Examined differences between more and less effective trainee psychotherapists. Found less effective therapists had lower levels of empathic understanding, rated patients as more involved in treatment, and rated themselves as more supportive than did more effective therapists. Less effective therapists valued comfort and stimulation significantly…

Asserts that identifying and analyzing major concepts in counseling is essential if high quality, therapeutic relationships are to be fostered within the discipline. Illustrates one method of concept analysis. Analyzes concept of empathy, recognized as a key to quality counseling and an absolutely essential element in therapeutic relationships.…

Identified important counselor characteristics for effective vocational rehabilitation (VR) counseling and investigated importance of characteristics among VR counselors (N=156) and supervisors (N=31) through item generation surveys and rating inventories. Found no group differences in ratings. Findings suggest implications for training and…

Exposed feminist and nonfeminist college women (n=211) to nonsexist/humanistic, liberal feminist, or radical feminist counseling through videotaped vignette, written transcript of videotape, or extended written description. Participants' perceptions of liberal feminist counselor were significantly more positive than perceptions of either nonsexist…

Asserts that therapists perceived as having strong spiritual orientation face challenges, especially when one spouse views him/herself as "spiritually one-up" and wants therapist to form spiritually based coalition against other. Describes dilemmas that therapists may face when clients perceive them as having spiritual expertise and presents…

Examined effects of counselor expertness, trustworthiness, and attractiveness on participants' (n=166) impressions of counselor during counseling analogue situation. Using 2 (counselor disability) x 2 (level of training) factorial design, no significant differences were found with respect to counselor social influence. Neither physical disability…

Mental-health counselors (N=161) from Buenos Aires, Argentina, who ascribed to distinct theoretical orientations were surveyed with regard to their personal and mental-health values. This study provides further empirical input on what the values commonalities are even among counselors who profess distinct theoretical orientations and have a…

Reacts to Jennings and Skovholt's (1999) study on master therapists. Discusses the lack of clear definition of master therapist, lack of meaningful comparison groups needed to infer the distinctive characteristics of master therapists, the incomplete communication of data-analytic procedures, and the formulation of results as a uniform…

The lack of focus and direction in school guidance and counseling is considered. Counselors in secondary schools were surveyed regarding their philosophical orientation. Differences were related to personal variables and experience levels. Phenomenology was the most frequent orientation. Results are discussed in relation to professional practice…

This article describes one counselor's exploration of her spiritual beliefs in relation to Adler's theory of counseling and human development in an effort to move toward ideological consistency and to enhance competence in addressing spiritual dimensions of clients' development. (Contains 34 references.) (GCP)

This article accentuates the human experiences at the heart of social justice work in counseling. The history, counselor attributes, skills, costs, pitfalls, rewards, and ethical issues associated with advocacy counseling are highlighted. Article concludes with a discussion of the personal moral imperatives that inspire social activism and the…

Three distinct clinical orientations were identified in a sample of chemical dependency counselors (N=406). Based on cluster analysis, the largest group, identified and labeled as "uniform counselors," endorsed a simple, moral-disease model with little interest in psychosocial interventions. (Contains 50 references and 4 tables.) (GCP)

A tongue-in-cheek description of several different types of counselors. (HMV)

The responses of a laboratory subject (S) to a counselor-accomplice and to the psychological treatment situation are examined by manipulating experimentally interpersonal attraction and communication discrepancy. Four treatment conditions were set up: (1) topic similarity and positive attraction for counselor, (2) topic discrepancy and positive…

Rated counselor responses to 21 widely varying client statements on eight dimensions, and compared responses by experience level. Found differences on the dimensions of dominance, immediacy, meeting client's demands, verbosity, and confrontation, and differences in flexibility regarding dominance, meeting client's demands and confrontation, across…