Historically, within psychology and counselling a wide range of attitudes and approaches have been developed; in order to provide the client the ability to explore his inner world. Theories such as Rogers' theory the Gestalt theory and the Psychoanalytic theory, all serve to allow exploration and aim to increase the level of awareness as well as the level of motivation to change. By facilitating the client to explore his or her hidden world by using interventions the client can begin to recognise and change thoughts, feelings and behaviours and begin a healing process and step forward toward self-actualisation.
Self disclosure is one such intervention used widely within humanistic counselling. It is believed by some to be beneficial to the relationship whilst other schools of thought debate its usefulness. Beutler (1978) states that "the degree either of the experimenter or therapist self-disclosure precipitates a similar disclosure level in subjects and patients". But Strong and Claiborne (1982) write that ‘therapist disclosure to encourage patient disclosure does not seem like a good use of the therapist’s power unless specific disclosure is needed".
Disclosing self is a point in the process by which we let ourselves be known to the other. By discussing
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