Basic Counseling Skills
This counseling skill involves fully concentrating, understanding, and responding to a client.
What is active listening?
Keeping client information private is called this.
What is confidentiality?
Name two examples of nonverbal communication counselors should pay attention to during sessions.
What are facial expressions, posture, eye contact, tone of voice, gestures, or body language?
The first stage of counseling often focuses on building this.
What is rapport?
A client says, “I feel like nobody understands me.” The counselor responds, “You feel isolated and misunderstood.” This is an example of:
What is reflection of feeling?
Repeating a client’s message in your own words is called this.
What is paraphrasing?
Clients must understand the counseling process before beginning services. This is called:
What is informed consent?
Maintaining eye contact and nodding are examples of this counseling behavior.
What are attending skills?
This stage of counseling involves reviewing progress and ending the therapeutic relationship.
What is termination.
A counselor asks, “Did that make you angry?” This is what type of question?
What is a closed-ended question?
This skill reflects a client’s emotions back to them.
What is reflecting feelings?
If a client threatens serious harm to themselves or others, a counselor may need to do this despite confidentiality.
What is break confidentiality/report the threat?
This type of question usually leads to longer, more detailed client responses.
Open Ended Question
Taking notes after a counseling session is called this.
What is a SOAP note?
During a session, a counselor notices the client crossing their arms and avoiding eye contact. What type of behavior is this?
What is nonverbal behavior?
Open-ended questions usually begin with these two words.
What are “how” and “what”?
This document outlines professional standards and ethical expectations for counselors.
What is the ACA Code of Ethics?
Interrupting clients too frequently or giving advice can negatively impact this part of the counseling relationship.
What is rapport or trust?
Resistance from a client may indicate this about the counseling relationship or process.
What is discomfort, fear, lack of readiness, or lack of trust with the counselor?
A counselor gives advice immediately without exploring the client’s feelings. This may interfere with what counseling skill?
What is active listening/client exploration?
This counseling skill helps summarize major points discussed in session.
What is summarizing?
When counselors examine their own cultural values and biases to avoid impacting clients, they are practicing this.
What is multicultutal awarness?
A counselor saying “uh-huh,” nodding, and leaning forward are examples of this type of counseling technique.
What are minimal encouragers?
This structured yet flexible roadmap helps counselors guide the session in a purposeful way.
What is the Five Stage Interview?
A client begins crying after discussing family conflict. The BEST initial counselor response would involve this skill.
What is empathy/reflection of feeling?