It is your job to help your patients understand more about themselves and the world, help them learn new skills, and give them hope, so that they are motivated to change. You cannot do this by telling them what they are or what they must be. It is one thing for you to know, but unless the patient comes to an understanding based on changes in his or her own thinking, treatment will fail. You do not have all the answers. Even professional counselors do not have all the answers.
Most answers come from listening carefully to what patients say and how they think.
If you do not know something, be honest. Patients will respect you for this and be more willing to work with you if you are honest about what you do and don't know. When you don't know an answer, try to find the information and share it with the patient. Most of all, give patients your best effort. If you do this and learn from your mistakes, you will become a better counselor.