Читать книгу Counseling and Psychotherapy - Группа авторов - Страница 57

Self-disclosure has implications for both clients and counselors or therapists. In self-disclosing, the counselor or therapist shares with the client their feelings, thoughts, and experiences that are relevant to the situation presented by the client. The counselor or therapist draws on situations from their own life experiences and selectively shares these personal reactions with the client. It is important to note that self-disclosure could have both a positive and a negative impact on the helping relationship, and care must be taken in measuring the impact it may have. From a positive perspective, it carries with it the possibility of modeling self-disclosure for the client or helping the client gain a different perspective on the presenting problems. From a negative perspective, self-disclosure might place the focus on the counselor’s or therapist’s issues rather than on those of the client. When self-disclosure is used appropriately, gains are made by all persons involved, and the relationship moves to deeper levels of understanding and sharing.