A Fourth Point
Clarifying the “Three Things Which a Counselor Needs to Do to Help the Client Discharge” has led to a major improvement in the general level of counseling everywhere. These have been stated as:
1. Pay enough attention to the client to see clearly what the distress is.
2. Think of all possible ways to contradict the distress.
3. Contradict the distress sufficiently. The client will always discharge.
Examining the very best counseling we see taking place and reviewing some discussion (particularly at the July meeting of Regional Reference Persons and International Liberation Reference Persons) have led to the conclusion that a fourth point should probably be added, preceding the other three, but not weakening their importance at all.
I propose that we call this point POINT 0 (borrowing computer practice) so that the list would now read:
FOUR THINGS A COUNSELOR NEEDS TO DO TO HELP THE CLIENT RE-EMERGE
0. Review the counselor’s goal as seeing to it that the client re-emerges decisively, remembering that the client is inherently a person of great intelligence, value, decisiveness, and power as well as needing assistance with emergence from distress, and, in particular, noticing and remembering where this particular client is capable, treasurable, and already functioning, or close to functioning, elegantly and well.
1. Pay enough attention to the client to see clearly what the distress is.
2. Think of all possible ways to contradict the distress.
3. Contradict the distress sufficiently. The client will always discharge.