The counselling interview: First impressions

This paper examines the nature of a counselling interview. It concerns itself with the first interview between the counsellor and the client, when both, the client and the counsellor are attempting to form their first impressions of one another. The paper discusses three major problems that arise in the process of forming impressions, viz., 1) maintaining neutrality and objectivity, 2) exercising cognitive control, and 3) expressing empathy. It is the contention of this paper that the above problems have not been clearly understood from their historical, philosophical, and psychological perspectives, and as a result, they have not been satisfactorily resolved. As a result, they have not been given sufficient consideration by counsellors and psychotherapists. The article considers the three problems and discusses ways and means by which they can be clearly understood and hopefully 'taken on board' by professionals working in the area.