What is a potential disadvantage of utilizing open-ended questions during counseling?

Utilizing open-ended questions during counseling encourages clients to express their thoughts and feelings freely, promoting deeper exploration of issues. However, one potential disadvantage is that if a client elaborates excessively, the session may lose focus. This can happen because open-ended questions invite clients to share narratives or details that might stray from the primary topic of discussion. As a result, the counselor may spend time on tangential matters instead of addressing the specific issues that need to be resolved. This shift in focus can hinder the counseling process and make it challenging to stay on track with goals or objectives established for the session. Maintaining a balance between open dialogue and structured guidance is essential for effective counseling, and an overly lengthy response can disrupt this balance.