Characteristics and Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Characteristics and Skills - Essay Example The most critical cycle for effective counseling is the 4Es cycle – On introspection as to why I have people turning to me for sharing their problems and going back with a sense of relief in my personal life, I have realized that I can build trust based relationships quickly that could actually help the aggrieved person. Some of the essential characteristics that I possess as an individual are strong yet effective communication, make an objective assessment of situations, the ability to call a spade a spade and communicating this reality to the person opposite in a way to empower them in their current situation and give feedback effectively has made me choose this particular professional career. The values that I bring to the table are the following Empathy is one of the soft skills that any person would need to be an effective counselor. Empathy actually means affection clubbed with passion touched by the quality of suffering. This particular characteristic is viewed by many professionals as the most important one in a helping relationship. â€Å"Empathy is often viewed as conveying sensitivity to the client and trying to understand what â€Å"walking in the other guy’s shoes† may feel like. The helper need not necessarily have undergone the experiences of a client to understand the client’s feelings (Brooks/cole - A division of Thomson learning, 2004).† Genuineness is another important aspect that any person who intends to take up a human service profession needs. Genuineness is the expression of true feelings. â€Å"To be a genuine helper, one must avoid role playing or feeling one way and acting another. Genuine helpers do not take refuge in any specific role, such as counselor or therapist. Genuineness involves self-disclosure. It implies a willingness to be known to others (Brooks/cole - A division of Thomson learning, 2004).† If the human service helper is genuine then