It is truly remarkable to see the skills I have learned put into practice with the people I meet in my daily relationships. By implementing the basic counseling skills learned, it helped me become a better person and also laid the foundation for my future career. Many skills were used in various situations during the last quarter of the year. However, only a brief description of a few will be discussed below. It is easier to learn a basic skill from a textbook, but it is more complex to apply it in practice; Each individual is different, as are each of their problems. It is important as a student to familiarize yourself with the key skills needed to become a successful skilled helper. In the beginning, we are taught basic conditions or qualities such as empathy, respect, unconditional positive regard, active listening, investigation, synthesis and an overall ability to stay with each individual with whom we communicates (Egan, 2010). Below, each of these skills will be identified with word-for-word examples. The skills I learned are equally important, but empathy seems to be the core counseling skill. Egan (2010) believes that “empathy plays an important role in building relationships” (p. 163). Furthermore, Rogers (1995) explains that giving empathy means giving “the freedom to explore oneself on conscious and unconscious levels”; this is an important step in allowing an individual to fully open up (p. 34). For example, I expressed empathy toward Nathan when I stated, “These are very understandable thoughts and it seems to me that you are learning from past experiences.” By empathizing with Nathan, it “allowed me to see his world through his eyes” (Rogers, 1995, p. 35) and be with him instead...... middle of paper ...... without prejudice. The skills I learned essentially helped me build stronger relationships and listen more attentively with more than just my ears. I learned a lot about myself and people reflected on the process and I'm grateful to have had this experience. It's one thing to learn knowledge from books, but it's another to put that knowledge into practice; every individual and every problem is unique. The journey has only just begun but it has already been very enriching on a personal level. My goal is to be able to give people hope that you have lost your way. I want to use the knowledge I have gained not only for others but also for myself. I've experienced a lot of different things in life and been to a lot of different places, in an effort to find who I am. After deciding to follow this path I found clarity and realized why I was put on this planet, we all have a reason..