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.
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.
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.
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. Costs, expected number of sessions and likelihood of a positive outcome will often also be discussed.”(Code of Ethics) Why is the initial consultation so important? This first meeting between therapist and client is probably the most crucial meeting of the
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.
Student Name: Deborah Hopper Course Code: READI1A 13 Course Tutor: Amreeta Chapman Word Count: 2,173 Essay Title: “Why is the initial consultation so important? What factors will an ethical therapist cover at this time? “Therapists of any kind are in a powerful position” (Heap and Dryden:1991) due to the fact that anyone seeking help will already be in a vulnerable place. It is up to the therapist to ‘help’ that individual and yet protect themselves. Therefore, it is essential for any professional therapist to ensure that they follow a safe and recognised protocol for the protection of all involved.
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).. The initial consultation will also set out the foundations of the relationship between the client and therapist that is hopefully based on trust and understanding so that the client and the therapist both achieve the best results from the therapy (Allen P Roger 2004). During the initial consultation it is important that the client feels comfortable and calm and often the consultation room plays a role in how the client will feel during
In seeing a client for the first time , some hypnotherapists offer a free consultation usually lasting 15 to 30 minutes to get to know the client, You will have to decide whether or not to give your consultation away free, Indeed, the client’s decision to remain engaged with the therapeutic process will be determined by factors from this early stage. The consultation process is concerned with two primary aims; knowing the person and informing the person. The latter is somewhat less involved and aims to ensure that the client has a clear understanding of the therapist, the nature of hypnosis, and the guidelines within which both are framed. the initial consultation is a place for acquiring information ( name and the name by which they like to be known, address, contact details, occupation ,whether they have a partner or children, medication the client is taking, you can see if they have had any other therapies or counselling in the past and what that was for, medical history, family medical history).You also use the time to discuss any fears/questions/misconceptions regarding hypnosis. This is also the place where you would build rapport, look at modalities, induction style, discuss payment, Before gathering all the information you must explain to the client that all their notes will be stored away safely and it will be kept confidential.
For the Hypnotherapist the Initial consultation is really about gathering Information, exploring the client’s history and really deciding ‘can I treat this person?’ So let’s take a look at each aspect of the initial consultation and the how each in term plays itself within this first meeting. The Ethical Factors (Within Initial Consultation) I feel that the primary ethical question that as Hypnotherapist is ‘Should I be treating this person’ Responsible, reputable Hypnotherapists will be able to answer this question once an initial consultation has taken place. Its why asking the right questions which we will look at later plays such an important role, for its only by gathering the correct information that both the client and the hypnotherapist will feel confident to progress to having treatment. Hypnotherapists need to be aware of their limitations of their training and experience and work within these limits and when available take advantage of professional support. In most cases the hypnotherapist will be able to help the client, if not they need to be able to have a system in place where they can refer clients to
Word count 1,883 Why is the initial consultation so important? What factors will an ethical therapist cover at this time? In this essay I will discuss the importance of client consultation, talk about the questions the therapist should ask the client and the ethical reasons and contraindications the therapist should be looking out for. When a person has a specific problem, whether it is a fear or phobia or something they wish to change about themselves, they may consult a hypnotherapist to help them overcome their problem, during hypnotherapy the therapist will address the clients specific needs. But before the therapist can decide the correct route to therapy it is necessary for them to conduct an assessment of the client during the first consultation.