Psychology

While in graduate school working on my Master of Arts in counseling, I developed a great admiration to Carl Rogers and his person centered therapy. It’s always been my belief that a client to do more when they have more input in their treatment plan. Using what was known as non directive counseling, which is currently referred to as client centered, is the process of skillfully listening to a client, encouraging the client to explain bothersome problems, and helping him or her to understand those problems and determine courses of action. This type of counseling focuses on the client, rather than on the counselor as a judge and advisor; therefore, it is “client-centered.”

The unique advantage of nondirective counseling is its ability to cause the client’s reorientation. It stresses changing the person, instead of dealing only with the immediate problem in the usual manner of directive counseling. As counselors, we attempt to ask discerning questions, restate ideas, clarify feelings, and attempt to understand why these feelings exist with the client. We primarily listen and try to help our clients discover and follow an improved course of action. We especially listen between the lines” to learn the full meaning of our client’s feelings.

Directive counseling consists more of listening to the client’s problem, deciding with the client what should be done, and then encouraging and motivating the client to do it. This type of counseling accomplishes the function of advice; but it may also reassure; give emotional release; and, to a minor extent, clarify thinking. I’ve found that most people likes to give advice; especially counselors (we tend to put ourselves in the midst of our client’s problem). But is this effective counseling? Do we, as counselors really understand the client’s problem? Do we as counselor have the technical knowledge of human behavior and the judgment to make the “right” decisions? If the decision is right, will the client...