Egan’s Skilled Helper Model and the SOLER Skills, Explained

At some point in time, almost everyone faces emotional or physical pain that feels overwhelming. While some people manage these challenges on their own or confide in friends, family, or partners, others hesitate, fearing that opening up might strain their interpersonal relationships or feeling unable to find a clear path forward. This is where counselling enters the picture. The essential goal of counselling is not for a professional to step in and fix someone’s life, but to support individuals as they break down their problems from new perspectives and develop the skills needed to navigate their own challenges.

Counsellors are not problem-solvers; rather, they honour each person’s autonomy to choose the solutions that best align with their life. Whether facing relationship distress or major developmental shifts like getting married, raising children, or moving to a new country, individuals seek counselling when emotional distress makes self-management feel out of reach. This article aims to understand counselling, Egan’s Model of Skilled Helper, the SOLER Model and studies supporting this model. 

Understanding Counselling

The essential goal of counselling is helping individuals to resolve their problems. The branch of counselling psychology deals with understanding therapy, problems of individuals, and deciding goals. Individuals who are living their life satisfactorily also seek counselling because at some point in time everyone faces either physical or emotional pain.

It can be stressful because of getting married, having kids or moving to another country.  Individuals come to seek counselling when they are emotionally troubled and believe that they cannot manage their problem alone. They expect that they will be able to talk about all the problems in confidence, and they will also get necessary solutions. Effective counselling helps people change(Geldard and Geldard,2005).

The Skilled Helper Model of Egan

In his noteworthy contribution, Gerard Egan has proposed a model of problem management known as the Skilled Helper Model. It essentially consists of three stages and three tasks.  

1. Theoretical Origins

This model is inspired by various theoretical bases. The carcass theory of High Functioning Helpers advocated that helpers who employ the skills of empathy, respect, correctness, congruence,self-disclosure, confrontation, etc. Albert Bandura’s Learning Theory advocates that individuals acquire skills through the learning process and develop self-efficacy expectations(Nelson,2007).  

2. Humanistic & Core Facilitative Conditions (Rogers, 1957; Carkhuff & Berenson, 1967)

Building upon Carl Rogers’ (1957) person-centred conditions, Robert Carkhuff’s model of High-Functioning Helpers demonstrated that effective counselling relies on specific core conditions (Carkhuff & Berenson, 1967). Helpers who systematically employ skills such as empathy, respect, genuineness (congruence), concreteness, self-disclosure, and constructive confrontation achieve significantly better therapeutic outcomes.

3. Social Learning & Self-Efficacy Theory (Bandura, 1977)

Bandura’s (1977) Social Learning Theory provides the mechanism for how both clients and counsellors acquire and master complex interpersonal behaviours. Through observational learning, modelling, vicarious reinforcement, and behavioural rehearsal, individuals build self-efficacy expectations and the confidence in their own capability to execute strategies and manage challenges (Bandura, 1977; Nelson-Jones, 2007).

4. Behavioural & Micro-Skills Training Paradigms (Ivey, 1971)

Allen Ivey’s (1971) microcounseling framework breaks down complex, abstract therapeutic interactions into discrete, teachable behavioural skills (such as attending behaviours, open questions, and reflection of feeling) that can be individually practised, observed, and mastered.

Stages of the Skilled Helper Model

Stage 1: Help Clients Explore Their Concerns 

In the first stage of this model, tasks and activities are planned in such a way that clients can express their concerns to the therapists. Activities or tasks are planned in such a way that the client doesn’t have to worry about talking about too many details or too few details. 

• Task A: The story: This task helps the client to answer questions such as “What’s going on in my life? What are my main concerns ?” The main focus is on identifying problems. 
• Task B: The Real Story: This task helps the client to develop new perspectives on the current problem. This task helps the client to answer questions such as “ As I look more closely, what is going on in my life? What new perspectives will help me to deal with my problems?” The focus here is on perspective building. 
• Task C: The Right Story: This task helps the client to gradually focus on what can actually help them to work on the problems. Key issues are being recognised. This task helps the client to answer questions such as “What should I be working on? Which issues, if handled well, will make a real difference in my life ?”     

