Client perceptions of hindering experiences in counselling

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to increase understanding of what clients perceive as hindering experiences in counselling. In‐depth interviews combined with concept mapping were used to gather, organize, and understand clients' perceptions of hindering aspects of therapy. In the initial data gathering stage, 8 adult client participants, aged 18 or older (average of 14.1 sessions) were asked to respond to the following open‐ended questions: (a)What was unhelpful or hindering about counselling? (b)What would have made counselling more helpful? In the second phase of the data gathering, a sample of 20 participants (7 male, 13 female) were asked to participate in the sorting and rating task utilizing statements derived from the interviews. The analysis produced a thematic structure that identified three core aspects of counselling that clients found hindering: (1) counsellor behaviours, (2) external and structural barriers and (3) client variables. Implications for practitioners are included in the discussion.