Theoretical Approaches to Counselling- Case Study - Essay Example

His wisdom enables him to spot clients whose ideal self-concept is far from the truth, (i.e. the mistaken perception of one’s greatness in a skill when in reality, he is very poor at it). His goals include helping his clients have an openness to experience, a trust in themselves, an internal source of evaluation and a willingness to continue growing (Corey, 2005). The ability of a therapist to accurately empathize with a client’s subjective experiences on an interpersonal, cognitive and affective level is essential in fully unlocking the client’s perceptions, feelings and motivations for his behavior (Corey, 2005).

The therapist’s enormous capacity to understand and accept the client no matter what communicates to the client that he is a worthy person. However, the therapist must caution against being swayed by emotions of his clients to justify excuses for wrong decisions, as he must always have a firm grasp of what is right and wrong. As the saying goes, “Love the sinner but not the sin”. This is not to say that the therapist holds the moral compass in the therapy sessions, but he is in a position to influence the “awakened” client to come up with his own appropriate decisions from the therapy point forward.

A client comes to a counselor with a feeling of helplessness, powerlessness and an inability to make decisions or effectively direct his own life. He finds refuge in therapy with a warm, trustworthy and accepting friend who is there for him in his seemingly lowest point. He feels safe enough to shed his mask and just be. He finds freedom to express his innermost feelings, be they positive or negative, and is assured that he will remain acceptable. In this kind of relationship, the client finds opportunity to grow and overcome his feelings of failure – and commences his healing by deciding on a positive action towards self-actualization.

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