Psychologists and therapists of different directions to determine the duration of the meeting on the basis of different factors. Often session (consultation) lasts for 1 hour, some experts put the limit of 50 minutes. Sometimes practiced double or extended time, for example, for a deeper intensive study of a particular topic in a lengthy therapeutic process, or Vice versa, on the very first meeting with a client. Rarer other options of duration of such meetings, but in most cases the time frame is pre-determined and these boundaries the client is previously aware.
different watches are located in the counselor's office. Some specifically put or hang the extra hours in front of the client so it can independently monitor and thus to regulate the course of the session, for example, choosing the most relevant topics and not going into unnecessary ranting (at least, if the client ignores the timing, this may be a topic for discussion).
Other physicians, by contrast, is set only watch for themselves, usually hanging them behind the client chair, thus saving the client from having self-control, encouraging it to greater confidence and contributing to the dip in the “trance” state.
very sensitive to the details of professionals will be able to get or to take additional hours depending on which client now come to the next meeting: “limitless”, prone to “capture” of personal space, or Vice versa, disturbing, controlling who needs to relax and let go of the constant striving to keep the situation in their hands.
no matter How organized a meeting specialist, in any approach, and any environment is the time of completion. Here too, behave differently. The therapist may stop the session exactly after 50 (or 60) minutes, even if the client did not finish some monologue or do not have time to gather my thoughts to answer the question. In such a strict enforcement of the borders has its own meaning, beyond the obvious need in the short pause before the arrival of the next customer.
Professionals who adhere to such a strict temporal setting, note that therefore, the client, first, faced with a “cruel” reality and experiencing the frustration of helpful: the therapist is not a good friend or “good mother” and the client is adult a man who lives his life alone and should not fall into the illusion of shifting responsibility to someone else. The feelings that one experiences in a purely business approach, could be a valuable topic for discussion at the next meeting. Second, some therapists see the benefit to the client out of their office in the state of immersion in own inner world and had the opportunity of a new awareness, when faced with the external world.
How precisely this controversial condition causes a smoother completion of the sessions for other therapists (or, in some cases). Many experts warn about the ending time for about five minutes and, with it, ask questions about the current status of the client and about the benefits of the meeting for him. Sometimes, if the legal time has expired, and the outcome of the session is not connected, the therapist extends the time for a few more minutes to let the psyche of the client to navigate to “shut down”, prepare to exit the safe therapeutic space in an ordinary life. Regular analysis and evaluation of the session also contributes to the attribution of responsibility for the done client work.
special attention, in my opinion deserves a moment of farewell, when the client and the therapist get up, approach the door and utter the last words for the meeting. Thanks to transposition (we no longer sit in chairs opposite each other, and this change may unconsciously be perceived as a partial way of roles), but also influenced by the fact that this moment is the last and the next opportunity to talk are now only a week later, customers often say in these moments what is not said during the session, and as if in passing. Ask questions, casually mention any dream or event in the week.
Here the therapist can also behave in different ways: to listen in silence, not supporting the dialogue; to say something like “let's discuss next time”; to give a short answer and so on. Much depends here not only on professional ground, but also banal a limited time (hourly rental of office or arrival of the next customer exclude the possibility of delay, even for five minutes).
However, personally I find it very interesting how the customer fills in the pause between what rises from the chair and out the door. Says he or she meaningless phrases just to remove the awkwardness of silence – about the weather, transport and the like? Or, for example, asks an important question, which seemed inappropriate in the context of the “official” 50-minute dialogue? These issues often relate to relatives, partners or friends of the client, as if the implication here is that once the issue of “not me”, then it is appropriate to ask in these “empty” minutes, which are not included in paid “time for me” (that's one interpretation that I can think of).
But sometimes on the threshold of the subjects which, it would seem that the location was in session. The contents and the reasons why people decided to bring the issue of “bracketing” is often an important or even key information that deserves to intently looking closer to it at the next meeting, of course. Very likely the reason important topic was announced only a few seconds before the exit door (or in the last minutes of the session) is the fear to touch the painful sensitive area. It may be due to the fact that the mind performs a sort of check: kind of wanting to discuss a question, a customer at the same time protects and hides it, "the wounded place," not daring to speak and touch him long and thoroughly.
Sometimes it happens that during the session something in the perception and status of the client changes so much that at the moment of farewell he/she makes an important confession about his hidden feelings, fears, hopes, associated with as, in General, the therapy or our relationship with him. Such words for me are sometimes like a metaphorical gem of inner peace, which also tells me people like leaving me something good-bye. Of course, this is only my subjective perception, and at the next session I can offer to discuss these words, or actions, to find out what they meant for the client.
Half-joking comments in the doorway, distinguished by its more informal tone than communication in the framework of the session, give a lot of information about what is happening between me and the client. There can be so many different variants and interpretations that will not even begin to describe them.
happened more than once that the client himself notes that “relaxed” and “talked” to the end of the session and is interested in the possibility of increasing standard time – for example, that was always 1.5 hours. My experience is that the effect of the last minute (“just remembered, Obuasi!”) works regardless of the duration of the meeting, as it is associated not with lack of time, namely the time of completion. For some reason to step away from the door becomes suddenly possible to say or to remember something that never came or seemed inappropriate during the session. I think such cases the chance of catching useful “fish” from the unconscious, revealing his protection, who worked hard while we were sitting in their chairs; and kept ready near the door of the Cabinet invisible therapeutic “net”)
I appreciate your opinions and stories about the cases or their own therapy in the comments.
!
