Discuss the ways in which counsellor qualities such as Empathy, Genuineness and Unconditional positive regard are important in the counselling relationship.
Discuss the ways in which counsellor qualities such as Empathy, Genuineness and Unconditional positive regard are important in the counselling relationship.
Counselling, also referred to as the 'talking therapy', is a process whereby a client is provided with a sufficient amount of time and space to share, understand and resolve his or her problems , in all confidentiality. (Sutton & Stewart, 2008) This process is a two way collaborative exchange and is generally termed as the counselling relationship. The counsellor, often described as someone who applies the counselling techniques and qualities learnt, to solve people's problems and help them plan a better future. (Sutton & Stewart, 2008). A counsellor might either work individually, in pairs or in groups. Counsellor qualities are said to be the basic key ingredients in a counselling relationship, as it helps to promote a healthy relationship between the client and the counsellor. Carl Rogers, founder of the person-centred approach, states that there are three core conditions that are crucial in enhancing a counselling relationship. (Sutton & Stewart, 2008). These core conditions are empathy, genuineness and unconditional positive regard. This essay will further explain the core conditions, and whether it confirms, or disproves the efficiency of the core conditions in a therapeutic alliance.
Empathy, being the first condition, is defined as the ability to sense the client's world, to grasp their frame of reference, and to convey back their understanding to the clients in simple words (Sutton & Stewart, 2008). In other words, it would mainly refer to the ability for the counsellor to place himself into the client's shoes and step out again. Empathy is very important in a therapy, as it helps the therapist to aknowledge the clients feelings such as anger, fear or confusion, yet without letting his own feelings arising (Rogers, 1956). In order to fully understand the client, the counsellor has to be self
Counselling, also referred to as the 'talking therapy', is a process whereby a client is provided with a sufficient amount of time and space to share, understand and resolve his or her problems , in all confidentiality. (Sutton & Stewart, 2008) This process is a two way collaborative exchange and is generally termed as the counselling relationship. The counsellor, often described as someone who applies the counselling techniques and qualities learnt, to solve people's problems and help them plan a better future. (Sutton & Stewart, 2008). A counsellor might either work individually, in pairs or in groups. Counsellor qualities are said to be the basic key ingredients in a counselling relationship, as it helps to promote a healthy relationship between the client and the counsellor. Carl Rogers, founder of the person-centred approach, states that there are three core conditions that are crucial in enhancing a counselling relationship. (Sutton & Stewart, 2008). These core conditions are empathy, genuineness and unconditional positive regard. This essay will further explain the core conditions, and whether it confirms, or disproves the efficiency of the core conditions in a therapeutic alliance.
Empathy, being the first condition, is defined as the ability to sense the client's world, to grasp their frame of reference, and to convey back their understanding to the clients in simple words (Sutton & Stewart, 2008). In other words, it would mainly refer to the ability for the counsellor to place himself into the client's shoes and step out again. Empathy is very important in a therapy, as it helps the therapist to aknowledge the clients feelings such as anger, fear or confusion, yet without letting his own feelings arising (Rogers, 1956). In order to fully understand the client, the counsellor has to be self