Thursday, March 02, 2006

"Hot Topic is not punk rock!"

Yes, I know that my choice in lyrics is getting as random as my posts...except, well, this post has a purpose.

So I got another referral today (yay! for possibilities). When I spoke to the potential client, the question of what my philosophy behind therapy, came up. Now, I know that I should have a good elevator speech ready (an explanation short enough of what I do that if someone asked in an elevator, I could answer before the next stop). The idea is to be concise and to the point...not too theoretical. But I tend to get overwhelmingly vague when actually faced with this question.

So here's my question to my lovely bloggers - if you were going to go to a therapist for the first time, what would you really want to know about how that therapist works? Would that be different for individual vs. couples therapy?

This will be mighty helpful...

3 comments:

Aravis said...

I want someone who will listen to me and guide me, even challenge me when necessary but who will back off when I really need for them to. Above all else, I need for my therapist to be someone I can trust completely, not only to keep my confidences of course but to not judge me.

Those are the first things to come to mind...

Hyde said...

I would want to know how vocally "opinionated" you get as a therapist-- if you were the silent
"psychoanalysis" kind, or if you did more cognative-behavioral... also, what your views are on medication, etc. I know my friend B does pure psychoanlysis which is TOTALLY different from my therapy and we're always laughing about how each suits our personality. I'd also want to know how long you'd been practicing, what (if any) age group or set of issues you have particular experience with, etc.

-h-

writinginAK said...

I'd also be interested in knowing if you tended toward more simply listening, or were more directive, challenging, etc. And also whether you had experience/expertise in particular areas (e.g. abuse, family conflict, substance abuse issues, grief work, etc. -- as someone who at times is asked to make referrals, it's helpful for me to know therapists who have a lot of experience with grief issues, for examples, or dealing with troubled teenagers).

Happy almost Iditarod start day!!!