Therapeutic Alliances and Trajectory Learning for The Counselor
Education Programs
Andi Kiswanto and Dodi Suryana
Departemen Psikologi Pendidikan dan Bimbingan, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Bandung, Indonesia
Keywords: Therapeutic Alliances, Trajectory Learning and Counselor Education Programs.
Abstract: Counselor education programs have a mission to provide learning to prospective counsellors in developing
an intact counsellor. Personal counsellors who are featured in the process of providing guidance and
counselling services greatly determine the effectiveness of the services provided. Insufficient in presenting a
whole person, a good counsellor should have the skills of building a therapeutic alliance with the counselee.
The therapeutic alliance in the process of providing assistance is a collaboration between counsellor and
counselee in achieving a predetermined therapeutic goal. Therapeutic alliance is a skill that should be the
main goal of the Counselor Education program. While the learning process in the Counselor Education
program is through trajectory learning with learning method using dialog Socratic. The learning process with
various questions about various problems is an effective way of understanding and meaningful learning. The
purpose of this article is to examine theoretical and therapeutic alliance practices and trajectory learning to
develop Counselor Education programs.
1 INTRODUCTION
The education of counsellor candidates should
facilitate in establishing identity as teachers and
educators, identity awakened to the understanding
and internalization of the value system of objectives
(Carkhuff, Robert R, 1979; Bedi, Davis, Arvay, 2005,
p. 71) like understanding the nature of humankind,
the content of education and the learning process.
Based on some research results, Bedi, RP, Davis, M.
D and Arvay, MJ (2005) study found that the skills of
fostering therapeutic alliances are personal attributes
(the value system of human nature, the content of
education and learning process) and the central skills
in the counselling process can bring the counselling
process to success, besides the personal qualities of
the counsellor are the main instruments and
competencies that have a major impact on counselling
and counselling services rather than simply
emphasizing the counselling approach, theory or
technique used. Study Wester, L. K and Borders. D
(2014) explains that the relation factor helps between
counsellor and counselee to correlate more strongly
with the results achieved counselee, compared with
technical factors used. The Chenault study (1968)
explains that the effectiveness of guidance and
counselling services is not a technical function, but
the personal quality of the counsellor in the
relationship between counsellor and counselee.
The professional qualities of professional
counsellors can support therapeutic alliance skills,
including acceptance, congruent, empathy, emotional
stability, flexibility, openness, interest in people,
authenticity, trust, confidence, and sensitivity.
Several research studies have explained that the
personal qualities of counsellors are not always
effective, as most Counsellors are still weak in
building helpful relationships. The study of Anne, et.
al. (2012), on the personal qualities of counsellors
conducted on 2730 counsellors in the United States
suggests that aspects of self-control and identity
integration are of good quality, but on aspects of
relationship, intimacy, endurance, and understanding
of feelings in building relationships that are helpful to
have a low category, the condition affects
learners/counselees who do not want to come again to
the Guidance and Counselling room in the next
session.
The limitation of prospective counsellor
development to improve the alliance/assistance
relationships demonstrated by the findings of this
study implies the need for learning to represent the
value and mission of the counsellor candidate in
46
Kiswanto, A. and Suryana, D.
Therapeutic Alliances and Trajector y Learning for The Counselor Education Programs.
In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Educational Sciences (ICES 2017) - Volume 2, pages 46-51
ISBN: 978-989-758-314-8
Copyright © 2018 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved

delivering his services according to his passion. The
process of building individual counsellor learning has
a more effective personal wholeness (Chenault,
1968). The whole process of learning consistently
cultivates the exploration and meaning of educational
tip as the professional basis of counsellor’s action in
helping the counselee (Kartadinata, 2013). The
learning that is considered appropriate to integrate
various thoughts comprehensively is the learning of
the track.
Basis of consideration improves alliance
relationships with learning paths; First, personal
counsellors based on thoughts that synthesize
thinking, creative, respectful, and ethical thinking;
Second, the personal development of counsellors
requires the integrity of learning that passes through
structured and programmed cognitive aspects; and
thirdly, the learning path does not teach substance but
teaches high-level thinking tools for the development
of contextual and normative thought.
Based on these considerations, counsellor
education programs must thoroughly develop
therapeutic alliance relationships through the learning
path. This article is disclosed and criticized, its
implications for counsellor education programs.
