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Client/counselor column, The counselor’s response must be verbatim. However, the

client’s response can be a summary of the key comments, rather than verbatim. At times,
the counselor response will be nonverbal (nod of your head) or the use of silence. This
should be noted in the counselor response column.

Type of response column is where you would label the response that you used (e.g.,
open question, paraphrase, attending).

Alternate response column, Write a potential alternative response that you could have
used in place of your initial counselor responses. This is consistent with the philosophy
that there can be more than one counseling response to any given client statement and is
required for all responses.

Process column, Comments can be made on:

• productiveness/strengths of your verbal responses
• unproductiveness/limitations of your verbal responses
• nonverbal communications
• impact of the response on the counseling process.
 Client/Counselor
Initial statements Confidentiality
Confidentiality, supervision
Do you have any questions
before we start?
(Client: no.)
What brings you in?
Cl- Really stressed about
things out of my control.
Going abroad.
Put an emphasis on control
and power. Can you speak
more about that?
Cl-very organized. Like to
take control of things.
Have you ever been in a
situation before where
things are out of your
control?
Cl - yes it happens a lot. I
like doing things on my
own time, not having to
worry about other people.
Type of Counselor Alternative Response Process
Response
Building rapport with client and
providing necessary information.
Wanted to make sure everything
was clear for the client.
Closed ended for
clarification
Allowing the client to say
whatever it is they need.
What would you like to talk
Open question about?
I want to establish an idea of
what is happening in her mind so
i can better understand her
Opened question What are your feelings on
abroad
Closed question because I want
her to consider how she may have
felt or dealt with this feeling in
the past
Unsure
Closed question
Open question
Double sided reflection
On one hand you love
your sister and on the
other hand you think
that in comparison to
your sister you will
never live up your
parents’ expectations.
Have you found ways in Closed question Have you ever tried breathing Low impact question. Did not
the past to deal with that. exercises for reducing stress? move the conversation forward
very much.

Cl- stresses me out but I

just deal with it….I know it
will get done. Housing is
another thing not in her
control…annoying because
coordinating with so many
people and trying to make
alternate plans Figuring out what steps have
What happens if things don’t been taken in case things don't
Have you found any ways Closed question work out exactly as expected? work out.
to make alternate plans?

Cl-yes…feel bad because

some people get screwed
over…including people as
you can but then also
having to turn people down
when there isn't any more
room…feels bad saying no I realized I was asking another
closed question and tried to
Is that you feeling bad Open-ish question. change it before I was done
about what has to happen speaking. Wanted to keep it about
or feeling bad for them? her and how those feelings are for
What does that look like to HER.
you.

Cl- kind of both…doesnt

like to turn people down…
overall feels bad…sucks
because you don't want to
be on the other end of that. You seem to feel really bad Continuing to establish rapport.
about the idea of disappointing Didn’t prompt her to continue in
You seem to have control Attending/reassuring others (but i don't want to put any specific way.
over what you can have words in her mouth)
control over.

Cl- yeah…if none of us get

numbers (for living
downtown) then everyting
we planned is not gonna
happen. so it doesn’t matter
anyway. Another closed question. Giving
her the opportunity if she actually
Does it not matter? Closed question feels that way.

Cl- well it does but if you

don’t get a number there is
nothing you can do.

What are your feelings Open question How set are you on wanting to I do not like that I asked this
towards housing in general. live downtown question as it did not seem to
move the conversation forward
Cl- was more stressed…
does not really matter
either way. just a lot of
different parts that could
happen…I have my
sorority friends and my
outside friends so we kind
of split it up…so everyone
tried to do the best they
could…I think it will work
out. The waiting around is
anxious. I guess I was hoping for the
Open statement…but I conversation to turn into her
You seem to put yourself in spoke too much and You seem to put yourself in immediately realizing that being
situations where things are turned it into a closed situations where things are out out of control is okay - instead of
out of control. Do you feel question. of your control. just listening to her.
like it’s worth it.

