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From: Ellen-Marie Silverman
Date: 19 Oct 2012
Time: 10:00:31 -0500
Remote Name: 76.228.192.184
[[sort of sneak your client into a casual interaction with another person? For example maybe a situation where on your way into your therapy room you introduce your client to a coworker who has been instructed to try and start up a conversation with the client.]] >>> Karly, you have grasped the rationale for creating and following a gradient of ease, from easiest circumstance to most challenging. That's good. What I would add at this time is to consider including the client (of every age) directly when establishing the gradient rather than "sneaking" something up on the client, as you put it. I know the therapist has a role and responsibility to help clients change, but I and others believe that is most likely when a client has trust in the clinician to protect him or her first and foremost. Even though it may not be spoken directly, it is said and acted out indirectly in every exchange. And "sneaking" something into a therapy session that may frighten a child (or teen or adult) risks weakening the trust that client has in the therapist to keep him or her from harm and disrupt the clinical relationship. >>> I appreciate your questions seeminly stemming from your desire to be helpful, so I'm going to suggest that you do two things at this point: (1) Reflect on what you think therapy is and what the therapist/clinician's relationship is to a client that helps or impedes the potential that therapy offers to facilitate desired change and (2) Create a theoretical structure for yourself as therapist/clinician within which you present yourself as a facilitator rather than as a Rescuer. Maybe taking a look at a book I wrote and was published in 2009 may help with that and other matters related to working as a therapist. The title is, "Mind Matters. Setting the Stage for Satisfying Clinical Service. A Personal Essay." >>> I've enjoyed dialoging with you, Karly. And if you want to dialogue further, feel free to contact me at tsss920499@aol.com. Best wishes, Ellen-Marie Silverman