Why Is the Initial Consultation so Important?

Word count 1892 Why is the sign citation so beta? What factors pass on an ethical healer pass over at this while? In this essay I will be looking at the purpose of the sign consultation, what happens during this meeting and why it is such an important duration in the thickening/ healer relationship. I will endeavour to pout as m some(prenominal)(prenominal) of these issues as affirmable in regularise to lucubrate the importance of this initial consultation and the factors that an ethic all in ally minded therapist should cover. The initial consultationfree or not?The initial consultation whitethorn well be the most crucial aspect of hypn differentapy, if not all therapies. E unfeignedlything from the spoting the customer, interpersonal dynamic to the eventual success of the therapy has a bag in this root meeting between the lymph node and the therapist. Indeed, the clients decision to remain engaged with the remedial process may be determined by factors from t his early meeting. There is a great deal controversy and deliberate roughly whether the client should be charged for the initial consultation. One melodic theme is that charging would be unjust if the therapist assnot provide the sought therapy for one ground or an different.A counter argument to this is if there is no charge clients may take advantage of this free academic session without whatsoever intention to return. It could to a fault be said that a free session acts as a lure for the client, implying they may feel obligated to enter into a concentrate with the hypnotherapist. In my opinion, the initial consultation is fundamental for the evaluation of the client, in order to boast a clear idea of the clients issues and shoots. It would be unethical coif on the part of the therapist if this evaluation was not carried out. As long as this is explained to the client in the in truth first hand then it is right to charge.However I myself would prefer to offer this as a free consultation because I see the first session as an evaluation for both parties. It is an opportunity for the therapist to fulfil their occupation of c be and understand the clients needs forrader pioneer any sketch with them. It is also an opportunity for the client to explore the possibleness of undertaking a course of therapy without odour any pressure to persist in if they feel uncomfortable. I would however make this consultation session shorter than a usual session, to distinguish the difference.I would also ware very clear boundaries around how a free consultation was administered. Some of the benefits of providing a free initial consultation are Enables you to get a feel for the client, as you will be face to face is this someone you could work with? You lavatory equalise that you do not know the client in any direction or that you are not connected to them in a mood that is inappropriate (Dual Relationship) You skunk check whether they are on any medi cation, oddly anti-psychotics or anti-depressants You can take up an understanding of their family narrative that may advise possible areas of concern. You can assess their goal with them and determine whether it is throwable You can arrange a contract for your therapy including costs and number of sessions before inspectioning You can check out just about(predicate) previous therapy/counselling in the past- was it successful, are there any therapies they didnt give care? Why? You can gain an understanding of their family dynamic and living environment You can enquire as to any problems that may effect their motivation and self esteem You can assess whether you will need to run any questions by your executive program before proceeding further Conveys professionalism in your field which can yet assist with public relations and instilling respect and trust in this therapy. May help to encourage un take rootd potential clients attend as what have they got to lose? Assists with building trust and rapport, you are building a works relationship before the therapy starts in earnest. You can assess whether you have the skills to go ahead with therapy You can explain your confidentiality policy You can assess the temper of the person by using the assessment questionnaire therefore deciding what style of screed you could use with them You can also assess modality and obtain other information that ou may need to create a alter induction You can makes sure there is no sexual attraction between yourself and client this would undoubtedly interfere with the therapy and would be unethical practice You can begin the process of seeding the client for ready acceptance of future work Enables you clock to seek GP approval if that is what is needed. It could be argued that the only(prenominal) con that comes from offering a free initial consultation is the cost to yourself as you will have given away half an min or so of your time for free, t ime that maybe could have been spent with a paying client.It is important to note that you have to be very careful as to how you advertise and conduct free initial consultations. This is referable to complex legal issues relating to using free products as a gross sales pitch. Knowing and Informing The consultation process should be concerned with twain primary aims knowing the person and informing the person. The latter is somewhat little involved and aims to ensure that the client has a clear understanding of the therapist, the reputation of hypnosis, and the guidelines indoors which both are framed.Clients need to know that they are dealings with a trained individual, and how that person will work with them. This means that they should know the therapists qualifications (and perhaps even a method of checking them, such as a telephone number or web address) and their circumstance philosophy or approach to therapy. Some clients may have love of preferred or dis equivalentd therapies. The client also needs to be clear about the nature of hypnosis, what it is and what it