Mental health articles

The roles taken on by consultants are unlike those of most clinicians, though there may be some similarities to therapists’ traditional roles. Consultants focus on the empowerment
of others. Just as in therapy, consultants do not want their clients to become dependent on them, but seek to replace themselves so that clients can continue to grow
when their consultant is not around. Hence, the consultant is really a servant, helping others to achieve their goals. The consultant is not a manager or an employee, but uses
lateral relationships to accomplish goals. This requires a tolerance for ambiguity, and requires negotiation skills (since it is easier to terminate a consultant than it is to terminate
a subordinate). The consultant must respect the organization’s culture and
must learn to work within that framework to effect lasting change.

Tags: consultant