What is a common characteristic of open-ended questions in counseling?

Open-ended questions in counseling are designed to encourage clients to express their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a free and unrestricted manner. This approach facilitates deeper engagement and insight, as it prompts clients to elaborate on their responses and explore their feelings more thoroughly. By allowing clients to articulate their perspectives without limitation, counselors can gather richer, more nuanced information that aids in understanding the client's situation and needs.

Other options either limit the client's ability to share or do not capture the essence of what open-ended questions are intended to achieve. Concise and straightforward answers do not align with the goals of open-ended questioning, which seeks to foster dialogue rather than provide brief responses. Similarly, focusing solely on factual information restricts the depth of conversation, and limiting a client’s elaboration contradicts the purpose of open-ended formats. Therefore, the characteristic of allowing clients to express thoughts freely is fundamental to effective counseling.