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PSY1021 Foundation Counselling Skills 

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Student number: M00719789 
 
Word count: (Excluding title and references section): 1765 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Discuss the ways in which the counsellor’s qualities AND the counselling

relationship contribute to successful outcomes in therapy

When discussing counselling, person-centred therapy is one of the main concepts

associated with this phenomenon (Murphy & Joseph, 2016). Discovered by Carl Rogers, (1957)

this concept elucidates itself as a non-authoritative approach that allows clients to take the

initiative during the therapist-client discussion, with the expectation that they will discover their

solutions to the problem (Jones, 2015; Richard, 2016, p. 12).

Despite this conception, mainly focusing on the clients self-growth (Hills, 2007, p. 262)

there are essential attributes in which the counsellor must portray for the clients self-growth to

occur, and the person-centred therapy is a success (Cooper, 2019; Rogers, 1957). These

attributes, otherwise known as the three core conditions are; ​unconditional positive regard,

empathetic understanding and congruence​, in which the counsellor has to make known to the

client in a vivid way (Rogers, 1957; Eager, 2010, p. 1).

These three conditions are perceived as very useful separately, as (Farber, 2007, p. 289)

concluded that each element merged has no definite conclusion to its sufficiency in producing a

positive therapeutic change. However, others have counter-argued this opinion by stating each

condition is inter-linked and cause a therapeutic change when consolidated (Ismail & Tekke,

2015, p. 32).

Additionally, therapeutic rapport/alliance should be created at the beginning of the

session and sustained throughout the therapy session (Horvath, Del Re, Fluckiger, & Symonds,

2011, p. 13). Even so, this is debatable as it depends on the type of therapy or clients problem
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(​Blanchard & Farber, 2016, p. 93)​. Generally, each condition and therapeutic alliance have their

understanding and how they are to be demonstrated by the counsellor to the client (Hills, 2007,

p. 261; Lapworth & Sill, 2011, p. 22). Their effectiveness is evident; however, disapproved by

some researchers (Cooper, 2019), this essay will discuss the following (Campbel, 2017, p. 5).

The core conditions; unconditional positive regard, empathetic understanding and

congruence, promote personality change in the client (Cooper et al., 2013). They are each very

critical and need to be present and communicated in the counselling relationship. Their

importance is essential because it sets a trust, respect and non-judgmental basis that is

foundational to the approach of counselling (Campbel, 2018, p. 2)

The conceptualization of congruence/genuineness is the counsellor portraying no form of

authority or superiority but, a presentation of their real and accessible self to the client and the

client sees it as them being honest and transparent (Eager, 2010, p. 109; Kolden, 2018, p. 1).

Kolden et al., (2011) suggest this factor being a two-way stream, in which the therapist mirrors

authenticity and skill of mindfulness also; a communication of his or her experiences with the

client in a compelling way to the client's situation. It is therefore, the personal characteristics of

the therapist, as well "as an experiential quality of the therapy relationship (interpersonal)"

(Kolden et al., 2011, p. 19).

For this concept to bring about a successful outcome in therapy, the therapist must have

authentic communication with the client, which is done by sharing their feelings and experiences

with the client (Kolden et al., 2011, p. 3-9). As this happens, the client feels honesty and

transparency from the therapist, and a probing to reciprocate the same action is instilled (Tolan &
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Cameron, 2011, p. 48). The common misconception is that authentic communication can occur

without showing any negative attributes (Bourne, 2018, p. 6-8); however, this is impossible

because the therapist is a human (​Kolog & Montero, 2018 p. 1​). Due to external/internal factors,

the therapist can leak a negative aura such as subtle irritancy due to the client's abrupt behaviour

and that can cause a rupture in the relationship between client-counsellor (Tolan & Cameron,

2011, p. 49). Nonetheless, when the therapist self-disclosure is done appropriately, the

therapeutic alliance begins to have a factual development.

Additionally, an inclusion of meta-statements during the stage of congruence is necessary

(Campbel, 2018, p. 7). Wickman & Campbell, (2003) describes this an everyday conversation

between the client-therapist, that lets the therapist covey slightly risky ideas or an abate

recommendation to an idea supposed by the client that might be conversationally awkward (p.

81). In a therapeutic example, the client might admit that they do not feel a connection between

themselves and the therapist. The therapist then responds with a meta-statement that is

sometimes a form of praise such as; the counsellor feels proud that the client could articulate

such feelings to them (Campbel, 2018, p. 8). Thus, the client feels acceptance from that response

and therefore creating a safe space for them to open up about what they think. However, Tolan &

Cameron (2011) make emphasis that praise can be a threat due to the client's self-concept

because of their past experience of always receiving blame (p. 75). Therefore this factor has to be

utilized correctly, in order for such repercussions to not occur.

Secondly, unconditional positive regard (UPR) is when the therapist conveys deep care

and acceptance with no boundaries/judgements toward the client (Tolan, 2012; Farber & Doolin,

2011). Carl Rogers states that the counsellor when showing UPR, should be willing to allow the
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client to feel what they are feeling in the here and now (Hazel, 2017, p. 171; Gallagher, 2017).

