…let their clients know what they are doing, so you get a chance to consent.
…listen more than they talk.
…do their personal work, so they don't bleed their own lives all over their clients.
…have good boundaries—don't give clients the burden of being their friend.
…have good friends (so that someone is caring for them).
…expect appropriate payment for the work they do (so they don't get burnt out).
…know their limits and stick to them (not too many clients, not too many days of work).
…stay humble and admit when they're wrong or off-base.
…keep their clients' goals in focus (rather than derailing onto their own).
…get help from other counselors when they are beyond their expertise.
…say no to cases they aren't competent with or emotionally available to help in.
…stop working with clients when the work becomes unproductive (again, so they don't get burnt out), rather than taking their money for doing nothing.
…genuinely care about their clients.
