualities and characteristics. These characteristics and qualities not only help them to maintain a good working relationship with their clients but also enable them to address the concerns and challenges they experience. Some of the concerns and challenges that counselors experience in their work include anxieties, personal disclosure, avoiding perfectionism, ambiguity, dealing with clients with no commitment, and suitable personal and professional limits. Additional concerns and challenges to be addressed in the counseling process include sharing responsibility with clients, refusal to offer advice, defining the counselor's role, developing a personal counseling approach or style, and maintaining personal and professional dignity.
In relation to counselors being therapeutic persons and modeling client awareness and growth, the personal qualities and characteristics play a critical role. To be an effective helping person that stimulates significant difference in the lives of clients and other people, counselors need to have the following personal qualities and characteristics & #8230;.
Personal Identity:
Effective counselors are required to have a personal identity, which is the basis for developing a personal style and approach to the counseling process. An effective helping person should know who he/she is, what he/she is capable of becoming, his/her goals, and important things in his/her life.
Respect and Appreciation:
For a counselor to be an effective therapist, he/she needs to respect and appreciate him/her self in order to provide efficient help and love emanating from his/her personal sense of strength and self-worth.
Recognition and Acceptance of…
