The Counselor is not a Fixer

Why silence is more therapeutic than advice

Counseling, is a helping profession. From the very word, Counsel, we understand that the function of Counseling is to facilitate the journey of unraveling Counsel, and involves the Professional, i.e. the Counselor, and a Client, who is the individual who has sought the service of a Counselor.

For the Individual or groups, who are new to Counseling, unraveling of counsel, involves the Counselor listening to a Client, and skillfully guiding the client to open up and discover what they have sought to have a clear understanding of.

As a Country, we have experienced a Rainy season. If a Client comes to a Counselor and asks, “How do you handle the challenge of heavy rains?” Rather than giving a closed answer, the Counselor may ask, “It seems like the rains pose a challenge to you…how have the rains impacted you?”

In this instance, the Counselor is challenging the Client to consider the details of the scenario that the Client had in mind. Once the Client responds, then there is a possibility of exploring possibilities and if consent is sought and received, then an unraveling takes place by the Client, through the facilitation of the Counselor.

Have you ever had the experience of being welcomed, because you felt heard? Can you use one word that describes that feeling of being truly heard?