There are things that tend to work, they won’t work with every human, but they work often enough that it’s helpful to keep them in mind. Some of them are counter-intuitive and so you are less likely to stumble on the accidently if they are not passed along as techniques.
For example, motivation is zero sum, make sure the client is the one who’s got that ball. If I am arguing that a client should do something that is in their best interest and they are arguing against me, my technique sucks. A much better technique is to discover what the client wants and ask them how they will overcome challenges.
There are techniques for rolling with resistance – I might simply agree blandly with a belligerent statement, or agree with a twist. Without these techniques, counselors can get triggered and lose their ability to help. The technique of reframing can be incredibly powerful in helping clients get unstuck.
The great thing about having a quiver full of techniques is that many of them work well in non-counseling interactions as well.