Check you have the right client
Check you have the right person before you begin your session. There is scope for confusion in busy clinics, but mistakes can occur even in otherwise empty waiting rooms.
Ensure that your client can say stop
Ensure that your client can tell you to stop or to go away. All but the most severely disabled clients should be able communicate these instructions and should be encouraged to do so.
My client won’t do as I say
One of the major challenges to the therapeutic alliance arises when the client fails to follow the therapist’s advice.
Overusing clients’ names can mask inattention
Use of a client’s name to foster engagement may mask flagging concentration and inattention. Using a client’s name sparingly permits more accurate judgement of attention to the conversation or task.
Using clients’ given names uninvited can backfire
Uninvited use of a client’s given name can impede rapport in a number of ways. Moving from a position of formality to informality and intimacy is easier than backtracking.
Manipulative therapists get manipulative clients
“Manipulative” clients may be reacting to overly controlling therapists. Before using such a destructive label, it is worth asking why someone would need to manipulate their therapist if they have agreed common goals.