● Mutuality focus: gauging the client’s reaction to the counselor as they address the client’s concern. This can be indicative of
the client’s relationship or the development of their relationship with others. The counselor may ask, “How can we work
together to find a solution to this concern?”
● Interview focus is significant to managing the appropriate self-disclosure coming from the counselor.
● Lastly, cultural/environmental/context focus: The counselor will further understand how the client is received and influenced
in their community (or communities), and this can include the client’s socioeconomic status, role in the community, gender,
ethnicity, and so on.
Purpose
Focusing the counseling session is an important skill to help the counselor prioritize the client’s main concern. Focusing
requires attentiveness to assist the counselor in identifying the client’s core presenting problems. While clients may bring a verbose
narrative to accompany their story, the counselor’s role is to sift through the details with lesser insignificant value to outline the
fundamental therapeutic concern.
Mechanics
1. Determine the initial theoretical concept and/or approach to apply to guide the focus of the goal.
2. Choose the focusing concept (theory, model, structure, intervention, or technique).
3. Present the concept, and its relationship to the goal, to the client.
4. Apply the focusing concept to the remainder of the session until the counselor is ready to close the session. (It is acceptable for
the focusing concept to change as the session progresses in response to how the client is responding.)
5. Close the session using summary or another closing skill.
Helpful Guidance
● Focus on the client in front of you.
● Use the client’s name to exhibit your focus on the client before you.
● Attend to the theme, pattern, or concern of the client’s story.
