Outside of co-counselling, a Counsellor is someone you have sessions with who tries to help you resolve problems that you have or improve your life in some way. They have various types and levels of expertise which they can use to help you.

In CCI Co-Counselling this is different: the client is in charge and 'runs' the session, decides what to work on and how to do this. In the Session Contract the Client and the Counsellor clarify how the counsellor can fulfil this supportive role - which might include being asked to be a silent witness.

The essential attitude and skill that the Counsellor brings to the session is Free Attention: witnessing the client with a warm heart and letting them get on with their session. Leaving the Client in charge of their session can be a challenge for a Counsellor. For more information about this, see the Rescue Triangle.

Depending on what the Client and the Counsellor have agreed in the Session Contract the counsellor can give verbal and non-verbal suggestions during the session.

There is a different, potentially confusing use of the word 'Counsellor' in Germany.
People can only really be in charge of their session if they are able to 'counsel' themselves. It is exactly for this reason that people trained in the Haus Kloppenburg approach have decided in the past to call their Clients 'Counsellor' and their Counsellor 'Co-Counsellor!


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