Posted by DaisyM on April 17, 2004, at 15:06:18
In reply to Re: the inconsistent therapist » Dr. Bob, posted by terrics on April 17, 2004, at 12:06:56
I think honesty about being off is really important. I know Therapist don't want their clients having too much information, or even, worrying about them, but if a client senses distraction, they might think, "gee, I'm boring." OR, if clients sense distress, they might think they've caused it. I don't think you can underestimate the level of perception a client develops for their Therapist. Simply saying, "I'm sorry if I'm a little off today, I have a number of personal issues that are crowding our space" makes the Therapist more human.
Additionally, I think another inconsistent factor should be addressed. Most people go to therapy once a week. What happens at their session stays with them until the next session. They mull it over, think about the emotions, what was said, etc. Some sessions are especially intense, with either anger or frustration being expressed. Intellectually, we all know that our Therapists have other clients and their own lives. So it isn't reasonable to expect that the level of emotional intensity can be maintained into the next session. But I think that a Therapist should be very aware what the feelings were like at the end of the session, and at the very least, acknowledge those at the beginning of the next session. Otherwise, the client often feels like they were either over-reacting, misreading things, or both. That isn't to say that the client might not be overreacting. But to just "start fresh" in the next session can sometimes make the client feel like their Therapist doesn't remember what happened from week to week OR doesn't think about them or their sessions at all, except during the allotted time. This can make clients feel devalued and more or less like "just a paycheck".
Just my two cents...
Daisy
poster:DaisyM
thread:337151
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20040409/msgs/337209.html