LPC Fundamentals of Counseling 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Carl Rogers identified three core conditions necessary for therapeutic change. Which of the following is NOT one of them?
- Unconditional positive regard
- Empathic understanding
- Congruence
- Systematic desensitization (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Systematic desensitization
Systematic desensitization is a behavioral technique; Rogers' three core conditions are unconditional positive regard, empathy, and congruence (genuineness).
Question 2: The ethical principle of 'nonmaleficence' in counseling means:
- Acting in the best interest of the client
- Avoiding actions that cause harm to the client (Correct answer)
- Treating all clients equally and fairly
- Respecting the client's right to make decisions
Correct answer: Avoiding actions that cause harm to the client
Nonmaleficence means 'do no harm'—counselors must avoid actions, interventions, or relationships that could injure clients.
Question 3: In motivational interviewing, 'rolling with resistance' means the counselor should:
- Directly challenge the client's resistance to change
- Avoid confronting discrepancies in the client's statements
- Reflect resistance without arguing and explore the client's ambivalence (Correct answer)
- Refer the client to another provider when resistance is detected
Correct answer: Reflect resistance without arguing and explore the client's ambivalence
Rolling with resistance involves reflecting the client's reluctance without confrontation, allowing ambivalence to be explored rather than defended.
Question 4: A counselor practicing from a feminist therapy perspective would most likely emphasize:
- The role of the unconscious in client distress
- Social, cultural, and political factors as sources of psychological problems (Correct answer)
- Irrational beliefs that maintain maladaptive behavior
- The client's relationship with a higher power
Correct answer: Social, cultural, and political factors as sources of psychological problems
Feminist therapy views personal problems as rooted in societal structures, power imbalances, and systemic oppression rather than solely intrapsychic factors.
Question 5: During an initial intake session, informed consent should include all of the following EXCEPT:
- The counselor's theoretical orientation
- Fees and cancellation policies
- Limits of confidentiality
- A guarantee of positive treatment outcomes (Correct answer)
Correct answer: A guarantee of positive treatment outcomes
Counselors cannot guarantee outcomes; informed consent covers services, policies, rights, and limits of confidentiality, but not promised results.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes 'empathic confrontation' in counseling?
- Challenging the client aggressively to promote insight
- Pointing out client discrepancies with sensitivity and support (Correct answer)
- Refusing to validate distorted thinking patterns
- Ending the session early when a client is uncooperative
Correct answer: Pointing out client discrepancies with sensitivity and support
Empathic confrontation involves gently highlighting discrepancies between a client's words, feelings, and behaviors while maintaining a supportive stance.
Question 7: A client from a collectivist cultural background may view individual-focused counseling goals as:
- More effective than family-based approaches
- Inconsistent with their cultural values around family and community (Correct answer)
- Preferable because they emphasize personal growth
- A sign of therapeutic progress toward independence
Correct answer: Inconsistent with their cultural values around family and community
Collectivist cultures prioritize group harmony and family interdependence, so purely individualistic goals may conflict with the client's core values.
LPC Fundamentals of Counseling 3
Carl Rogers identified three core conditions necessary for therapeutic change.
Which of the following is NOT one of them?