Posted by mair on December 3, 2004, at 22:48:08
In reply to Re: Babble Guide to Therapists: Do's and Don'ts, posted by multitask on December 3, 2004, at 11:34:14
Back on the issue of procedures - take the initiative to change or reiterate or clarify them when it's necessary. I went for ever thinking it wasn't ok to ever call my T at home when she was thinking the whole time that I understood that I could.
Don't jump in too quickly to bail out a client who's struggling over what to say.
Don't finish your patient's sentences - my T does sometimes because she's either taking pity on me for struggling so much or she's impatient waiting for me to finish - I wouldn't mind so much except she very frequently supplies the wrong ending to my unfinished sentence. It makes me feel that she really doesn't understand.
This is tough, but don't always supply the rational counterpoint to a client in distress. Sometimes I don't want her to help me process my misery, but just to share it.
I also agree that it's preferable to acknowledge a patient you run into outside of the office. You don't need to stop for conversation necessarily, but the acknowledgement part is important.
Mair
poster:mair
thread:420851
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20041203/msgs/424193.html