2 THERAPEUTIC ALLIANCE
AND TRAJECTORY
LEARNING
2.1 Therapeutic Alliance
School guidance and counseling services can be
effectively implemented, where there is a healthy
interaction/relationship between counselor and
counselee (Therapeutic Alliance). The skill of
fostering a therapeutic alliance is a personal attribute
in building the value system of human nature, the
content of education and the learning process (Bedi,
R. P., Davis, M. D and Arvay, M. J, 2005). The skill
of fostering a therapeutic alliance is a basic skill that
a counselor needs to master, even more strictly
research Lambert and Barley (2001, pp. 357-361)
disclose those therapeutic relationships are
paramount in counseling rather than specific
treatment techniques. The therapeutic alliance built
between counselors and counselee has a strong factor
for achieving guidance and counseling services, as
opposed to technical factors or approaches used.
When referring to the statement of Daddario and
Kishimoto (2011) suggests that therapeutic alliance is
a collaborative relationship between counselor and
counselee to achieve goals, counselee preferences and
methods related to the counseling process.
Therapeutic alliances are shaped by the ability to
listen to the counselee without being prejudiced and
without making irresponsible advice to the counselee.
Rogers (Green et al, 2012) suggests that
therapeutic alliances occur when the counselor
provides the necessary and adequate conditions for
the counselee. These conditions include sincerity,
empathy, and unconditional acceptance aimed at
achieving a therapeutic personality change.
According to Dryden and Reeves (2008) suggests that
therapeutic alliances are divided into three
components: first, Bond between counselor and
counselee. The bond is the integration between
characteristics and personality qualities, including
effective and reflective. The affective dimension
represents the sense of security gained in relation to
the counselor, the loyalty level of the counselor and
the counselee. While the reflective dimension,
representing the appearance of empathetic
understanding, self-sincerity, self-acceptance, and
interpersonal style.
Second, the goal is what counselors and
counselees want to achieve in the counseling process.
Bordin (1979) suggests that good therapeutic results
are facilitated by a counselor and counselee
agreements related to the goals of the counselee and
agreement to work toward that goal. The goal of a
therapeutic alliance confirms the existence of a source
of failure or constraint in the counseling process. If
the goal of a therapeutic alliance is stated honestly
and if there is a difference, then it is solved through
discussion and consolidation.
Third, Task are the activities undertaken by
counselors that lead to efforts to achieve goals. From
the perspective of therapeutic alliances, the level of
counselee progress is influenced by the level of
counselor's skill in performing his duties. This
implies that skill factors require more attention in
training and counseling supervision. Counselor
educators and supervisors need concrete and detailed
evidence of how skilled the counselor performs his
tasks rather than simply listening to the counselor's
exposure of what he or she has done in the counseling
process.
2.2 Factors Affecting Therapeutic
Alliances
The concept of a therapeutic alliance described in the
previous sub-representative of the quality of the
counselor will affect the therapeutic alliance, the
counselor's personal qualities (Cavanagh, 2002)
Therapeutic Alliances and Trajectory Learning for The Counselor Education Programs
47

associated with the development of required attitudes,
skills and knowledge. The personal qualities
supported by the creation of a positive therapeutic
alliance include: (a) Flexible and flexible professional
counselors are counselors who can flexibly accept
counsel to deal with the most important issues; (b)
Respect and respect counselees, counselors who have
high respect and respect from others will be able to
remove ambiguity as intrinsic humanity and
interaction with others / the environment; (c) Warm,
friendly and affirmative; (d) Open; (e) Sensitive and
active, is one of the most important requirements for
an effective counseling process. A counselor who has
high sensitivity and active skills will have strong
feelings and views of the counselee, understand the
advice from the field and from an inseparable
perspective from yourself, the counselor can
understand the problem of the character and problems
of the counselee; (f) Be able to demonstrate honesty
through self-reflection; (g) trustworthy trust beliefs
and beliefs and (h) holistic awareness, are the major
components affecting therapeutic alliances,
counselors have an awareness of their beliefs, values
and principles with others, awareness of knowledge
and understanding of one's point of view with others
and the mind has the skills to choose appropriate
counseling strategies according to the characteristics
and problems of the counselee.
