Structuring the Counseling Process

Abstract

This article defines structure and structuring in counseling and presents a rationale for its use in counseling. The facilitative, therapeutic, and protective functions of structure are explored; practical, consumer, and process issues related to structure are described; the timing of structure in the therapeutic process is discussed; and limits and guidelines for structure and structuring in counseling and therapy are suggested. Rationale supporting the development of structuring skills by counselors is offered.

Career Counseling: Those Powerful Beginning Counselor Leads

“…Restructuring should be anticipated because "requiring feedback" is most likely a relatively new experience for the client. A rationale for the practical and facilitative functions of structuring within the counseling process has also been suggested by others (Benjamin, 1974; Day & Sparacio, 1980;Miller, 1979;Winborn, 1977).…”

The Effective Social Worker

“…Finally, practitioners should possess the ability to provide support and structure and to create the expectation that the therapeutic process will produce desired changes (Cormier & Cormier, 1991;Johnson, 1989;Day & Sparacio, 1980). Indeed, perceived worker proficiency is highly correlated with positive therapeutic results (LaCrosse, 1980).…”

Effects of Structuring on Students' Perceptions of Career Counseling

“…This explanation stage is often referred to as structuring (Miller, 1979). Dayand Sparacio(1980) definedstructure as "ajointunderstanding between the counselor and the client regarding the characteristics, conditions, procedures, and parameters of counseling" (p. 246). More recently, Egan (1990)noted that structuring in the counseling relationship is similar to an explicit contract whereby both counselor and client have an understanding about the goals to be pursued and the procedures to be used during the helping process.…”