The first kiss : undoing the intake model and igniting first sessions in psychotherapy

Many clients take the first step to see a psychotherapist and do not return after the first session. Why do people disengage so early, when we have so much to offer? One of the key reasons is that we are too focused on conducting an Intake instead of finding a way to Give.We have to find ways to deepen the engagement with our clients right from the first session of therapy.The First Kiss is specifically for the discerning psychotherapist who is willing to challenge the status quo of our profession in the way we conduct our first sessions.At the forefront of coaching psychotherapists and agencies in their professional development, psychologist and trainer Daryl Chow, MA, Ph.D. (Psych) provides compelling applicable ways to increase your impact clients, so as to reduce dropouts and achieve better outcomes.By following the concepts in this book, you will also develop a perennial framework to sustain your lifelong development plan in improving your first sessions and beyond. Copyright Dedication Title Page Synopsis Praise About the Author Lean Back: A Foreword Introduction Infographic Section Introduction to Breaking the Sacred Rules 1. Intake Second (Not First) 2. The Perils of an Intake Model 3. The 4P’s versus The 1P 4. Avoid TBU ("True But Useless") Information 5. Make The Client First 6. Remove the Gatekeeper... 7. ...If You Can’t, Be the Gate Opener. 8. Judge Your Assessment 9. Do The Prep 10. Listen in Order to Question, or Question in Order to Listen? 11. Gifting: Give a Gift 12. Secularise Spirituality 13. Assessing Risk From Both Sides 14. Get Over the Sacred Cow of “Adhering to The Model” Summary of Intake Model vs. Engagement Model SECTION II: INCREASE YOUR IMPACT Introduction to Increasing Your Impact 15. Figure Out Your Client's Circle of Development 16. How Do You Start a First Session? Orient. 17. How Do You Start a First Session? Reveal Yourself 18. How Do You Start a First Session? Regulate In-the-Moment Anxiety 19. “What is Your View of the Problem?” 20. The Goal May be to Figure Out the Goal 21. Define the Lead Story 22. Frame It 23. Gaining Consensus 24. Follow the Pain 25. Follow the Spark 26. What to Expect 27. The Role of Therapist 28. The Role of Client 29. Raising Expectations 30. Sweet Anticipation 31. Exercising Restraint: Tag It 32. Ask “Who?” 33. Past Attempted Solutions 34. Timely Questions 35. Timeless Questions 36. Timely and Timeless Questions? 37. Healing Questions 38. Don’t Just Empathise; Say It. 39. Call to Action 40. Be A “With-ness” 41. How Do You Close A First Session? 42. Don’t Just Ask for Feedback; Give Some. 43. Developing a Visual of Client’s Outcomes Summary of Key Points to Increasing Your Impact SECTION III: BUILDING A CULTURE OF LEARNING Building a Culture of Learning Key Points 44. The Use of Routine Outcome Monitoring (ROM) 45. Why Use Formal Feedback? 46. Deliberate Practice 47. Individualised Learning Objectives 48. A Coach 49. Feedback 50. Successive Refinement 51. Performance Feedback Versus Learning Feedback 52. Eliciting Client Feedback 53. Receiving Client Feedback 54. Now, Let’s Play with Feedback 55. Recording Your First Sessions 56. Why Do We Need to Score Your First Sessions? 57. How Do We Score a First Session? 58. Figure Out Your Circle of Development Summary of Key Points to Building a Culture of Learning Conclusion: Any Old Map Will Do A Gift for You Gratitude Notes on Endnotes Notes