The Client Role in a Pre-Practicum Counseling Skills Course

Authors

Michael Mariska, Plymouth State UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Keywords

Pre-Practicum, Client Role, Basic Skills, Empathy Development, Role-Play

Subject Area

Counselor Education

Abstract

This study explored the experience and process of counselors in training enacting the client role and sharing “real life” experiences during role-playing exercises in a pre-practicum skills course. Using Charmaz’ Grounded Theory, main themes and processes were identified and explored. Through multiple individual interviews and a final focus group, the participants described how the experience facilitated their development of empathy for the client experience. The findings suggest a possible link between the development of empathy for the client experience and sharing “real life” experiences while enacting the client role, and encourage further study into this type of learning experience.

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.7729/71.1067

Recommended Citation

Mariska, M. (2015). The Client Role in a Pre-Practicum Counseling Skills Course. Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision, 7(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.7729/71.1067