In guiding a client to set a goal in a dissatisfying life-area, which phrase completes the prompt 'What are you ________?'

In guiding a client to set a goal in a dissatisfying life-area, which phrase completes the prompt 'What are you ________?'

• A. unhappy with
• B. not like about
• C. rather be doing
• D. keeping you from doing that?

Answer: (A)

The key idea is using an open, client-centered question that helps identify the exact area of life the client wants to change. “What are you unhappy with?” directly invites the client to name the dissatisfying life area and describe what feels off in concrete terms. This sets up a focused, motivating starting point for goal setting because it anchors the goal in the client’s own experience and values, rather than in assumptions or external judgments. This phrasing is preferable because it’s natural to the client’s language, non-judgmental, and action-oriented—it signals that you’re interested in their perspective and the specific source of discomfort. It invites specificity about what needs to change, which is essential for creating a clear, achievable goal. Other options shift the focus: they either steer toward dislikes in a way that’s awkward or less actionable, toward what the client would rather be doing (which can sidestep the actual dissatisfying area), or toward barriers that come after identifying the goal. The chosen prompt most effectively opens the door to naming a target area and starting the goal-setting process.

The key idea is using an open, client-centered question that helps identify the exact area of life the client wants to change. “What are you unhappy with?” directly invites the client to name the dissatisfying life area and describe what feels off in concrete terms. This sets up a focused, motivating starting point for goal setting because it anchors the goal in the client’s own experience and values, rather than in assumptions or external judgments.

This phrasing is preferable because it’s natural to the client’s language, non-judgmental, and action-oriented—it signals that you’re interested in their perspective and the specific source of discomfort. It invites specificity about what needs to change, which is essential for creating a clear, achievable goal.

Other options shift the focus: they either steer toward dislikes in a way that’s awkward or less actionable, toward what the client would rather be doing (which can sidestep the actual dissatisfying area), or toward barriers that come after identifying the goal. The chosen prompt most effectively opens the door to naming a target area and starting the goal-setting process.