Three of the most important characteristics of a successful counselor would be rapport building skills, empathy and unconditional …show more content…
According to Freud, to be able to foster the development of the therapeutic alliance, it is important for the counselor to actively guide the sessions in meaningful directions and promote the uncovering of repressed material and this is done by having the patient relax and reduce distractions for the client, while remaining as anonymous as possible, and actively listen with a third ear attuned to underlying meanings, contraindications and important omissions that may be important in unlocking the unconscious. Just knowing that the counselor is there listening and not judging or shaming the client then he or she will begin to trust the counselor, therefore building an alliance where they can begin to work together (Seligman & Reichenberg, 2013). Empathy is another important characteristic for a counselor because a client needs to know that a counselor can understand where they are coming from and empathize with them to validate their thoughts and feelings and know that they have been heard. When a counselor practices empathy for a client it help the client feel that the counselor can relate to their experiences and are with them