The First Counselling Session

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The first counselling session It is important that the setting in which the counselling session takes place is therapeutic. The counsellor must provide an ethical and safe space in a private and confidential setting and environment, in order for the client to be productive giving them the ability to open up, focus and discuss their issues and worries. It must be private, without interruption, have tissues in case the client gets upset, have comfortable chairs, be in a quiet environments, have water and plastic cups in case the client needs a drink, have the room at the right temperature; maybe provide a fan or a heater in not, open comfortable space with no clutter; maybe providing plants or pictures of a calming nature, a telephone in case of emergencies and correct lighting. Ensure you have a notepad and pen to write down notes. The first meeting is always an important one and first impressions are lasting impressions. It is important to be on time and friendly. Greet the client warmly by introducing yourself, smile and shake hands and escort them to your office. Offer a chair and a drink of water. Inform the client of the contract between the counsellor and the client and the conditions within this including; the duration of the session, the conditions if the client was late attending appointments, if the client was unable to attend then the counsellor would need 24 hours notice, that confidentiality was limited and the boundaries around this explained, the client would be informed first if an audio recording was required, grievance procedure and the consent to share and protect their personal information. The client is also required to sign the contract to ensure they understand the terms and conditions within this. The boundaries that need to be agreed during the counselling relationship are; appropriate space, the client need to be informed that

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