Active Listening Scenarios

I do not feel a therapist’s job is to give advice. Telling a client what to do or how to feel is depriving them of the opportunity to learn their own way of coping and the feeling of accomplishment of figuring things out on their own. In addition, my position as a counselor is to practice active listening, to be supportive and empathic so the client can empower him or herself. Consequently, in allowing the client to think for him or herself and freely communicate in a safe environment, the client may discover emotions, feelings and thought processes that the counselor has no way of knowing. That being said, there may be times in which concrete suggestions or considerations may be discussed and examined between the client and counselor.