Personal counselors are dynamic, which means
that the counselor will continue to evolve with the
dynamics of the environment. The personal integrity
of the counselor is an authentic counselor's image
(Kartadinata, 2013). In encouraging prospective
counselors have personal integrity that includes
developing the attitudes, skills and knowledge well,
an educator must be aware of the mission and create
an atmosphere of learning with a mission that will be
the accomplishment (Kartadinata, 2016).
2.3 Learning a Trajectory Learning
Trajectory is derived from the Latin traicere, to cause
to cross or cross, in the sense of crossing, but
etymologically learning is learning trajectories that
pass or penetrate. Learning trajectory is used to
describe a series of lessons or a trajectory resulting
from participation in learning activities (Strijker,
2010, p. 7). Trajectory Learning will develop
competency levels capable of crossing the highest
competence thinking (Clements and Sarama, 2009a,
p 3; 2009b, p 17). Trajectory Learning will grow
mindset prospective counsellor marked critical
thinking. The design of learning trajectories to
develop higher-order thinking by referring to
Gardner's Five Minds thought trajectory (Gardner,
2008), whereas to traverse learning materials can
refer by using a Socratic dialog strategy.
In the context of self-development, learning the
five-minded collar counsellor as a whole. Some of the
implications of Gardner's learning are five minds
(Gardner, 2008, p. 5). (1) learning that not only be the
delivery of material substance, but rather awakening
an education that facilitates the personal integrity of a
potential counsellor; (2) the personal counsellor is
based on knowledge up to ethical issues; (3) the
personal development of counsellors requires the
integrity of learning across the cognitive, affective,
and psychomotor aspects in a structured and
programmed manner, so that five thoughts can
represent good structures, processes and learning
missions; and (4) learning five unsustainable minds.
In the process of preventing learning materials can
use the strategy of dialog Socratic.
2.4 The Socratic Dialogue as a
Trajectory Learning Method
The Socratic Dialogue is a method that is on learning
done with conversation, debate with the stages of
questions (Ferguson, J, 1974). Dialysis is a structured
dialogue that is energized by dialectic thinking, but
Socrates develops a dialectical way of thinking
through a process of dialogue that has a major
influence on the development of individual attitudes
(Ferguson, J, 1974, so its development is known as
the Socratic dialogue) The basic assumption of
Socratic dialogue is that each individual has the
potential to know the truth, goodness and error (Beck,
H. Robert, 1985; Beck, H. Robert, 1985).
In the context of learning Socrates dialogue is
used as a learning strategy for the development of
high-level thinking with the concept of analogy and
thinking (Hansen, T. David, 1988). According to
Vyskocilova, J and Prasko, J (2012, pp. 36-37) The
process of Socrates dialogue, built on several
principles namely 1) Thinking is not intuitive, is a
way of understanding or searching directly without
any awareness or consideration; 2) The process of
thinking is unfaithful; 3) Realizing dialogue is a form
of process in everyday life; and 4) The purpose of
dialogue as a rule for finding new views.
ICES 2017 - 1st International Conference on Educational Sciences
48

3 IMPLICATIONS ON
COUNSELOR EDUCATION
PROGRAM
Humanistic-minded experts (Dodge, R. et al. 2012)
say that counsellor education is shaped from the
foundation of its own individual that characterizes the
fully integrated and functioning person as an
individual who is open to new experiences, self-
reliant and capable of directing self to realize "who
am I". According to John Chenault (1968) Counselor
education is formed from the foundation of: 1) the
philosophy of human nature; 2) significant theory
based on counsellor education program; 3) the
implementation process of counsellor education; and
4) evaluation of counsellor education. Furthermore,
Sunaryo Kartadinata (2013) counsellor education
must and has a foundation value of human philosophy
and education, science, goals and framework of
guidance and counselling.
3.1 Philosophical Assumptions about
Human Nature
Guidance and counselling is an integral part of the
educational system that has a very important role and
responsibility that the subject of its service is human,
which can’t be given assistance originally by a task
bearer who is not his field. Humans who are involved
in the process of guidance and counselling services
are counsellors (counsellors) and counsellors
(potential counsellors).
