The counselor as a therapeutic person

Because counseling is an intimate from pf learning, it demands a practitioner who is willing to shed stereotypes and be an authentic person in the therapeutic relationship. It is within the context of such a person to person connection that the client experiences growth. If we hide behind the safety of our professional role,  our client will likely keep themselves hidden form us. If we become merely technical experts and leave our own reactions, values, and self out of our work, the result is likely to be sterile counseling. It is through our own genuineness and our aliveness that we can significantly touch our clients. If we make life oriented choice, radiate a joy for life, and are real in our relationship with our client, we can motivate them to develop these same life enhanching qualities. This does not mean that we are self actualized persons who have “made it” or that we are without our problems. Rather, it implies that we are willing to look at our lives and make the changes we want. Because we affirm that changing is worth the risk and the effort, we hold out hope to our clients that they can change and truly like the person they are becoming.

In short, as therapist we serve as models for our clients. If we model incongruent behavior, low risk activity, and remain distant, we can expect our clients to imitate this behavior. If we model realnees by engaging in appropriate self disclosure, our clients will tend to be honest with us in the therapeutic relationship. Client can become more of what they are capable of becoming, or they can become less than might be. In my judgment the degree of aliveness and psychological health of the counselor is a crucial variable that influences the outcome.

What does the research reveal about the role of the counselor as a person and the therapeutic relationship on psychotherapy outcome? From my respective, who the psychotherapist is directly relates to his or her ability to establish and maintain effective therapy relationship with clients. There is research support for the centrality of the person of the therapist. Norcross (2002a) states that “multiple and converging sources of evidence indicate that the person of the psychotherapy” (p.4). Lambert and Barley (2002) claim that empirical research “strongly and consistently supports the centrality of the therapeutic relationship as a primary factor contributing to psychotherapy outcome” (p.17). According to Norcross (2002a), research indicates that both the therapy relationship and the therapy methods used make consistent contributions of the outcomes of treatment. Thus, considering either therapy interventions or therapy relationships alone is incomplete. Norcross (2002a) concludes : “The research shows an effective psychotherapist is one who emloys specific methods, who offers strong relationship, and who customizes both discrete methods and relationship stances to the individual person and condition” (p.13)

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