How do you start a conversation in therapy? (2023)

How do you start a conversation in therapy?

To start a conversation, you can talk about your daily activities or a particular day you've had. Share something about your life to establish a connection. You can share whatever is pressing your mind at the moment, even if it is unrelated or seems insignificant.

Hi Jane, thanks for coming in today. It's nice to meet you in person. I know it can be nerve-wracking to meet a new therapist, and I'll be asking some personal questions today, so I thank you for taking the step to come in.

How to listen like a therapist: 4 secret skills - YouTube

Reasons you might have nothing to say in therapy

It could mean a lot of things. Having nothing to say doesn't mean that your problems have gone for good. Sometimes you've been working hard through some issues, and your brain needs a break. So it's kind of like the feeling when a computer shuts down for a little while.

Be honest with your therapist about what's on your mind. Let your therapist know how you're feeling, and they'll usually take it from there. (After all, they are trained to ask questions that can help you get to the root of your concerns.)

Therapy can last anywhere from one session to several months or even years. It all depends on what you want and need. Some people come to therapy with a very specific problem they need to solve and might find that one or two sessions is sufficient.

There are a few things that might contribute to this: you may not have developed the level of trust you need to feel safe with the therapist you are working with, you may be fearful of being judged by the therapist, or maybe you are afraid that opening the pain of the past might be too much to handle.

The amount of information you share with a therapist is entirely up to you. After all, you're the client. Still, the more honest you are with your therapist, the better. Giving your therapist a window into your thoughts, feelings, and experiences provides them with context and details, so they can best help you.

What do therapists notice about their clients?

* I notice how their breathing (rapid, slow, holding their breath) and changes in skin color, cheeks get pinker/face gets paler. * I notice facial expressions like smiling, laughing, crying, etc. As a therapist, there are many useful non-verbal messages that can be helpful to better understand your clients.

Parroting is a conversational technique that can be quite effective in therapy. The therapist loosely repeats what the client has just said. The twin goals of this technique are ensuring that the therapist heard what was said correctly, and encouraging the client to further clarify his or her thoughts.

The short answer is that no, not everyone does cry in counseling. However, pretty much everyone who participates in counseling does explore very strong emotions and most clients will experience tears at some point in their therapy journey.

Over the years, I've learned that helping clients understand what is going to happen during their first appointment (often called the “intake session”) can be greatly helpful in putting them at ease and starting our relationship off on a warm and welcoming note.

After working with a client for a significant amount of time, it's common to feel stuck. Typically, this is a result of the client reaching initial goals and both therapist and client needing clarity on how to move forward.

But in reality, all counselors experience discomfort with and dislike of a client at some point in their careers, says Keith Myers, an LPC and ACA member in the Atlanta metro area. “If someone tells you that it does not [happen], they're not being honest with themselves,” he says.

If you feel like you're not making progress or realize you're not ready for therapy, excellent therapists will change your treatment plan, refer you to another provider, suggest an adjunct type of treatment (such as art therapy, medications, acupuncture, yoga, etc.), or be open to pausing therapy while keeping the door ...

This silence gives the client another moment to feel and react to what is happening in the session. Timing and alliance are everything here. If the therapist uses silence without skill or sensitivity, the client may feel this as distance, disinterest, or disengagement (Valle, 2019).

I dont know meaning Im embarrassed/ashamed/afraid to tell you. Frequently as therapists, we inadvertently shame patients shame. That is, if a patient says, Im ashamed, we are often drawn to comfort the experience of feeling ashamed.

If your first few sessions feel awkward, you're not alone. Starting therapy can be especially awkward if you've not been in therapy before. If you feel weird at first when you're talking to your therapist, don't worry. It takes a while to get used to therapy, but you'll eventually get the hang of it.

Will a therapist tell you your diagnosis?

You have specific rights when disclosing your diagnosis as a client receiving therapy. For example, it's your right to ask your therapist to tell you if they believe you have a mental health condition. If you want a diagnosis, you can ask your therapist upfront.

You can say something like: “There is something I'm struggling to move past. I know I need to face it to move forward, but I'm afraid to talk about it. I think I'm afraid I will be judged, or that you will think I'm overreacting.”

At the start of group therapy, you will be asked to introduce yourself and explain your purpose. You do not need to detail or explain your experiences right away, but it is highly encouraged to speak openly. For the less outspoken, it is important to still listen to others and the experiences that they share.

Individual counseling is a one-to-one helping relationship which focuses on a single person's growth, adjustment, and problem-solving and decision-making needs [2]. Group counseling is the routine adjustment or developmental experiences provided in a group setting.

Self-introduction sample to download

It's my pleasure to speak with you. I am (Your Name). Basically, I belong to (City Name). I have been living in (City Name) for (No. of years/months) now.

Another way to end a session gracefully is to reflect and summarize. Reflect the important message in the client's last statement, tie that back into the overall theme(s) of the session or relevant takeaways, and then translate that into a practical action step or question to ponder for the week.

How do you engage members in group therapy?

Therapy can last anywhere from one session to several months or even years. It all depends on what you want and need. Some people come to therapy with a very specific problem they need to solve and might find that one or two sessions is sufficient.

The three major categories of developmental counseling are: Event counseling. Performance counseling. Professional growth counseling.