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.

When a counselor sends out nonverbal cues, he/or she is usually unaware of it, meaning that sometimes these cues contain meanings that the counselor did not mean to communicate. When the counselor transmits signals that conflict verbally and nonverbally, the client will disregard the verbal communication. The client will do this because of prior experiences where nonverbal cues more correctly relayed the true message. Common types of nonverbal communications are disinterest, shock, or disapproval from the counselor to the client. It is important that these communications do not transmit to the client because the client is probably in counseling to deal with his/or her great sensitivity to this kind of criticism.

An example of a nonverbal communication that may be unintentionally transmitted to clients is in posture. These signals include tightly folded arms, fidgeting, squirming, slouching, and pointing. To send the right signals to the client, the counselor should be reasonably expressive and use suitable gestures. The position of the body should be relaxed, leaning slightly forward, and maintaining an overall attentive position.