Why is the Initial Consultation so Important? What factors will an ethical therapist cover at this time? The initial Consultation is important because it will give a chance for the hypnotherapist to meet the client face to face, and look for indications of the physical condition which may underline a substantial psychological problem. There is a vast amount of information to obtain on the patient in question. This information will aid the hypnotherapist in building a rapport with the patient; also allow a connection trust to be formed.
It is the most important meeting and these issues addressed should be of benefit to both parties. I will, in this essay, discuss and explain what should happen during the meeting and highlight some of the ethical issues. This initial meeting is also to ascertain personal circumstance and the communication and understanding between client and therapist. The initial consultation is to find out why the client feels he/she needs therapy and to establish a rapport. As it is the first meeting it is good to determine the continuing relationship which will progress during the therapy.
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.
ESSAY Building rapport is often considered one of the most important aspects of a hypnotherapists work, discuss Building rapport with your client begins the instant you meet them. We all know about first impressions and how they shape what someone thinks about us but in terms of a therapist/client relationship there are no second chances at the first impression. If you are to successfully build rapport between you and your client then you must be aware of and address any initial obstacles that could hinder the rapport building process, for example the therapist must ask themselves questions such as ‘’am I dressed appropriately?” If the therapist is dressed in a sharp black suit for instance, then this would portray power (we have all come across the term ‘power dressing’) and the client would feel immediately intimidated. To facilitate the building of rapport the therapist’s aim would be to make the client feel equal. In the same respect, how we conduct ourselves as therapist is also key to this.
Treatment planning provides a road map for the counseling process (Erford, 2010). Assessment and diagnosis play the most important role in case conceptualization and treatment planning because it allows the professional counselor to gain a better understanding about the client’s issues and needs. Professional counselors’ assessment involves intake interviews, test and inventories, behavioral observations and relevant information from other sources (Barlow & Durand, 2003; Nystul, 2006). According to Erford (2010) the assessment process helps the professional counselor put together a diagnosis and set up a treatment plan. Professional counselors also need to consider how issues such as race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, socioeconomic status, family structure, trauma, and sexual and gender orientation affect a client’s presenting concerns and what impact these variables have on the acceptability of , and the access to, counseling (Erford, 2010).
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
Just the same as any other situation first impressions at this point are vitally important. First impressions and opinions about a person and their surroundings are drawn upon first meetings and to be able to build a good relationship and rapport with a client it is important that these impressions of the therapist to the client and vice versa are good ones. It is important that the environment that the client is entering for therapy is positive and welcoming while still being professional there are a number of factors as a therapist that you need to consider here. Firstly the layout of the room should be carefully thought of, generally the set up should consist of two slightly off facing upright chairs to carry out consultations and talking therapies as well as an additional reclining chair for hypnotherapy sessions. The decor of the therapy room also plays a major role although there needs to be a warm and calming presence about the room too much decor can distracted from the therapy and will not improve the sessions being carried out.
The initial consultation can be a very powerful tool for both the client and the hypnotherapist (Allen P Roger 2004). First impressions will be formed during the initial conversation between the client and the hypnotherapist. It is where the client can tell the hypnotherapist about themselves and can also learn about the hypnotherapist therefore leading the client to decide whether hypnotherapy is the right cause of action for them. Potential clients may be hesitant, nervous, and or sceptical about the idea of hypnosis (Allen P Roger 2004). They may have certain preconceptions of hypnotism from how it is often portrayed in the media and for entertainment purposes etc and so the initial consultation enables the therapist to walk the client through the processes involved in hypnotherapy and to explain how it can help the client and hopefully alleviate any fears that the client may have so that the client feels comfortable and safe (Allen P Roger 2004)..
It is at this meeting that we form our first impressions of people, and they of us. In the therapeutic environment, this is certainly the case, as there are many facets to the interaction that will direct future therapy, if indeed the therapist believes the patient is suitable for therapy, it will help build rapport thus assisting the effectiveness of the therapy, and the willingness of the client to ‘buy in to’ the therapeutic program. ‘Ethical’ can be defined as ‘following, or acting within a defined code which may be personal, moral, or societal’ (Oxford English Dictionary) It is “principled, decent, proper, just honourable, and upright”. Put simply, an ethical therapist will put the client, their health and well-being and their best interests first at all times, operating with Integrity and Impartiality throughout. Why is the initial consultation so important?
In this assignment I will be looking at the importance of communication and understanding between client and practitioner and the collation of the information obtained. “The key purpose of the initial assessment is to identify the issue and decide if it is within the sphere of competence of the therapist. If the problem is of a medical or psychotic nature for example then unless the hypnotherapist is suitably qualified the correct action is to refer the client to a doctor or psychiatrist. This is often stated explicitly in the code of conduct or ethics of the hypnotherapist's governing body. Secondly, the therapist and client forge what is called the Therapeutic Alliance, an agreement on the desired outcome and how they will work in partnership to overcome it.