Cl- I feel like you have

to…no way to go through
life in control of
everything…
I think that that’s a really
good attitude to have.
I wanted her to know that I
agreed with her.
Reassuring statement What makes you feel this
way?

Cl- Also my parents are in

Italy right now…usually
call mom everyday but
cannot right now because 6
hour time difference…
Normally would go to her
with issues but can't right
now…but it’s fine. How do you feel about them Wanted to make sure she was not
being out of the country? belittling her own feelings
Is it fine? Closed question

Cl- yes. I call my grandma

now…call my mom when
I’m bored… So now I just
call my grandma.
Is family important to you?
Sounds like you dedicate a
nice amount of time talking to WHY HAVE I NOT DONE ANY
Closed question family. RESTATEMENTS YET?

Cl- I’m really close with

my family…
That’s great. Was there
anything else you wanted
to talk about?
Client was looking and sounding
Unsure if this counts as less enthused. Wanted to make
closed. sure she had time to talk about
everything she wanted.
Cl - ummm

Do you want to sit and Practicing being Giving client a moment to think
think for a second? comfortable with
silence

Cl- have to go home early

for fall break…since
parents are gone has to take
care of dog…dog just had
surgery…has to make sure
house is safe for the dog
(no jumping on couches)…
not too worried about
taking care of dog, more
about making sure the dog
doesn’t jump, doesn't want
dog to hurt himself. Have
to talk to professors and
tell them not going to be
there, shouldn't really make
a difference.

*Client and I then both

spoke at the same time.
Briefly broke character,
insisted she said what she
was going to say*

Cl- yeah I just have to

make sure I have
everything done and
everything in submitted on
that timeline
Well it seems like you have
a good plan
*silence*
*we kind of broke here
because she didn’t know
what to say and I did not
help with any questions*
Was unsure of what to say.
Hearing it back I regret saying it
because she didn't really discuss
an actual plan. Could have also
Sounds like you have a lot of been a good time to ask if she had
Reassurance. I should responsibilities coming up a plan in place.
have done a restatement with your dog and your school
here. work.

That’s ok. Do you want to She has a 20 minute session and I

talk more about anything Open question want to make sure she feels it was
you've mentioned already. productive. We started with
What are your feelings abroad so maybe she’ll have
towards abroad? more to say on that.
Cl - Excited but nervous…
going to new country…
gone abroad before…5
week trip to israel…. Not
scared to leave parents…
It’s just very different from
what I’ve come
accustomed to here…
things could change while
you're gone and things
could change again when
you're back…still really It feels like I’m almost avoiding
excited. questions because I want her to
Reassuring statement What changes are you nervous be able to have a stream of
Good, I’m glad you're about? consciousness. Not asking
excited. I think that is an questions is not necessarily
awesome opportunity helping her though.
you’re taking advantage of.

Cl - Yeah, I’m also going

with my best friend from
home and people from
here…worried about how
home friend will feel. Where does this concern come Wanting to continue the rapport
Closed question turned from? and have her look inwards.
Do you think that they open question
won’t get along? Where
does that concern come
from?

Cl- Not necessarily that

they wont get along…
weird to mix two pieces of
your life together…trying
to find a balance and not
trying to overly integrate
her into the school group…
Also have friends who live
abroad from sleep away
camp…want to visit them
in England and Ireland,
doesn't want it to seem like
she is leaving best friend.
Unsure if she would feel
guilty about leaving.
Wanting to make sure that I am
Restatement understanding the situation
Correct me if I'm wrong…
It appears to me that you’re
very stressed about your
friend.
Cl- yeah.
Have you considered what
is going to be best for your
abroad experience
individually?
Cl- yes. I tend to put
people before myself…I’ve
always been like this…
sometimes my feelings
take a back seat.
Can you talk more about
that? Or where that comes
from?
What does the optimal abroad Wanting to keep the conversation
experience look like to you? about her and making abroad as
Closed question good as possible. At this point I
am having a hard time staying in
character because I just want to
tell her how great abroad is and
that she is young enough to be a
little selfish!!
Wanting to dive deeper into this.
Open question Maybe good for her to examine.

