The counsellor trainee as client: Client process as a predictor of counselling skill acquisition

• Published in: Canadian journal of behavioural science 1985-01, Vol.17 (1), p.16-28
• Main Authors: RENNIE, DAVID L, BREWSTER, LINDA J, TOUKMANIAN, SHAKÉ G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Client Characteristics; Counselor Education; Counselor Trainees; Human; Human Relations Training; Medical sciences; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychotherapeutic Processes; Psychotherapies. Psychological and clinical counseling; Treatments
• ISSN: 0008-400X; 1879-2669
• DOI: 10.1037/h0080131

This study was based on Rogers' proposition that openness to and expressiveness of inner experiencing relates to the individual's ability to be sensitive to and acceptant of others. Participants' in a human relations training program were first interviewed by experienced therapists. The participants' capacities to process themselves as clients were assessed by use of the Gendlin Experiencing Scale, and a process measure of this scale was used as a predictor of counselling skill acquisition during the program. It was found that there was no relationship between the predictor and skill acquisition during the initial phase of the training program. However, between the middle and final phase of the program, the High Mode Experiencing participants sustained their facilitative communication despite a shift of training focus to action-oriented skills, whereas the facilitative communication of the Low Mode Experiencing participants deteriorated during this period. It was concluded that the capacity to process themselves as clients may have little bearing on whether or not trainees can achieve low levels of facilitative functioning when these skills are explicitly addressed. However, this variable may have considerable bearing on the extent to which trainees can maintain the empathic attitude while extending their total range of functioning.