"Why Is the Inital Consultation so Important? What Factors Will an Ethical Therapist Cover at This Time?

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“Why is the initial consultation so important? What factors will an ethical therapist cover at this time? The initial consultation is probably one of the most crucial aspects in counselling and hypnotherapy. This is because it can determine the dynamics involved in, and the eventual success of, the ensuing therapy sessions. This essay will determine the reasons why this preliminary meeting, discussion and assessment is so important and will discuss the factors that an ethical therapist will cover during that time. It must be noted that since 2008, there has been a widely recognised National Code of Ethics for the hypnotherapy profession in the United Kingdom, set up by the General Hypnotherapy Standards Council. This code covers all interactions between registered hypnotherapists and their clients, other healthcare professionals, and their professional bodies. The initial consultation can be a very powerful tool for both the client and the therapist. First impressions will be formed during the initial conversation between the two. It is where the client can talk about themselves, but can also learn about the hypnotherapist, thereby leading both parties to decide whether counselling and hypnotherapy is the right course of action. It must be noted, that for the purpose of this essay the topics discussed are listed in a regimented order. However, in practice the conversation would be much more fluid, and as long as all the relevant information was gathered and discussed, it would not matter in which order these factors were covered. A vast amount of information must be gathered during this meeting, as well as other matters such as housekeeping (fire exits etc) and other safety issues covered. Firstly, the client’s full name must be ascertained. This may sound obvious, but some people may be known by a name other than their first name. Similarly, many

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