335 – Extra-Therapeutic Factors in Supervision

Supporting Male Clients in Therapy – How to Begin a Counselling Session

In Episode 334 of the Counselling Tutor Podcast, your hosts Rory Lees-Oakes and Ken Kelly guide us through this week’s three topics:

• Firstly in ‘Ethical, Sustainable Practice’, we look at extra-therapeutic factors in Supervision and how a client’s world outside the therapy room can influence outcomes.
• Then in ‘Practice Matters’, Rory interviews James Hawes, author of The Secret Lives of Men, exploring how we can better understand and support male clients in therapy.
• And lastly in ‘Student Services’, Rory and Ken talk about how to begin a counselling session, and what to say in those crucial opening moments.

Extra-Therapeutic Factors in Supervision [starts at 02:47 mins]

In this section, Rory and Ken look at extra-therapeutic factors in supervision and how elements outside the therapy room impact therapeutic outcomes.

Key points discussed include:

• Lambert’s Pie research indicates that extra-therapeutic factors account for 40% of positive outcomes in therapy.
• These include social support, life circumstances, and the client’s external environment.
• Supervisors assess not just the client’s progress, but the well-being and context of the supervisee, too.
• ‘Recovery Capital’ highlights the resources clients have (emotional, social, practical), which can help sustain change.
• Being aware of a client’s personal motivation, support networks, or external pressures helps deepen understanding of their process.
•  Supervisors should encourage reflection on both internal and external influences that affect the therapeutic journey.

Supporting Male Clients in Therapy [starts at 21:19 mins]

In this week’s ‘Practice Matters’, Rory speaks with James Hawes about masculinity, male emotional health, and supporting men in therapy.

The key points discussed include:

• Men often lack the emotional language to express their inner experiences—common responses are ‘fine’, ‘normal’, or ‘okay’.
• Therapists should avoid directly asking ‘how do you feel?’ and instead help men build emotional vocabulary through tools and reflection.
• Shame and intimacy are often unspoken barriers that keep men isolated.
• Peer group work with other men can help ‘deshame’ difficult experiences.
• Masculine norms and socialisation discourage vulnerability and seeking help.
• Media and cultural influences (e.g. influencers, pornography) heavily shape male identity and perception of relationships.
•  Creating emotional safety and connection is essential to engaging male clients.

How to Begin a Counselling Session [starts at 49:40 mins]

In this section, Rory and Ken talk about how to begin a counselling session, especially with a new client:

• First sessions can be daunting for clients—acknowledge that and be warm and welcoming.
• Invite the client in gently with open questions like ‘What would you like to bring today?’
• Some clients will speak freely, while others may be more reserved—be led by their pace.
• Active listening and silence are key skills when building initial rapport.
• Avoid assumptions based on referrals—clients may bring something completely different.
• In follow-up sessions, continue to let the client set the agenda rather than directing based on previous sessions.
• Note-taking becomes important to remember key narrative elements between sessions.
• Allowing the client to feel heard without pressure builds a strong foundation for the therapeutic relationship.

Links and Resources

James Hawes

The Secret Lives of Men

Counselling Skills Academy

Advanced Certificate in Counselling Supervision

Basic Counselling Skills: A Student Guide

Counsellor CPD

Counselling Study Resource

Counselling Theory in Practice: A Student Guide

Counselling Tutor Shop

Facebook group

Website

Online and Telephone Counselling: A Practitioner’s Guide

Online and Telephone Counselling Course