The Counselor as a Therapeutic Person
Exploring the Personal Characteristics of Effective Counselors
Introduction: The Counselor's Role
- Being an effective helper is essential in counseling
- The counselor as a therapeutic person, not just a trained professional
- The importance of personal components in the client-counselor relationship
- Authenticity, wholesomeness, and the intertwining of the personal and professional
Key Personal Characteristics
- Have a clear identity and strong sense of self
- Be open to change and model it to clients
- Make life-oriented choices instead of settling for less
- Be authentic, sincere, and honest with clients
- Maintain a sense of humor while dealing with challenging topics
- Admit and learn from mistakes to promote growth
- Appreciate and adapt to different cultural influences
- Have a genuine interest in the welfare of others
- Possess effective interpersonal skills for effective communication
- Find meaning and purpose in your work while maintaining healthy boundaries