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

Instructing responses are designed to enable the client to identify behaviors that are suitable for certain circumstances. This type of response will be used for situations where either the client is striving to meet a goal, or the client needs to learn how to react adaptively. Sometimes, role-playing (where the client interacts and then the counselor provides feedback) can effectively achieve this.

An example of role-playing is the client pretending to approach someone of the opposite sex by saying "Hi. How are you doing today, Melissa? I noticed that you weren't at work yesterday, and I hope that you weren't sick or anything like that." The counselor would then respond while pretending to be Melissa, by saying something like "Hey John. No, I wasn't sick yesterday. I had a dentist appointment to go to. But thank you for asking, I appreciate your concern." After this, the counselor would give the client his/or her opinion regarding the client's performance.

This example of role-playing is meeting the client's objective of relieving anxiety around members of the opposite sex.