Counselling and guidance services can be
effectively implemented, a healthy relationship/
relationship between counsellor and counselee
(Therapeutic Alliance). The word fostering
therapeutic alliances is a personal attribute that builds
the human nature system, the content of education
and the learning process (Bedi, R. P., Davis, M. D and
Arvay, M.J, 2005). Counselee and prospective
counsellor is a person who is in the process of
development (being/human). In order for the
counsellor to stay awake and manifest them in order
to exist, take responsibility, and keep alive. In
addition, the counsellor should have a personal
quality and have a mission in the process of providing
responsibility and assistance to the counselee.
3.2 Purpose of Counselor Education
Program
The purpose of counsellor education program is easy
to maintain. The results of the Chenault Study (1968)
describe the effectiveness of counselling and
guidance services from techniques, the quality of
counsellor counsellors and counsellors.
3.3 Counselor Education Curriculum
Program
The educational program with counselling with
dialogue Socratic, it is focused to develop the
personal quality of the counsellor as a whole.
Learning done in each course, with the learning path,
candidate counsellor facilitated the personal integrity
of prospective counsellors; prospective counsellors
are not only given knowledge but to the lessons of
ethics, the integrity of learning that passes cognitive,
affective, and psychomotor aspects in a structured
and programmed manner, so the trajectory of learning
the five minds of the mind can represent the structure,
the process and the program or a good learning
mission.
3.4 Process of Counselor Education
Program
Implementation of counsellor education program to
improve the therapeutic alliance, namely: 1) the
concept of the therapeutic alliance is the same as the
lens that highlights certain features of a material. This
material will remain the same every time the lens is
used; 2) it is important to distinguish the ability of
counsellors to foster alliances with the ability to
encourage agreement on counselling purposes; 3)
therapeutic alliances by belief and irrational, positive
and negative goals, and the future and the past; 4)
therapeutic alliances are not always stable, depending
on the stage of counselling, the emergence of
conflicts, and other components. The fluctuations of
this therapeutic alliance allow the counsellor to see,
share, and interpret conflicts, self-defense, anxiety,
and transference from the counselee. This fluctuation
can also be presented as an indicator of conflict,
resistance and changes in the counselling process; 5)
the responsibility for starting a therapeutic alliance
lies with the counsellor, 6) each counselling has
therapeutic alliance duties; 7) therapeutic alliances
must be supported by a balanced partner between
counsellor and counselee; 8) Therapeutic alliance is a
relational concept, so it is needed. An impartial
alliance of only counsellors or counsellors is a joint
work that will only be held on collaboration and
mutual interplay between the two (Novick and
Novick, 1996).
The conceptual clarification process is an
indication of the effort of increasing individuals to
Therapeutic Alliances and Trajectory Learning for The Counselor Education Programs
49

express responses both cognitively, affectively and
psychomotor to an appropriate stimulus (Fall, 2003);
(2) rational deepening, reasoning, and evidence, is an
identification of experience gained during the
activity; (3) the deepening of implications and
consequences, is a reflection of experience gained
from activities with moderate conditions. The results
of reflection can be used as a basis for formulating
self-improvement measures and bringing about
expected behavior; and (4) deepening internalization,
is an order to make plans.
3.5 Method of Counselor Education
Program
Methods to improve the therapeutic alliance resulting
from the counselor's personal qualities, counselor
teaching methods can use the lesson pathway, for the
method of learning using experiential learning
models (Kolb, 1984), Sufism, meditation, and
dialectical thinking with the Socratic method.
4 CONCLUSION
The skill of fostering a therapeutic alliance is one of
the important skills that the counselor needs to
master. In the context of personal developmental
learning the counselor of five minds is seen as
wholeness. The implication of learning should
develop the five minds as personal integrity.
Gardner's five minds are considered appropriate for
the development of counselor's private learning with
the following thoughts: first, the person of the
counselor is based on knowledge but not limited to
knowledge but to ethical issues; second, the personal
development of counselors requires the integrity of
learning across the cognitive, affective, and
psychomotor aspects in a structured and programmed
way, so that five minds can represent the structure,
process and program; and thirdly, Five Minds does
not teach substance but teaches thinking tools for the
development of the mind contextually and
normatively.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The writers would like to express their gratitude to the
Indonesian government especially the Indonesian
Directorate General of Higher Education, Indonesian
Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP) in funding
this research and Indonesian University of Education
(UPI) for permitting them to conduct a development
research in education field.
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