Beginning a Counselling Session

A certain air of mystery surrounds therapeutic sessions like counselling and psychotherapy. Many people believe this form of one-to-one therapy will leave them feeling exposed and uncomfortable; whilst others assume confidence will not be strictly maintained. Although there are many different counselling approaches and disciplines available, there are however, strict guidelines that a counsellor, psychotherapist or other therapeutic professional must adhere to at all times.

In the Beginning

At the start of every counselling relationship some form of client assessment must be made. This evaluation may be done during one appointment with the counsellor or therapist, or over a number of arranged sessions. The reason for this evaluation is to allow the counsellor the opportunity to clearly understand the problems the client wishes to address and improve.

Once a counsellor has been able to evaluate the client, and the presented issues and problems, the counsellor will be able to allocate an agreed time for subsequent counselling appointments. The counsellor, or therapist, will also be able to review various situations, issues and concerns, throughout the course of their counselling relationship with the client.

During the Session

Each meeting with a counsellor is an opportunity for the client to express emotions, feelings and thoughts in a safe, confidential environment. The client will be encouraged to use free-association and free-thinking to explore whatever problem they are experiencing. The counsellor can offer guidance and encouragement, and provide additional support when needed. They can also set the client homework, so that they continue to experience empowerment after the counselling session has finished.

The counsellor will also set an agenda for each one-to-one session, so that the client can identify and acknowledge the progress that is being made week-to-week and session-to-session. Each session will also be reviewed, and discussed with the client at the subsequent counselling appointment.

What Sometimes Happens

At the evaluation session a potential client may realise a number of things:

• A client may find that they are unable to express themselves freely, due to fear, lack of confidence or other overwhelming feelings.
• Some clients realise that all they needed was one session, with a counsellor, in order to clarify thoughts and feelings. They may decide to return for counselling at a later stage, or may opt not to at all.
• With a counsellor’s supportive help, a client may also identify and understand that the form of counselling they are seeking may not be the most suitable or appropriate counselling option for them. If this is the case the counsellor may suggest another type of therapeutic counselling and also provide further information resources.

What the Counsellor Does

Effective counselling requires careful review and planning. Because of the personal nature of the counselling relationship between a counsellor and client, each one-to-one session is an opportunity to explore free-thinking, and therefore each of the counselling sessions cannot be too structured.

It is also the counsellor’s job to provide effective non-verbal communication and to translate the client's body language. They must also encourage and empower the client to make steady progress. This must be done in a caring, supportive and safe environment, at all times. Read more about the skills used by counsellors during the course of each session or project.