According to Egan, the work that is done in one of the tasks should stimulate the actions which will lead to the preferred outcomes of the client. 

Stage 2:  Help Clients Determine Problem-Managing Outcomes and Set Goals 

In the second stage, therapists help their clients to imagine or visualise the future the way clients want, especially in terms of outcomes and goals. Similarly, there are three ways to achieve this: 

• Task A : Possibilities: In this task, the therapist helps clients to navigate all the possibilities for a better future. This task helps the client to answer questions such as “ What possibilities do I have for a better future? What do I want the future to look like? What do problem-managing outcomes look like ?” 
• Task B: Goals/Outcomes: This task starts to focus on what goals clients hold and how to make them work. This task helps the client to answer questions such as “ What do I really want and need? What solutions are best for me ?” 
• Task C : Commitment: Here, the client either becomes committed to solving the problem or should become committed to solving the problem and work towards possibilities. This task helps the client to answer the questions such as “What am I willing to pay for what I want ?” 

Stage 3: Help Clients to Draw up Plans to Accomplish Goals 

In stage 3, tasks are again interrelated. These tasks are directed at coming up with a realistic plan to achieve the goals that lead to problem-solving outcomes. 

• Task A: Possible Strategies: The therapist here helps the clients with developing various possible strategies. This task helps the client to answer questions such as “ What are the possible paths to my goal? How do I move forward ?” 
• Task B: Best – Fit Strategies: After looking at various strategies, the therapist helps the client to select or filter the best strategies. This task helps the client to answer questions such as “ What strategy or set of strategies are best for me? Which strategies fit my resources ?” 
• Task C: Plans to accomplish goals: After strategies, the therapist now gradually shifts the focus to what the change should look like. Questions here are “ What should my campaign for constructive change look like? What do I need to do first, second, or third ?”(Egan,2018). 

The Action Arrow

Egan emphasises that during practice, these stages are not linear as they are mentioned above. The above-mentioned stages sit on what is known as the ‘Action Arrow ’, which means that from the beginning of this helping process, clients should act on their own behalf. This action arrow is a reminder of the outcomes and the impact of these outcomes that clients will have in their lives. Stage one is about the problems that were either present in the past or are a part of the present.

On the other hand, stages two and three are about aiming for change and planning outcomes. It is important to consider that all three stages and their nine tasks make an attempt to bring change in the client’s life, but not complete change in the life of the client. According to Egan, change is not a magical process; rather, one has to work hard for that one change(Egan,2018).

Stages are non-linear

Although the skilled helper model is systematic, in real practice and especially for clients it is non- linear. The first reason being any stage or task can be an entry point for the client. For example: For some clients, stage three can be an entry point, whereas for some it might be stage two. Suppose a client says, “ I know that I need to work hard to get promoted.” Here, it implies that the client is in their second stage. The second reason is that clients do not engage in each stage and tasks in the same manner; rather, everyone engages differently.

For instance, some clients tend to narrate their entire problem in one go, but some clients tell their story in bits and pieces. As clients often do not present their problems or issues in one complete pack it is impossible to ideally complete the stage one. The third reason is that all the stages and tasks are intermingled. It is seen that one or more tasks often merge with each other.  In this way, the skilled helper model is a long process of problem management. The helper and the client both have to work and be patient(Egan,2018).

Skills to Employ the Skilled Helper Model

Effective listening is key to being a skilled helper. It has various skills; Egan covers it with the acronym SOLER : 

1.  Sit / Face the Client Squarely (Up to 45 Degrees)

• Practical Relevance: Positioned directly across or at a subtle 45-degree angle signals undivided attention and presence. A slight angle (rather than a rigid head-on stance) reduces the feeling of confrontation or interrogation, giving the client physical space to feel comfortable while maintaining engagement.
• Why it helps: It communicates readiness and availability, encouraging the client to open up without feeling trapped or under a spotlight.

