As it is the first meeting it is good to determine the continuing relationship which will progress during the therapy. When a therapist first meets with a new client it’s necessary to establish several things in order to know whether they can work together. These include background and personal circumstances of the client, previous experiences (if any) of therapy, medical and psychiatric history and very importantly, why they are seeking therapy. From the therapist side of things it is a means of assessing whether he/ she is going to offer effective support and be of use to the client. As an example; this may not be an issue that is suitable for hypnotherapy at all or unlikely to be beneficial to the client.
Isla Mills Cardia 12 Word count 2176 Why is the initial consultation so important? What factors will an ethical therapist cover at this time? This essay will determine the reasons why the initial consultation is so important and will discuss the factors that an ethical therapist will cover during that time. The initial consultation is probably one of the most crucial aspects in hypnotherapy as it can determine the dynamics involved in, and the eventual success of the hypnotherapy. The initial consultation can be a very powerful tool for both the client and the hypnotherapist (Allen P Roger 2004).
Why is the initial consultation so important? What factors will an ethical therapist cover at this time? Introduction The initial consultation is probably the most crucial aspect of Hypnotherapy. Everything from the interpersonal dynamics to the eventual success of the intervention has a basis in the first meeting between client and therapist. The client’s decision to remain engaged with the therapeutic process will be determined by factors from this early stage.
“Why is the initial consultation so important? What factors will an ethical therapist cover at this time? The initial consultation is probably one of the most crucial aspects in counselling and hypnotherapy. This is because it can determine the dynamics involved in, and the eventual success of, the ensuing therapy sessions. This essay will determine the reasons why this preliminary meeting, discussion and assessment is so important and will discuss the factors that an ethical therapist will cover during that time.
For the hypnotherapist the initial consultation is all about gathering information, exploring the client’s history and most importantly deciding on an ethical level ‘can I treat this person?’ So let’s take a look at each aspect of what the initial consultation entails and how each in turn takes place within the first meeting. The Initial Contact between the Hypnotherapist and the Client. Meeting someone for the first time in a therapeutic setting can be daunting for some, so it is the hypnotherapist’s responsibility to ensure that the client feels at ease at the very first point of contact. I feel also by congratulating them for seeking treatment in the first place sets the conversation on a positive note. The client needs to feel that they are dealing with a professional and that they are interested in what they have to say and accepting of their situation, but also important that they feel they can trust in the abilities of the hypnotherapist and that the treatment shall be kept confidential.
This information will aid the hypnotherapist in building a rapport with the patient; also allow a connection trust to be formed. Of course the information acquired on the patient is the key to the initial assessment and to establish if the therapist is necessary but inevitably it comes down to the therapist and their manner. The reason why an ethical therapist would offer a free initial consultation is because it would show the commitment to the client through devoting their time to them, to talk, get to know them and make them feel comfortable. A hypnotherapist can find out why the client has come to see them, what their problems are and whether or not hypnotherapy is right for them, and whether they have had hypnotherapy before if not then the therapist can explain to the client what hypnotherapy is and how it can help them, they also will need to find out whether they are on medication or not, and to see if they will need their gp’s permission before giving hypnotherapy. The first consultation can be free and last up to 30 minutes.
Both clients and therapist benefit from the treatment plan as it helps both to focus and think about the therapy outcomes. As clear objectives are set ones client can channel their efforts into achieving specific changes that will lead to long term goal or problem resolution. The assessment process is an integral part of beginning to formulate a treatment plan. Noticing how the client is along with what they are saying, and recognising that the real reason that brings one to therapy may not emerge until much later in the relationship with the client. Berne emphasised the importance of the very first moments with a client (Berne, 1961).
ADVANCED COUNSELLING SKILLS 1.Understand the process of a series of counselling sessions. 1.1Identify the stages of a series of counselling sessions. The counselling relationship should have a clear start middle and an end, the beginning is when the relationship starts and trust is built forming a working alliance for the client to start sharing their anxieties and concerns that have bought them to the counselling room, the middle is when the counsellor explores with the client the feelings, beliefs and patterns that have been noticed by the counsellor, then looking for a way forward that the client feels is achievable for them, also to identify any areas that are causing problems might allow the relationship to move forward , including
I will then demonstrate some of the ethical issues therapists are challenged with and how these can relate to the initial consultation. Finally I will highlight the importance of the initial consultation and what factors a therapist shall incorporate in order to remain professional and ethical at all times. First impressions are made in the first few seconds
The initial consultation will usually be the first time that the client and therapist meet and therefore represents an opportunity for the therapist to assess the client and assimilate relevant information regarding a treatment strategy. Based on this, the therapist will be able to make an informed decision, firstly as to whether to proceed with therapy, and secondly how to proceed with therapy. The initial consultation is therefore vitally important if therapy is to be effective, beneficial and ethical. Clearly the more information that can be gathered regarding the client’s problem, the more the causes can be understood and the better the problem can then be defined and resolved [4]. As well as the initial consultation providing an assessment forum for the therapist, it should be remembered that the client will also make judgements relating to the therapist.