Counselling Relationship: Theories, Practices, and Client Outcomes

This essay provides an in-depth analysis of the counselling relationship, exploring its core concepts and benefits. It defines counselling as a process that fosters positive client outcomes through enhanced self-awareness and emotional support, emphasizing the importance of empathy and understanding over mere advice-giving. The essay highlights essential qualities of effective counsellors, such as strong communication, empathy, problem-solving skills, and flexibility, while also discussing the significance of non-judgmental acceptance. The paper then delves into three prominent therapeutic theories: existential therapy, focusing on self-determination and self-awareness; Gestalt therapy, which adopts a client-centric approach centered on present experiences; and person-centered therapy, which emphasizes a compassionate, facilitative role for the therapist. The essay concludes by underscoring the advantages of counselling relationships, particularly their emphasis on client-driven solutions, active listening, and the creation of a supportive environment built on trust and confidentiality.

Running head: COUNSELLING RELATIONSHIP
COUNSELLING RELATIONSHIP
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

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The aim of this paper is to understand and evaluate the concept of counselling and
counselling relationship in reference to the theories of the discipline. The idea of counselling
relationship is based on the establishment of the cordial relationship between the counsellor
and the clients. According to the formal definition of the same, it is counselling is the
process for ensuring multiple positive benefits to the clients including higher awareness of
the issue and the probable solution of the same(Erb, 2019). It is also the process of
developing the feeling of positivity by extending support through empathy and
understanding. There are number of positive aspects of like building the relationship of trust
and providing a clear vision of the issues. However counselling is not giving mere advice
without understanding the issue or passing judgements. The role of the effective counsellor is
diverse and complex at times since it is development of attitude of cooperation with the client
and working as part of the team. This is helpful in building the relationship of the client and
counsellor. There are number of qualities of an effective counsellor like excellent
communication skills, developing empathy towards the clients, problem solving skills and
flexibility. However the most common characteristics have been sound communication
skills since the ability to listen and clearly explain the issue to the client is essential to
develop. Moreover such communication is to base on the non-judgemental acceptance of the
viewpoints of the clients in order to bridge any form of communication gap. Warmth and
empathy are the two pillars of the developing appositive counselling relationship since the
only factor a client is expecting is empathy and ability to listen. However it is important to
consider the understanding by referring it to the three dominant theories of the disciplines.
According to the “ existential therapy” method, the process is more centred to developing
free-will and self-determination, it is more of focusing on the self than the symptoms. The
role of the therapist here is to develop the capacity of the individual towards self-awareness
and re-creation of the individual due to the changes occurring at a constant pace. However

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this process is sometimes criticised as “ pessimistic” since it is more of focusing on the
anxiety part of the individual(Wubbolding, 2017). It is also important to note that this theory
is directly based on the existential theory focusing on the faculties of accountability and
responsibility of the individual for the successes and achievements in life. While for the
second type of therapy, the Gestalt therapy, it is the development of a therapeutic atmosphere
that is based on taking more of a client centric approach(Joyce et al., 2018). The focus of
this type of therapy is the present occurring and the past experiences. The present occurring
of the evens in the lives of the individual is what drives the counsellor to know the clients
and approach their issues. It is used on case of anxiety, depression and self-esteem
issues(Loughran, 2018). The role of the counsellor here is to provide understanding of
themselves. The role of the client here is more of leading member since it helps the
counsellor to understand the present experiences and issues he or she is going through.
However it is also about the development of collaborative approach between them in order
to challenges the issue and roadblocks faced by the clients. The gestalt therapy is humanistic
approach of understanding the human experiences of the individual(McArthur et al., 2016).
Moreover, this therapy is applied to understand the psychological needs of then clients. This
is developed by opened up relationship between the client and the therapist. The therapist
here is also responsible for maintaining the time for sharing specific piece of information.
Lastly, the person centred therapy is one of the most effective ways of understanding the
issue of the clients. This therapy focuses on the development of person centric approach
where the individuals have the chance of understanding their issues and probably find an
effective solution. The role of the therapist here is of a compassionate facilitator” who is in
the position of diverting the direction of conversation by encouraging to speak and provide
the extra support. This kind of therapy is mostly used in the cases o of low confidence for
some of the clients since this proved to be highly impacting for making identity and self-

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awareness of the clients stronger. In this case, the client is able to develop the relationship of
trust and mutual confidence(Rogers, 1942). This therapy has also been referred as the “
Rogerian therapy” which is focused in the devepopment of fulfilling relationship between
the client and the therapist by sharing of information since everyone is different and it is
important to develop the understanding of different orientation to each of them.
However it is important to develop the understanding that counselling relationship is
advantageous due to the fact that unlike the other therapeutic methods of treatment, this
approach does not include the process of taking decision for the patients, instead it helps the
patients find their own solutions by discussion of their own problems. Moreover, this
approach does include the process of active listening, questioning in terms of some
clarification, summarising and reflecting back to it in order to find out the issue(Wosket,
2016). It is better than the therapeutic methods of treatment due to the fact that it provides
reassurance and hope by ensuring empathy, trust and genuineness. It ensures a certain level
of confidentiality along with development of the right environment for building trust in the
relationship of the client and the counsellor.

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Reference
Erb, J. (2019). To be seen within the counselling relationship. Vision: A Journal for Church
and Theology, 20(1), 83-88.
Joyce, P., & Sills, C. (2018). Skills in Gestalt counselling & psychotherapy. Sage.
Loughran, H. (2018). Counselling Skills for Social Workers. Routledge.
McArthur, K., Cooper, M., & Berdondini, L. (2016). Change processes in school‐based
humanistic counselling. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 16(2), 88-99.
Rogers, C. R. (1942). Counselling and psychotherapy (Vol. 298). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Smith, F. (2018). The use of self: Towards an expanded critique and paradigm in counselling
psychology.
Wosket, V. (2016). The therapeutic use of self: Counselling practice, research and
supervision. Routledge.
Wubbolding, R. (2017). Counselling with reality therapy. Routledge.