In contrast to the usual counseling outcome assessment procedures, which rely on individual change scores on selected outcome instruments, this paper proposes a contemporary interactional perspective which suggests that the assessment of outcome should focus on determining changes in the counseling process itself, i.e., a change in the interaction patterns between the counselor and the client. Three analytic approaches for assessing pattern (and pattern change) are presented: (l) Markov chain analysis; (2) lag sequential analysis; and (3) information theory analysis. The specifics of each approach are described and their relationship to the sequential dependencies among the events in the counseling process are discussed. The contemporary interactional perspective is contrasted with earlier views which concentrated on behavior within the interview. A reference list and tables illustrating the interactional dependencies are appended. (Author/JAC)