Which of the following describes a congruent counselor according to Carl Rogers?

A congruent counselor, according to Carl Rogers, is one whose thoughts, feelings, and actions are aligned. This means that the counselor is authentic and genuine in their interactions with clients, demonstrating congruence in their emotional state and expressed behavior. This authenticity helps to build rapport and trust between the counselor and the client, fostering a safe environment for the client to explore their thoughts and feelings.

The alignment of thoughts, feelings, and actions is fundamental in creating a therapeutic relationship that promotes client growth and healing, as clients are more likely to feel understood and accepted by a counselor who embodies this congruence.

While strong empathy is important for counselors, it is not the defining characteristic of congruence. Maintaining professional distance is also important in counseling but contrasts with the concept of being congruent, which involves sharing one's authentic self to an appropriate degree. Similarly, being resistant to expressing one's feelings is counter to the essence of congruence, which embraces the display of true emotions in alignment with thoughts and behaviors.