Various techniques for responding to the client can be used not only in the initial building of a relationship with the client, but throughout the entire counselor/client relationship. Commonly used responses by counselors include:

1. Attending
2. Paraphrasing
3. Reflecting
4. Clarifying
5. Leading
6. Summarizing
7. Supporting
8. Approving
9. Confronting
10. Informing
11. Interpreting
12. Assigning tasks and contracting
13. Instructing

A counselor can use informing responses to give the client important information regarding alternatives, decisions, or plans that they client is considering making.

For example, if a client states, "Despite the fact that I know the consequences of my actions, it is hard for me to say 'no' to drugs," then the counselor can respond to this statement by giving information (not advice) by saying, "Let's look at how your family reacted to things when you were younger. Habits that we use as adults are frequently patterns that we picked up from our families. This happens often without us recognizing it."

Giving information is different from giving advice because when you give the client information, you allow him/or her to be responsible for a particular action by providing the facts, alternatives, or available resources to the client while still giving the client the right to choose which information he/or she will use. The best time for a counselor to provide information is when the client has needs that the information will specifically address. Under no circumstances is the information to be used to force the client to act in a certain way.