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Skills

Skills in counselling encompass the core techniques and competencies needed to support clients effectively. This section covers key skills such as active listening, empathy, questioning, reflection, and rapport-building, helping you develop and refine your therapeutic approach.
Basic Counselling Skills

Effective counselling skills involve active listening, nonverbal awareness, and empathy to build trust and understanding. Used across many professions—not just…

Carl Rogers’ Core Conditions

The 'core conditions'—empathy, congruence, and unconditional positive regard—are central to person-centred therapy. Though Rogers never used the term, these elements…

Clarifying and Questions

In counselling, questions are a powerful tool—but only when used with care. In person-centred work, questions should serve the client,…

Congruence

Congruence is a cornerstone of person-centred therapy, describing the counsellor’s ability to be real, honest and present with clients. This…

Empathy in Counselling

Empathy means entering the client’s world, sensing their experience, and reflecting it back with care. It’s not about fixing but…

Focusing as a Counselling Skill

Focusing, rooted in person-centred therapy and developed further by Eugene Gendlin, invites clients to gently explore the deeper emotions beneath…

Immediacy in Counselling

Immediacy is a powerful advanced skill in counselling. This guide explores when and how to use it effectively, the risks…

Pacing in Counselling

Pacing is a core therapeutic skill that helps ensure interventions match the client's readiness and emotional capacity. This article explores…

Rapport

Building rapport in counselling isn’t about tricks or scripts—it’s about presence, care, and authenticity. When clients feel seen, safe, and…

Reflecting and Paraphrasing

Part of the ‘art of listening’ is making sure that the client knows their story is being listened to.This is…

Relational Depth in Counselling

Relational depth is a powerful connection between counsellor and client that goes beyond surface dialogue. Discover how this moment-to-moment presence…

Relational Depth in Counselling and Psychotherapy

Mick Cooper explores the concept of relational depth in therapy—what it is, how it feels, and why it matters. You'll…

Silence in Counselling

Silence in counselling, though often uncomfortable at first, creates space for reflection, emotional processing, and deeper connection. Used intentionally, it…

Summarising

Feeling heard matters. Summarising in counselling helps clarify emotions, track progress, and gently close or open sessions. Done well, it…

Attending in Counselling

Effective counselling skills involve active listening, nonverbal awareness, and empathy to build trust and understanding. Used across many professions—not just…

The Skill of Challenge

Challenge in counselling invites clients to explore incongruence gently but purposefully. Done with empathy and support, it can deepen awareness…

Therapeutic Relationship in Counselling

This article explores the therapeutic relationship in counselling—often called the therapeutic alliance—as the foundation for meaningful client work. You’ll discover…

Unconditional Positive Regard

Unconditional Positive Regard (UPR), rooted in Carl Rogers’ person-centred therapy, means accepting clients without judgement. By creating a space of…