Ирина Архипова – English for Psychotherapy and Counselling: Handbook. Английский для психотерапии и консультирования: практическое руководство (страница 13)
3. Explaining the Therapy Process
Sample language:
• “Our sessions will last 50 minutes, and most people find weekly sessions work well at first”.
• “Therapy is a collaborative process. We’ll work together to identify your goals and figure out the best approach”.
• “My role is to listen, ask questions, offer different perspectives, and teach you tools and strategies that might help”.
• “Your role is to be as open and honest as you feel comfortable being, and to let me know if something isn’t working for you”.
• “I should mention that therapy can sometimes be uncomfortable. When we discuss difficult experiences or emotions, it can bring up challenging feelings. This is often a normal part of the process”.
4. Discussing Boundaries
Sample language:
• “Our sessions will take place here at this office, at the same time each week if that works for you”.
• “If you need to contact me between sessions, you can call the office and leave a message. I typically return calls within 24 hours”.
• “For emergencies, I’ll give you information about who to contact”.
• “Our relationship is a professional one, which means we won’t have contact outside of these sessions beyond what’s necessary for your treatment”.
5. Collaborative Goal-Setting
Sample language:
• “What would you like to achieve through our work together?
• “If therapy is successful, what will be different in your life?”
• “What would you like to focus on first?”
• “These goals will help guide our work and help us track your progress”.
6. Checking for Understanding and Comfort
Throughout the session:
• “Does that make sense?”
• “Do you have any questions about what I’ve explained?”
• “How are you feeling about what we’ve discussed so far?”
• “Is there anything you’d like me to clarify?”
7. Closing the Session
Sample language:
• “We’re coming to the end of our time today. Let me summarize what we’ve discussed…”
• “I want to acknowledge that it takes courage to come to therapy, and I appreciate you sharing with me today”.
• “How are you feeling about our conversation today?”
• “Let’s schedule our next session. Does the same time next week work for you?”
• “If anything urgent comes up before then, please call the office”.
Practice Exercises
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Exercise 1: Explaining Confidentiality
Write a short explanation of confidentiality and its limits that you would give to a new client. Include:
• The general principle of confidentiality
• Why it’s important
• The specific limits
• An invitation for questions
Exercise 2: Responding to Client Questions
How would you respond to these client questions?
1. “Will you tell my family what we talk about?”
2. “What happens if I tell you I’m thinking about hurting myself?”
3. “Can we be friends on social media?”
4. “Can I text you between sessions?”
5. “How long will I need to be in therapy?”
6. “What if therapy doesn’t help?”
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Exercise 3: Building Your Own Script
Create your own introduction for the first session. Include:
• Greeting and creating comfort
• Brief overview of what will happen in the session
• Explanation of confidentiality
• Description of the therapy process
• Invitation to share what brings them to therapy
Practice your script with a partner, then get feedback.
Exercise 4: Role Play
In pairs, practice a first session. One person is the therapist, one is the client.
Therapist tasks:
• Create a welcoming environment
• Explain informed consent and confidentiality
• Use open-ended questions
• Practise active listening
• Build rapport