Traits Of Professional Counseling Proficient

By Virginia Collins


Being a counselor is not only determined by the knowledge acquired in school. Since therapists interact with people all the time, one must develop more personal qualities to help them understand and handle patients. These include upholding confidentiality, being patient as well as encouraging clients. While a few traits are inherent in some people, others must be developed with time. Therefore, if one is aspiring to become a professional counseling doctor, he or she should examine themselves to find out whether they possess these features. The paragraphs below describe a few of them.

Notably, counselors who are familiar with personal fears, as well as, anxieties are better placed in handling therapeutic cases. Self-awareness helps experts keep personal feelings away during a session with patients. Similarly, they are capable of solving their own problems and use personal experience in helping patients to recover. Additionally, clients are more confident with therapists who are in control of their personal problems and do expose their weakness easily.

Secondly, counselors must possess patience. Normally, few people are born tolerant. For this reason, persistence is a skill that is developed as individuals practice it. Mental changes take a while to occur. Without tolerance, a therapist may never see these changes in patients. Likewise, due to mental disorientation, some clients are normally irritating hence need much understanding.

Notably, psycho-social cases vary which is why patients are different. All the same, therapists should accept them with their weaknesses. Show compassion towards their problems and let them feel you care. Normally, most are handled indifferently by society including close family members which should be different as a therapist. Being too judgmental and criticizing imperfections will prolong healing process or lead to worse cases.

Build lasting relationships with clients. Somehow, with time, relationship changes from a doctor-patient to friends. This is important in building trust among patients. A therapist should be approachable. To establish a rapport, counselors ought to stop emphasizing on problems of clients but listen to personal needs. Encourage them to freely express themselves before you.

Moreover, psycho-social treatment is not a one-fit-all process. For this reason, counselors must be flexible enough to adapt to new methods besides what they learned in school. Even though the standard approach works with most patients, doctors must adjust a little every time they handle a more challenging case. Every treatment plan ought to meet the needs of a specific client.

By putting themselves in the shoes of victims, counselors are able to treat mental cases easily. This is referred to as empathy. Empathetic counselors understand the perspective of their clients and suggest solutions based on that. Specialists do not enforce own arguments without trying to comprehend why victims behave in a given manner.

An expert ought to be encouraging. Notably, most clients are in a point of hopelessness by the time they go for therapy. It is important to let them know changes are possible no matter a situation. Applaud simple milestones and give them hope whenever they seem desperate. No matter how long positive changes take to come, you should not show despair.




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