Which term describes using all resources and recognizing positive traits to help clients reach realistic goals?

• A. Immediacy
• B. Fictional Finalism
• C. Encouragement
• D. Life Tasks

Answer: (C)

Encouragement involves recognizing a client’s strengths and mobilizing available resources to support progress toward realistic goals. In practice, a counselor who uses encouragement notices what the client does well, affirms efforts, and helps identify supports in the client’s life—people, skills, time, and opportunities—that can be used to move forward. This strengths-based approach boosts confidence and motivation, making goals feel achievable and within reach.

Immediacy focuses on discussing the present relationship and dynamics between counselor and client, not on leveraging strengths and resources to reach goals. Fictional Finalism is an Adlerian concept about a imagined future goal that guides behavior, rather than a process of using resources and positive traits to enable real progress. Life Tasks refers to major life domains (like work, love, and social belonging) rather than the act of drawing on strengths and resources to pursue attainable goals.