Cl- I don’t really know

where it comes from…My
parents never put my
brother over me…just part
of my personality…really
empathetic but almost to a
fault…I do realize at a
point when I need to put
myself first…i don't let it
get to extreme…When I
make a decision if it it
neutral for me I tend to put
other peoples’ opinions
first. If that makes sense. I do not want to interrupt her
Confirmation and body stream of consciousness because
Mhmm and nodding. language. I could see her still thinking.

Cl- I obviously want to

travel and go all these
places by myself…I don’t
not want her to come
necessarily but like at a
certain point I don’t want it
to be weird for her if she
comes and it’s me with my
friends that she doesn't
know…

I obviously don’t want to Turned a restatement It sounds to me like you feel Trying to figure out how much of
make this about anybody into a closed question. as though this friend is really the pressure is from the friend
other than you…it sounds relying on you. and how much she is putting on
to me like this friend is herself.
really needing you, but is
that the case or are you
putting more pressure on
yourself do you think?
Cl- I’m probably putting
more pressure on myself…
It’s more in my head…just
the fact that all of her
friends are still at school…
she (friend) didn’t pick to
go based just on client….
So yeah I’m probably
making it more of a big
deal than it needs to be…
I don’t want to get there
and not have a plan…don’t
want to get there and just
be like “ok bye” …

How would you feel if that Open question Trying to encourage her to
happened to you? If she consider her own feelings
had decided for a weekend
she wanted to go
somewhere?

Cl- wouldn't really care…

don’t know why I’m
making a big deal of it…I
would just go do
something else…don’t
wanna hurt my best friend
Seems to me like you would Unsure
How does it feel talking Open question be ok if you were in her
about that? position.

Cl-Hadn’t taken the

perspective change of
“what if that was you” so
like yeah I wouldn’t really
care so i don't know why I
make it seem like [a big
deal]…I guess it’s just a
conversation we need to
have

How did you choose Open question What might you say to your Moving conversation along? I am
Prague? friend in that conversation? unsure as to why I jumped to this
question.
Cl- Other friend was going
to Prague…wanted to go to
Spain but school told me I
couldn’t…psych major and
good program was in
Prague…Knew I wouldn’t
be alone because other
friend was going. Didn’t
want to go completely by
myself because I wanted
the security blanket of
knowing someone else…
Cl- (Continue) My parents
were really supportive of
Prague…seemed like a
good choice because of
everything…worked
academically and with my
friends and is a cool
place… In the last few minutes of session
and want her to leave feeling
Affirming statement good - I was being totally
Lots of travel opportunities genuine
when you’re located in
Prague as well.

Cl- yeah it’s very central.

The majority feeling is
very excited…paper work
being done will be a weight
lifted off my shoulder and I
can focus on planning the
trips and the fun part.

Good!…It sounds to me Another closing

like you do like you take
the reigns and have control
and organization so I do
believe that [the
paperwork] is not
something that has to haunt
you *Smile*
affirming statement
Unsure what i could have said
-body language but that’s why I'm in this
course ¯\_( )_/¯
Initial concern was the Visa
papers and i wanted her to feel
good and confident as I felt she
should as we were closing.
Maybe unprofessional of me ?

Cl- yea…just another thing

I have to do…I just want to
be done and sent in so I can
start planning thhe fun Unsure why I asked if there was
stuff. anything we missed because we
were out of time. Wanted to let
Sounds like you have a closing statements her know gently that we were out
good plan in place. I am of time
excited for you. Is there
anything else we missed?

Cl- nope.

Okay well our time is up. closing statements