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Genuineness and congruence are relational qualities that have received renewed interest (Klein et al., 2001). Genuineness and congruence describe the ability to be authentic in the helping relationship (Sue & Sue, 2013). The ability to be real as opposed to artificial, to behave as one feels as opposed to playing the role of the helper, and to be congruent in terms of actions and words are further descriptors of this core condition (Kolden et al., 2011). According to Schnellbacher and Leijssen (2009),

The findings underline the significance and value of genuineness in communication with the client. Indeed, the results indicate that therapist genuineness can be a crucial process for healing and personality change and that self-disclosure can be [a] powerful and directional [intervention]. (pp. 222–223)

Implicit in this statement is the idea of the counselor’s ability to communicate and demonstrate this genuineness, not only for relationship enhancement but also to model this core condition so that clients can develop greater authenticity in their interactions with others.

Personal characteristics or behaviors that enhance a counselor’s or therapist’s ability to prove genuineness and congruence include, but are not limited to, the following:

 The capacity for self-awareness and the ability to demonstrate this capacity through words and actions

 The understanding of one’s own motivational patterns and the ability to use them productively in the helping relationship

 The ability to present one’s thoughts, feelings, and actions in a consistent, unified, and honest manner

 The capacity for self-confidence and the ability to communicate this capacity in a facilitative way in the helping relationship