For those who are at the other extreme and go into a lengthy and detailed explanation of their issues, perhaps having been in therapy before, it is best to listen empathically first before complimenting them on how well they appear to know themselves and how they have thought a lot about what they would like to talk about in therapy.

It may be helpful to set some expectation of what is going to happen in the therapeutic process by explaining how asking questions is at the core of the process and reassuring the client that they should feel free to interrupt at any time and to steer the conversation to where they need it to go.

Establishing a mutual agreement and setting expectations for the engagement is crucial to making progress. Clients’ goals and preferences for the format and level of interaction need to be taken into consideration.

I’ve found it helps clients to have an idea of what will happen in a session, so I have a basic structure.? The session starts with the client telling me about what has been happening for them since our last meeting.? We check in on any homework that was suggested.? I ask the client if there is anything they want to talk about.? Normally the client has outlined goals for therapy (what they would like to be different when therapy is finished) and that always provides areas for conversations

Personally, I operate from the perspective of ‘this is your therapy’ and you get to choose.? If a client is in crisis, then I suggest meeting weekly until things become more stable.? Once the crisis is past, we move to bi-weekly or even monthly.? It depends on what the client chooses as well as what is in their best interest therapeutically.? Ethically, a therapist shouldn’t want a client to have to come forever.? The overall goal is that people feel better and go back to their lives.

asically, whatever you say in therapy, stays in therapy.? However, there are times when a therapist is legally obligated to break confidentiality: