When trying to communicate with clients, oftentimes there are barriers that prevent effective communication. Nonverbal barriers include facial expressions, posture, voice, and physical proximity to the client, while verbal barriers include inherently destructive verbal responses and counterproductive patterns of communication.

Counterproductive patterns of communication are barriers that prevent effective communication with clients, and they contain these sub-categories:

1. Inappropriate use of questions
2. Inappropriate or excessive interruption
3. Dominating interaction
4. Fostering social interaction with a client
5. Passive responding
6. Parroting and overuse of phrases or cliches
7. Dwelling on the remote past
8. Inappropriate use of self-disclosure

During treatment sessions, current (not past) emotions, behaviors, and situations should be concentrated on. This is because the situations that are currently happening in the client's life are the ones that can be altered by the client now through things that he/or she is learning in treatment. On the other hand, if the counselor encourages the client to dwell on painful memories that took place in the distant past, then the client may only experience additional pain.