Throughout the book, the authors focus on the basic skills that facilitate communications in therapy (empathy, respect, authenticity, relating in the here-and-now, and confrontation) and explore specific methods of using them. These skills--which research shows are crucial to effective therapy--enable therapists and counselors to
* Empathize in a caring way with the feelings of clients
* Become receptive to clients in a warm, respectful, and nonjudgmental way
* Constructively share feelings with clients in a natural, open manner
* Therapeutically utilize moment-to-moment, here-and-now interaction
* Make clients aware of their inconsistencies and discrepancies without arousing antagonism or defensiveness