2. O: Maintain an Open Posture

• Practical Relevance: Keeping arms and legs uncrossed and avoiding physical barriers (like holding a clipboard defensively or sitting behind a large desk) creates a welcoming environment.
• Why it helps: Open body language non-verbally conveys acceptance, non-judgment, and receptivity. It signals to the client that you are emotionally open to hearing whatever they choose to share.

3. L: Lean Appropriately Towards the Client

• Practical Relevance: Leaning slightly forward during key moments signals interest, empathy, and active listening. Conversely, leaning too far back can make you seem disengaged or indifferent.
• Why it helps: It physically demonstrates closeness and engagement, reassuring the client that what they are saying matters. It brings focus to intense or emotionally vulnerable moments.

4. E: Maintain Eye Contact

• Practical Relevance: Maintaining steady, natural eye contact (without staring continuously) indicates attentiveness and honesty.
• Why it helps: Eye contact validates the client’s experience and helps build trust. It lets the client gauge your sincerity and ensures they feel seen and heard throughout the session.

5. R: Be Relaxed and Comfortable

• Practical Relevance: Remaining calm, avoiding nervous fidgeting, and keeping your breathing steady sets the atmosphere for the interaction.
• Why it helps: Clients often mirror the helper’s energy. A relaxed composure puts the client at ease, reduces anxiety, and communicates confidence in your ability to handle whatever difficult emotions or topics they bring to the space(Nelson, 2007).    

Sustainability of Egan’s Skilled Helper Model in Students’ Social Work Practice

According to Riggall (2015), egan’s model has proved beneficial and sustainable. In a study conducted on social work students, it was found that most of the social work students made use of this model even after completing their training. Students reported that this model helped them organise their sessions and interviews. This model helped them to avoid random conversations. Students reported that they felt more confident as this model helped them to develop a clear framework for communication. It was reported that students not only focused on clients’ problems, but they also looked at the strengths, goals, and resources.              

Conclusion

Gerard Egan’s Skilled Helper Model serves as a collaborative roadmap for effective problem management and opportunity development. Rather than acting as a rigid, one-way intervention, the model thrives on a collaborative partnership where both the helper and the client actively engage in navigating the client’s internal and external worlds.

While the theoretical structure of the model is often presented in a progressive, sequential format moving from exploration (Stage 1) to goal setting (Stage 2) and strategy formulation (Stage 3), real-world therapeutic dynamics are inherently fluid and non-linear. In practice, clients frequently cycle back and forth across stages. An actionable strategy explored in Stage 3 may reveal hidden blind spots or unaddressed emotions that require returning to Stage 1, highlighting the need for the helper to remain flexible, empathetic, and attuned to the client’s immediate processing speed.

References +

• Riggall, S. (2016). The sustainability of Egan’s Skilled Helper Model in students’ social work practice. Journal of Social Work Practice, 30(1), 81–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650533.2015.1082465 evaluates Egan’s model. 
• Egan, G. (2018). The skilled helper: A client-centred approach (2nd Europe, Middle East and Africa ed.). Cengage Learning EMEA.  
• Nelson, P. J. M. (2007). An easy introduction to Egan’s skilled helper solution-focused counselling approach. FETT Bookshop.
• Geldard, K., & Geldard, D. (2005). Practical counselling skills: An integrative approach. Palgrave Macmillan.
• Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Prentice-Hall.
• Carkhuff, R. R., & Berenson, B. G. (1967). Beyond counselling and therapy. Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
• Ivey, A. E. (1971). Microcounseling: Innovations in interviewing training. Charles C Thomas 
• Rogers, C. R. (1957). The necessary and sufficient conditions of therapeutic personality change. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 21(2), 95–103. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0045357