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Athabasca University
Psychology Unit 5: Building counselling
relationships Questions and Answers Latest
2026
The Working alliance - Horvath Ans: - the quality and strength of
the reciprocal relationship formed between counsellor and client
- best predictor of treatment outcome
- based on agreement on goals, tasks and c/c bond
-it determines if you 'FEEL
-CONNECTION' has 3 parts: agreement of goals, agreement on tsk (
how goal will be accomplished), and bond ( relationship) between
client and counsellor .
-certain counsellor qualities includi warmth flexibility are
associated with positive working alliance
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, 2 | Page
-iterpersonal factors are more important than interpersonal
The Real Relationship Ans: - reality oriented relationship,
undistorted, counsellors are genuine
Structure Ans: - joint understanding b/w c/c regarding
characteristics, conditions and procedures of counselling
-include time limit
-helps clarify relationship
-helps protect rights and roles of both cc
Initiative and how to form it Ans: - motivation to change
- assist by 1) anticipate the anger/defensiveness 2) show
acceptance 3) persuasion (foot in the door/door in the face) 4)
confrontation 5) language/metaphors 6) mattering 7) pragmatic
techniques (silence, empathy, questioning, reflection, describing,
pretending)
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, 3 | Page
-a lot of clients do have some kind of resistance
Foot in the Door Ans: - persuasion technique
- counsellor asks client to comply with minor request and then
follows with larger request
Door in the face Ans: - counsellor asks client to do seemingly
impossible task and then follows by asking them to do more
reasonable task
Confrontation Ans: - counsellor points out to client exactly what
they are doing, client must take responsibility to respond to
confrontations
Mattering Ans: - perception that we are important and significant
to the world around us and others in our lives
Reluctant client Ans: - referred by a third party and is unmotivated
to seek help
© 2025 All rights reserved
Athabasca University
Psychology Unit 5: Building counselling
relationships Questions and Answers Latest
2026
The Working alliance - Horvath Ans: - the quality and strength of
the reciprocal relationship formed between counsellor and client
- best predictor of treatment outcome
- based on agreement on goals, tasks and c/c bond
-it determines if you 'FEEL
-CONNECTION' has 3 parts: agreement of goals, agreement on tsk (
how goal will be accomplished), and bond ( relationship) between
client and counsellor .
-certain counsellor qualities includi warmth flexibility are
associated with positive working alliance
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 2 | Page
-iterpersonal factors are more important than interpersonal
The Real Relationship Ans: - reality oriented relationship,
undistorted, counsellors are genuine
Structure Ans: - joint understanding b/w c/c regarding
characteristics, conditions and procedures of counselling
-include time limit
-helps clarify relationship
-helps protect rights and roles of both cc
Initiative and how to form it Ans: - motivation to change
- assist by 1) anticipate the anger/defensiveness 2) show
acceptance 3) persuasion (foot in the door/door in the face) 4)
confrontation 5) language/metaphors 6) mattering 7) pragmatic
techniques (silence, empathy, questioning, reflection, describing,
pretending)
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 3 | Page
-a lot of clients do have some kind of resistance
Foot in the Door Ans: - persuasion technique
- counsellor asks client to comply with minor request and then
follows with larger request
Door in the face Ans: - counsellor asks client to do seemingly
impossible task and then follows by asking them to do more
reasonable task
Confrontation Ans: - counsellor points out to client exactly what
they are doing, client must take responsibility to respond to
confrontations
Mattering Ans: - perception that we are important and significant
to the world around us and others in our lives
Reluctant client Ans: - referred by a third party and is unmotivated
to seek help
© 2025 All rights reserved
