Counseling Should Be More than Just listening

One of the most frequent complaints I hear about counselors is that they “just listen” to the client’s problems, and “reflect” what the client says, with little or no feedback or suggestions as to how to help the client solve their problems. While there is tremendous benefit in hearing and understanding the problem, clients need more than “just listening.” I give direct, clear, and concise feedback and direction to help clients achieve their desired outcomes. In my opinion, if a counseling and psychotherapy services offers no feedback or direction to help clients achieve a desired outcome, there is no benefit in that service.

the problem with therapy

One of the things I like least about my profession is the assumption that if someone is seeing a counselor or psychotherapist it means there is "something wrong" with them. For this reason I encourage my clients to see me as their personal consultant. My approach is conversational, inquisitive, and driven by direct observational data. I do not ask my clients to put their faith in degrees, diagnosis, or complicated jargon. I help clients explore how their thoughts, emotions, and behavior are out of alignment with their desired outcome and make the necessary changes to help them resolve problems and achieve their goals and desired outcomes.

Who is my ideal client?

I take my responsibility as a counselor and psychotherapist seriously. Because of this, I only work with clients who are responsible and who value their independence. My services are geared toward responsible adults who take responsibility for who they are and what they want.