Why Is the Initial Consultation so Important?

rule book count 1892 Why is the initial consultation so important? What factors lead an ethical healer cover at this date? In this examine I testament be looking at the purpose of the initial consultation, what happens during this meeting and why it is such(prenominal) an important time in the lymph gland/therapist kind. I go out endeavour to cover as more of these issues as possible in order to illustrate the importance of this initial consultation and the factors that an ethically minded therapist should cover. The initial consultation b ar(a) or non?The initial consultation may well be the approximately crucial aspect of hypnotherapy, if not all therapies. Everything from the keen the knob, social high-power to the eventual success of the therapy has a basis in this premier meeting between the guest and the therapist. Indeed, the invitees decision to appease engaged with the therapeutic process may be de preconditionined by factors from this early meeting. Th ere is some(prenominal) controversy and debate around whether the guest should be charged for the initial consultation. One thought is that charging would be below the belt if the therapist contributenot provide the sought therapy for one reason or another.A reappearance argument to this is if there is no charge guests may take wages of this un quitze session with erupt either intention to return. It could in addition be utter that a free session acts as a lure for the lymph node, implying they may feel obligated to enter into a contract with the hypnotherapist. In my opinion, the initial consultation is funda moral for the military rating of the client, in order to have a clear idea of the clients issues and needs. It would be unethical practise on the part of the therapist if this evaluation was not carried out. As hanker as this is explained to the client in the very first contact thusly it is right to charge.However I myself would prefer to offer this as a free con sultation beca subprogram I see the first session as an evaluation for both parties. It is an opportunity for the therapist to fulfil their affair of care and apprehend the clients needs before undertaking any deform with them. It is also an opportunity for the client to explore the possibility of undertaking a course of therapy without feeling any pressure to continue if they feel uncomfortable. I would however make this consultation session shorter than a usual session, to sleep with the difference.I would also have 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 nervus facialis gesture to face is this someone you could work with? You earth-c draw backt check that you do not be the client in any way or that you are not connected to them in a way that is inappropriate (Dual Relationship) You behind check whether they are on a ny practice of medicine, particularly anti-psychotics or anti-depressants You fag end gain an understanding of their family history that may indicate possible areas of concern. You bunghole assess their goal with them and determine whether it is obtainable You can arrange a contract for your therapy including costs and number of sessions before reviewing You can find out roughly old therapy/counselling in the past- was it fortunate, are there any therapies they didnt like? 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 supervisor before effect further Conveys professionalism in your field which can yet assist with world relations and instilling respect and trust in this therapy. May serve up to encourage undecided potential clients attend as what have they got to lose? Assists with b uilding trust and rapport, you are building a working relationship before the therapy starts in earnest. You can assess whether you have the skills to go leading with therapy You can explain your confidentiality policy You can assess the soulality 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 culture that ou may need to create a personalised induction You can makes sure there is no sexual attr follow out between yourself and client this would undoubtedly interfere with the therapy and would be unethical practice You can take up the process of seeding the client for ready acceptance of future work Enables you time to search GP approval if that is what is needed. It could be argued that the only con that comes from crack a free initial consultation is the cost to yourself as you will have buckle undern away half an hour or so of your time for free, time t hat maybe could have been spent with a give 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 due to complex wakeless issues relating to using free products as a sales pitch. Knowing and making known The consultation process should be concerned with two primary aims knowing the person and informing the person. The latter is somewhat less involved and aims to look that the client has a clear understanding of the therapist, the nature of hypnosis, and the guidelines within which both are framed.Clients need to know that they are dealing with a deft 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 particular philosophy or approach to therapy. Some clients may have experience of preferred or disliked 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 coming out of a trance etc.It might be useful to send such cultivation to clients when they make their consultation appointment and then review it during the first personal meeting. As explored supra, meeting with the client for the first time is very lots concerned with adopting 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 gather as much information to depress a successful therapeutic relationship. Information and entropy 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) finish and contact details (including permission to use these contact numbers etc) task G. P. name and surgery Medical history current Medication and wellness problems, addictions Relationship status Childhood brief description eg happy, average, bad puerility Hobbies/interests Problems in work life Problems in close 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 required 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 but probably most importantly it is necessary to find out if the work requested is genuinely within the therapists professional scope.Medical history and current medication will give a good indication as to whether the client can be helped in this setting. If there is any suggestion of mental illness it could be detrimental to the client to pursue 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 outfitable candidate for hypnotherapy it is now important for the therapist to get to know the client and to begin to build a working relationship ground on mutual respect. Listening to the client, being truly present, will go a long way towards the client feeling safe and heard.Paying maintenance 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 taciturn 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 unlikely to feel positively towards the therapist. In order to build rapport we must 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 empathic rather than sympathetic. This is farther more helpful as this helps the client to find a ascendant to the problem as opposed to a moment of sympathy, which the client could unremarkably 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 and dislikes style and modality.With this association the therapist can craft or adapt 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 in force(p) way and is able to avoid any words and images that might be detrimental to the treatment. As rapport develops and more is revealed about the client, it might deform necessary to change the style of a screed, but 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 likely 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. determine out if the client has any previous knowledge, exposure or expectations of hypnosis. Do they have any fears surrounding pursuing a course of hypnotherapy? promptly is the time to discuss these issues and to try to allay any fearsthey may have. If the client has no previous experience of Hyp notherapy, 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 murder picture of what was discussed and also it allows space to clear up any misunderstandings. mop up To summarise, the initial consultation is important because it gives the client and therapist chance to prise 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 collect (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 Subconscious Karle and Boys Hypnotherapy, A practical Handbook (2nd edn), Free Association Books (2010) Heap and Dryden, Hypnotherapy A Handbook,Open University Press (2010)