Authentic NBCC Certification Exam NCE-ABE Questions Answers

In solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT), counselors emphasize:

Exceptions – times when the problem is less severe or not present.

Future-oriented, goal-focused questions.

Client strengths and what already works.

Option A, referring to exceptions, points directly to a hallmark SFBT technique: the counselor shows curiosity about when the problem does not occur or is reduced, helping clients identify what they are doing differently in those moments so they can build on those exceptions. (The stem’s wording about “prominent” is less precise, but “exceptions” is the key SFBT concept here.)

B. Miracle question labeled as an emotional-focused coping strategy mixes an SFBT tool (miracle question) with an inaccurate label; the miracle question is about imagining a preferred future, not simply an emotion-focused coping label.

C. Understanding issues within or outside of the client’s control is more characteristic of other cognitive or problem-solving approaches, not specifically SFBT.

D. In-depth views of distress is more consistent with insight-oriented or process-focused therapies, whereas SFBT de-emphasizes detailed exploration of problems and focuses instead on solutions.

NBCC Counselor Work Behavior Areas expect counselors to be able to apply interventions consistent with their theoretical orientation, and for SFBT that includes using exception questions, miracle questions, and scaling to help clients move toward solutions.

When working with adolescents on career and educational goals, counselors are expected to examine realistic indicators of readiness and likelihood of success in a chosen field. For highly demanding professions such as medicine, the best single indicator of future academic success is the client’s previous academic record, including grades, rigor of coursework, and performance in relevant subjects (especially science and math).

Previous academic record (D) shows how the client has already handled structured academic demands over time, which closely parallels the long, intensive training path for physicians.

Aptitude test scores (A) reflect potential, but they are more abstract and less predictive than an established history of strong academic performance when it comes to long-term professional training.

Achievement test scores (B) focus on specific content knowledge at a given point in time, but do not give as rich a picture as an ongoing academic record.

Socioeconomic situation (C) may influence access to opportunities and support, but ethically, counselors should not treat it as the main determinant of whether the goal is realistic; instead, it becomes part of planning supports and resources, not the primary filter for possibility.

Therefore, in evaluating the likelihood of successfully becoming a physician, the previous academic record is the most appropriate focus, making D correct.

When a client presents vague descriptions of depression and existential concerns, the first task is to clarify and deepen understanding of the client’s experience. The counselor should use core counseling micro-skills, especially:

Attentive listening

Reflections of feeling and content

Clarification

Summarizing

These are all part of active listening, which helps the client find words for internal experiences and feel safe enough to explore more deeply. That is why Option B is the best answer.

Why the other options are less appropriate at this stage:

A. Challenge the client to establish a structure for organizing life values.This is more advanced, existential/values work that may be appropriate later, but it is premature when the client’s descriptions are still vague and unclear.

C. Generate and discuss possible antecedents of depression.This leans toward a cognitive-behavioral analysis (triggers, thoughts, behaviors). It can be helpful eventually, but it risks imposing explanations before the client has fully expressed and clarified their internal world.

D. Confront inconsistency between feeling depressed and lack of explanation.Confrontation here can feel invalidating or shaming (“you can’t explain it, so something is wrong with your story”), and it may shut down rather than open up exploration.

The NBCC Counselor Work Behavior Areas emphasize that effective counselors rely first on empathic, active listening and clarification to understand the client’s subjective experience before moving to more structured or challenging intervention