Concerning a positive outcome in therapy, there are specific factors this attribute should entail,

such as; warmth (Breger 2009, p. 105).

Warmth focuses on the therapist human and linguistic communication (Farber, Suziki &

Lynch, 2018). Essentially, the therapist has a repertoire and unique way of showing warmth

(Malta, 2016), for example, when using the skill of normalising (McIntosh, 2016). With

normalising in the context of warmth, the therapist lets the client know that their emotional

feelings are a normal response to their situation and period of life. By doing this, the client feels

better, and an enablement to respond constructively to their situation is created (Schreiner, 2017,

para. 5) Additionally, there is the creation of relational depth which is the therapists engagement

with the client that keeps a consistent level acceptance from the therapist to the client (Malta,

Evans & Cooper, 2019; Malta, 2016).

However, not all clients perceive warmth as positive, and that can cause immediate

distrust in the counselling relationship, therefore, keeping the process of growth and change at a

halt (Mearn et al., 2013, p. 89). Nonetheless, this can be fixed if the therapist has self

unconditional positive regard (Ismail & Tekke, 2015, p. 30-31) because when the therapist is

able to accept corrections the client gives them perhaps about the way they show warmth (Jayne,

2013), the therapeutic alliance is strengthened and therefore a positive outcome in therapy is

inevitable (Del Re et al., 2012, p. 642-649).

Subsequently, empathetic understanding is essential in a client-centred approach

(Rogers,1957, p. 91; Clark, 2010). Empathy is different from sympathy: for with sympathy, the

therapist would feel for the client, for example, pity (Scheler, 2017). Still, with empathy, the
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therapist feels with the client (Aragno, 2008). The therapist is not the client, so they cannot

understand how the client is feeling (​Lapworth & Sill, 2011, p. 22; Clark, 20​04). Nevertheless,

they can try to understand how and why the client is feeling the emotions they have. Angus &

Kang (2007) states that with empathy the therapist acknowledges that the client is feeling what

they are feeling through their observation, and attempt to resonate with their feelings & thoughts

(p. 372)

For a successful outcome, empathy must be channelled by the therapist being accurately

attuned with the client and perceive the "client's internal, implicit frame of reference, in terms of

both conceptual and emotional meanings" (Angus and Kang, 2007, p. 372). With empathetic

attunement comes empathetic listening in which the therapist listens to the client about how they

are feeling (Bodie, 2011), therefore, creating a safe space for the clients to reveal their story

(Floyd, 2015). By the therapist doing this, the client can step back, and reflect on the feelings

they have towards their situation and then re-evaluate and try to find new possibilities to

eliminate their problematic thinking (Drollinger, Comes & Warrington, 2006, p. 162;

Shrivastava, 2014, p. 4)​. In return enablement for change, growth and a willingness to take on

the world outside the counsellor's room is formed (Angus & Kand, 2007, p. 373).

In spite of this attribute been sufficient for client change, some research suggests that it

helps bring about a successful outcome but not all the time (​Watson, 2016). ​Campbel, (2017)

states that there have been inconsistent research results and different conclusions regarding the

function of empathy in psychotherapy. Also, empathy would most likely not be sufficient for an

individual with severe problems (Daun & Hill, 1996; Balkin, 2014; Cooper, 2010). Even so,
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Elliott et al., (2011) emphasise that empathy is a strong predictor for a successful outcome (p.

43).

Within each condition, the therapeutic alliance is incorporated in order for rapport to

build during the session. Therapeutic alliance is familiarized as an “​agreement on the goals and

tasks of therapy in the context of a positive affective bond between patient and therapist”

(Falkenström, Granstrom & Holmqvist, 2013, p. 3). To actualize the therapeutic alliance, client

attachment is necessary as it determines when the psychological contract or bond will be created

(Smith, 2010). The development of a good alliance is to be established at the beginning stages of

therapy due to trust built through communication at the first interaction between client-therapist

(Sexon, 2005; Horvath et al., 2011, p. 15).

However, the strength of the alliance can fluctuate (Goldsmith et al., 2015, p. 2366), due

to a weak alliance portrayed mainly by the client such as; closed body language or cancellation

of counselling sessions (Cloninger & Cloninger, 2017). Also, the therapist during the therapy

might have applied the skill of confrontation which could upset the client thus creating a rupture

in their relationship. Even so, the therapy has to be successful even with such inconveniences.

This can be done, therapist giving guidance, providing validation to the client or saying positive

statements (Pearson, 2016, p.11-13) and with that the therapeutic alliance is strengthened.

In conclusion, it is clearly understood that the practitioner’s attributes are very important

contributors to the success of the therapy session. It is possible that each attribute can be weighed

separately in terms of its necessity as a contributing factor to the success of the therapeutic

session; however, it is opinionated that each is linked for a positive outcome. The therapist
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representation of these attributes are important, nonetheless, the client response/recognition

towards the depiction of these attributes demonstrated to them is what determines the measure of

success the therapy would have. Also, a therapeutic alliance is found to have a causal effect on

the outcome of the therapy and as (Arditio & Rabellion, 2011) state, rupture-repair is inevitable

during the construction of the alliance.

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