What are reasons given why professional helpers are reluctant to give advice?

You’ve arrived for your counseling session and have prepared your burning question for an ongoing situation: “what should I do”? You’ve waited for this moment. What you did not prepare for, however, is the response from your counselor “giving advice is actually not part of my job”. Confused, disappointed, (and possibly a little frustrated) you wonder what counselors do anyways if not give advice.

Humans frequently seek advice from their family, friends or colleagues. So, it is understandable why clients may see an opportunity to ask their counselor advice, too. Sometimes clients have expectations that their counselor will provide them with solutions or “quick fixes” for their troubles. This expectation can come from misinformation about counseling in the media, particularly what is displayed on television/film. This portrayal is typically inaccurate of the responsibilities of a counselor. However, it is commonly believed – you aren’t alone! Additionally, clients may believe that the counselor is the professional and knows what to do in a given situation. In actuality, counselors don’t know what would be best and avoid giving their clients advice altogether. Here’s why:

Giving advice is not part of their job (really). In fact, most counselor preparation programs, agencies, and practices consistently reiterate why providing advice is not appropriate for a counselor. There are multiple reasons for this, including the fact that counselors and their clients have different lived experiences. What may be suitable for the counselor could be harmful for the client. Additionally, the American Counseling Association Code of Ethics prohibits counselors from imposing their own values, attitudes and beliefs on a client. Advice giving could easily violate this ethical code.

Giving advice can hinder clients’ growth. Believe it or not, advising clients on what to do can cause them more harm than good. Providing advice can increase the client’s dependence on the counselor. By relying on advice from a counselor, the client learns that they are incapable of making their own decisions. This prohibits the client from growth as the counselor acts as a rescue. By encouraging the client to trust in their own decision-making skills, clients can increase their confidence.

Though there may be a time and place for advice based on the counselors style and therapeutic judgement, the standard belief of counselors is that advice is not appropriate. So, now that you have a deeper understanding of what counselors don’t do on this matter, let’s look at what counselors do instead:

• Provide a safe environment to process situations and emotions
• Offer support when client’s need to make difficult decisions
• Assist clients in exploring the various choices available
• Empower clients to trust in their own decision making skills
• Help guide clients through a self-discovery process
• Weigh the possible impacts of certain decisions
• Set treatment goals related to increasing autonomy and decisiveness
• Explore and uncover client’s motivations, values and desires
• Introduce skills and tools for a client to utilize outside of session
• Operate on the belief that client’s know what is best for their lives

The examples listed above all stem from a common belief – the client is the expert. These actions by the counselor help support this belief by encouraging the client’s autonomy and self-exploration. Rather than taking on the role of “advice-giver”, these actions provide support and guidance in hopes to enhance the client’s belief in self. If you are curious to learn more, asking your counselor their belief on advice giving will help you set expectations for your therapeutic process and learn more about your counselor.

References

MedCircle. (2020, February 9). Seven Things A Therapist Should Never Do. https://medcircle.com/articles/what-a-therapist-should-not-do/

The Rosenzweig Center for Rapid Recovery, LLC. (n.d.). Why Most Therapists Don’t Give Advice to Their Clients. The Rosenzweig Center for Rapid Recovery. https://acceleratedresolutiontherapy.com/therapists-dont-give-advice-clients/

Why don't therapists give advice? This is a good question and a common one. A common misconception is that therapists give advice. Therapists aren’t meant to give advice. That might be shocking. The role of a therapist is not a friend. Therapists typically don’t give advice because we cannot know the entirety of your situation. We can’t predict how others in your life will react to you and, therefore, our “advice” can potentially cause harm. Therapists are supportive, sometimes challenging, professionals that create an environment for growth and processing. Clients often come to therapists during difficult times. Therapists can guide clients in handling the difficult emotions that come with hard experiences, but the experience itself is still your own. Advice is typically given based on experience. Experiences are quite unique. For example, if you and your friend experience the same traumatic event, you’ll handle it differently. Differences in experiences and genetics shape the way that you respond to events. You and your friend have had different experiences and different genetics and will likely respond to a similar traumatic event differently. It’s important to recognize that advice comes from experience and having different experiences from your therapist does not hinder therapy from being effective. If you’re wondering how a therapist can counsel you when they haven’t shared your experience, it’s likely that you’re expecting advice from a therapist.

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Another important piece of information that does not require advice is that therapists hear things differently than non-therapists. For example, you may be upset about other people not following rules, but a therapist may hear a fear of lack of control. You may be mentioning things that you don’t like about your partner, but a therapist may hear your fear of commitment. A therapist’s personal experiences, or lack thereof, won’t hinder them from hearing patterns, challenging you, and discussing your experience. It won’t stop them from being empathetic in difficult times.

What are reasons given why counselors should avoid giving advice quizlet?

Which of the following does the author of the text consider key characteristics of effective helpers quizlet?

In which stage of the helping process does the helper use reflecting and invitational skills to build the therapeutic alliance?

Which of the following was not suggested as an ethical guideline quizlet?