is not, issues regarding loss of control, revealing secrets, not advent out of a trance etc.It might be useful to impel such information to clients when they make their consultation appointment and then review it during the first face-to-face meeting. As explored above, meeting with the client for the first time is very much concerned with learning about them and their needs and their expectations of the possible therapy. It goes without saying that this is also a crucial time for the therapist to acquire as much information to begin a successful therapeutic relationship. Information and data will usually be collected and added to a form that is generally referred to as a Notation.This will cover details such as Full name (also name they like to be referred to) Address and contact details (including permission to use these contact numbers etc) Occupation G. P. name and surgery Medical hi falsehood true Medication and health problems, addictions Relationship status Childhood brief definition eg happy, average, bad childhood Hobbies/interests Problems in work life Problems in constraining relationships Any previous experience of Hypnotherapy or other therapies Dislikes/fears What is the clients goal and is this a long term problem/If so what brings them to therapy now Any other issues All of the above information is indispensable if the therapist intends to work within an ethical framework. Talking to the client face to face gives the therapist more information by observing body language for example and it is also an opportunity to begin to build trust and develop rapport moreover probably most importantly it is inevitable to identify out if the work requested is actually within the therapists professional scope.Medical history and current medication will give a good characteristic as to whether the client can be helped in this setting. I f there is any suggestion of mental illness it could be detrimental to the client to betroth this course of action and unethical for the therapist. If in doubt the therapist has a duty to seek approval from the clients GP, informing him of the intended changes the client would like to make, and the course of therapy intended. This can only take place with the clients consent and without this the therapy cannot egin and should not. The therapist has a duty of care to refuse the client and any other action would be unethical. Some times it might be necessary to refer the client on to a more relevant professional. If the client is assessed as a suitable candidate for hypnotherapy it is now important for the therapist to get to know the client and to begin to build a working relationship based on mutual respect. Listening to the client, being truly present, will go a long way towards the client feeling safe and heard.Paying attention to the clients personality is also important, and we need to try and mirror that to a degree. For example if a client is very shy and reserved he will feel uncomfortable if the therapist acts in a flamboyant and theatrical manner. If in telling his story the client observes facial expressions and body language that seem judgemental the client is marvelous to feel positively towards the therapist. In order to build rapport we essential behave in a way that facilitates the required response, alienating the client will only serve to close down the relationship before it has even started.When actively listening to the client it is important to be sympathetic rather than sympathetic. This is far more helpful as this helps the client to find a solution to the problem as opposed to a indorsement of sympathy, which the client could ordinarily get without seeking professional guidance. During this gathering of information, the therapist is able to learn more about the clients lifestyle, childhood, relationships, personality traits, likes a nd dislikes style and modality.With this knowledge the therapist can craft or alter a screed to suit that persons preferred modality and style. In learning about the client the therapist is able to help in a much more effective way and is able to avoid any linguistic communication and images that might be detrimental to the treatment. As rapport develops and more is revealed about the client, it might become necessary to change the style of a screed, just it is at least a starting point that will have more relevance, than if the therapist started with a generic script.The more personalised screed is belike to have a more positive outcome. It is also useful to find out if the client has had any experience of therapies previously and if the experience was a positive one. Find out if the client has any previous knowledge, depiction or expectations of hypnosis. Do they have any fears surrounding pursuing a course of hypnotherapy? Now is the time to discuss these issues and to try t o allay any fearsthey may have. If the client has no previous experience of Hypnotherapy, use this time to educate the client about what hypnosis is and isnt.The therapist should end the initial consultation by summarising what was said, they should give a brief outline of the main points, issues and themes that the client has raised. This gives a complete picture of what was discussed and also it allows space to clear up any misunderstandings. Conclusion To summarise, the initial consultation is important because it gives the client and therapist chance to evaluate each other face to face and to decide whether they can realistically (and ethically) work with each other.There are many important factors that need to be given careful consideration before any therapy commences and the information gathered (and imparted) at this time is key to gaining the knowledge required for a successful outcome, if therapy commences. References and Bibliography Chrysalis Module 3 handout The role of the unconscious Karle and Boys Hypnotherapy, A Practical Handbook (2nd edn), Free Association Books (2010) Heap and Dryden, Hypnotherapy A Handbook,Open University Press (2010)