When I was younger, I was in counseling. I was also in counseling a few years ago
due to work stress. What I found to be the most helpful was having a counselor who was
empathetic. The counselor I saw as an adult treated first responders and this made me feel at
ease. Often times people do not realize what we experience in our jobs, but she was very well
acquainted with the stresses that I was facing. I also think that it is important to have active
listening skills and be able to offer some type of problem solving. While I may know the
answer to my problems, it can be reassuring to hear someone else confirm or offer
alternatives to what you have been feeling. I also think that being competent is extremely
important. You never want to go to a counselor, and they seem incompetent or
disingenuous. You want someone who is going to engage with you. Myers & Salt state that
engagement skills are crucial to allow a positive counseling relationship (2019). Furthermore,
counselors must be able to make individual contact and develop a working alliance with their
client. Proper engagement can be facilitated through a nonjudgmental attitude, warmth and
being genuine (Myers & Salt, 2019). You never want to go into counseling feeling hopeful
and come out feeling defeated.
References
Myers, P., & Salt, N. (2019).
Becoming an Addictions Counselor: A Comprehensive Text.
Burlington,MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
