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.
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.
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)..
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.
“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.
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).
Whether as a counselor first and then within their specialization, or by specialization with the appellation of counselor only coming after and how this self identification affects their professional identity and collaboration with other professionals within their scope such as psychologists and social workers. (Mellin, Hunt, & Nichols,
To be able to discuss this subject it is important to describe first what we mean when discussing PCT, Person - Centred Therapy, also known as client-centered, non-directive, or Rogerian therapy, this is an approach to counselling and psychotherapy that places much of the responsibility for the treatment process on the client, with therapist taking a non-directive role. Person centred therapy emphasises person to person relationship between the therapist and client and focuses on the client's point of view; through active listening the therapist tries to understand the client's present issues and emotions. In person centered therapy the client determines the direction, course, speed and length of the treatment, and the therapist helps increase the client's insight and self understanding. Rodgers was born in rural Illinois in 1902. A shy and quiet child, he went to the university of Winconsin to study agriculture.
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.
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.