Table of Contents
How do I start a therapy session?
Greet the client with a smile and, if you feel comfortable, small talk, but keep it very brief. They may have something big on their mind they want to discuss, so avoid distractions by keeping it light and simple. In greeting the client, I make clear I’m glad to see him or her: I smile, look them in the eye and say something such as Good to see you again, Mary, and then a bit of small talk. For example, if during the previous session, s/he had mentioned her dog Woofie, I might ask, How’s Woofie doing? In greeting the client, I make clear I’m glad to see him or her: I smile, look them in the eye and say something such as Good to see you again, Mary, and then a bit of small talk. For example, if during the previous session, s/he had mentioned her dog Woofie, I might ask, How’s Woofie doing? To start a conversation, you can talk about your daily activities or a particular day you’ve had. Share something about your life to establish a connection. You can share whatever is pressing your mind at the moment, even if it is unrelated or seems insignificant. To start a conversation, you can talk about your daily activities or a particular day you’ve had. Share something about your life to establish a connection. You can share whatever is pressing your mind at the moment, even if it is unrelated or seems insignificant.
How should a therapist end a session?
Another way to end a session gracefully is to reflect and summarize. Reflect the important message in the client’s last statement, tie that back into the overall theme(s) of the session or relevant takeaways, and then translate that into a practical action step or question to ponder for the week. Greet the client with a smile and, if you feel comfortable, small talk, but keep it very brief. They may have something big on their mind they want to discuss, so avoid distractions by keeping it light and simple.