“Therapy Interruptus and Clinical Practice, Building Client Investment from First Contact through the First Session.” Therapy commences immediately with the very first contact and proceeds through the initial phone intake and the first session. The very first contact is in how the therapist or agency presents oneself or itself to the general community in various forms of outreach, marketing, and self-exposure. The practical and conceptual guidance in this book focus specifically in the first contact by phone and the first session, while giving comparable principles for marketing to potential clients and the community.
Seven keys to create investment in therapy propose a framework to approaching the client: individual, couple, family, or group during the initial contact and the beginning of therapy for the therapist. When the therapist articulates the process of therapy, the client is more likely to gain confidence in the therapist that he or she can fulfill their needs. Conceptualization of therapy suggest language the therapist can use to communicate rapport, expertise, wisdom, and credibility to prospective clients constituting a “selling” or “marketing” of therapy to clients that enables them to attempt the process and more committed clients. Sound clinical practice in the first contact and first session lead to fewer problems with no shows to scheduled sessions and clients dropping therapy prematurely or unexpectedly. Good therapy can be good business as well.
