What is the role of "feedback" in therapy sessions?

In therapy sessions, the role of feedback is essential for fostering client awareness and promoting growth. The correct answer highlights that feedback serves to help clients understand their progress and reassess their goals. This process is crucial because it empowers clients to reflect on their experiences and the changes they are making, enabling them to adjust their strategies and objectives as needed.

When clients receive feedback, they can identify patterns in their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, leading to greater insight. This understanding fosters motivation and encourages clients to remain engaged in the therapeutic process. By reassessing goals based on feedback, clients can ensure that their therapeutic journey aligns with their evolving needs and circumstances.

In contrast, feedback that criticizes a client’s progress undermines the supportive and constructive nature of therapy. A guiding direction for the therapist might be less beneficial than ensuring clients have an active role in evaluating their own progress. While determining the success of therapeutic approaches is important, the main focus of feedback in the therapeutic context is to facilitate client understanding and growth, rather than to solely appraise or evaluate outcomes.