Psychotherapy. Rules

2024 Author: Harry Day | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 15:43

Psychotherapy is not new for a long time, and in Russia, even in small towns, it has ceased to be something shameful or strange. Meeting with a psychologist is gradually becoming a common practice, as a matter of taking care of physical health. People of all ages and wealth are increasingly willing to spend their time and money on improving the quality of their lives through psychotherapy. There are a huge number of different methods and even more psychotherapists. Therefore, a person who first decided to apply for therapy faces a rather difficult task: without understanding psychology and not knowing how a particular method works, to get the help he came for.

In medicine, the doctor prescribes taking the medicine at a strictly defined time and a strictly defined amount, otherwise the treatment will not work. Likewise, meetings with a psychotherapist must obey certain rules, otherwise the therapy may not bring the expected benefits or even harm the client. It is these rules, along with the qualifications of the therapist and the efforts of the client, that are the pledge and guarantee of obtaining the desired result.

These are the rules that I personally use in my work. They are quite standard, but in nuances they can vary depending on the method of work and the habits of the therapist himself. Each of them applies equally to both the client and the therapist:

1. Rule of Confidentiality

Everything that happens in the office (during video communication) remains there. In particular, the therapist has no right to ever tell anyone about the client, what is happening between them and what they are talking about. The client has the right to tell anyone and anytime, about anything, at will. If the client and the therapist meet on the street, then it will depend on the client what happens: if the client recognizes the therapist and greets, then the therapist will do the same.

Psychotherapy only works if there is trust and security, and they grow out of confidentiality as well. Even in a casual meeting, the therapist is limited by the confidentiality rule and has no right to demonstrate their relationship without the client's consent. Any professional respects personal information and will never risk a client's trust.

2. The rule is not allowed

You cannot beat people in my office; movable and immovable property must not be broken; you cannot "go out" out of the window; you cannot leave before the official end of the meeting; you can not use psychoactive substances during the meeting; it is strongly discouraged to use psychoactive substances for a certain time before the meeting (with the exception of drugs officially prescribed by a doctor, about which I need to be notified).

The rules of behavior and the boundaries of what is permitted also provide security, without which the process of psychotherapy will not even begin. In the premises of a self-respecting professional, there are always rules for protecting personal safety and the integrity of the space.

3. Stop rule

In any situation, at any moment, you can say stop. If something unpleasant, strange, bad or inappropriate happens, you can and should disagree and stop what is happening.

This rule also ensures the safety and comfort of the process. A professional is always respectful and attentive to the boundaries and inner world of his client and will never force to do anything or force him to endure.

4. Rule of Questions

In any situation, at any moment, you can ask anything. If it is not clear, there are doubts, suspicions, or you just need to ask again.

The better the client and the therapist understand each other, the more efficiently the work goes, the faster the result will be achieved. A professional confident in his professional knowledge and skills will only be happy with the client's questions, since this is an indicator of interest in the process and an opportunity to improve work efficiency.

5. Rule of 24 hours

In the 24 hours before and during the 24 hours after the appointment with the therapist, it is not necessary to make important decisions affecting life.

During a psychotherapeutic meeting, changes can occur in the psyche, and various strong feelings (such as anger, fear, helplessness, etc.) can be released, which can lead to acute conditions that are not characteristic of the client in ordinary life. If you make decisions in this state, then you can easily make mistakes or "break wood". A qualified specialist understands these features and therefore will not require immediate action from the client after the meeting.

6. The rule of being late

The client has the right to dispose of the meeting time as he sees fit.

In a sense, the client pays not so much for the "psychotherapy" service as for the time spent with a professional (like, for example, a lawyer with an hourly fee). If the client chooses to use not all of the paid time, but only part of it (late, forgot, need to leave early, etc.) - he has the right to do so. However, the cost of the work time of a self-respecting psychotherapist cannot in any way change from the client's desire to fully or only partially use this time for himself.

7. Transfer Rule

An appointment can be rescheduled within the same working week.

In life, different events can occur and it is normal if the client is forced or simply wants to reschedule the meeting for his own convenience. Appointments that are rescheduled to the next working week are considered canceled.

8. Cancellation Rule

An appointment can be canceled by notifying in advance. If canceled less than 24 hours before the meeting (for any reason), the client is obliged to pay 100% of the cost of the meeting in full. In the absence of a warning (for any reason), the meeting is automatically canceled in less than a day and the client undertakes to pay 100% of the cost of this meeting.

In the process of psychotherapy, the client's psychological defenses and resistance are activated. This can be expressed in a conscious or unconscious unwillingness to come to a meeting. This rule protects the client from his own psychic defenses, since only in therapy can they be overcome, and for this you need to be at the meeting. A professional working for the benefit of the client will encourage the client's meeting and interaction with his psychological defenses.

9. Rule of Completion

The client has the right to complete the therapy at any time under two conditions: first, the desire to complete the therapy must be announced at the meeting; secondly, for the correct and safe completion of psychotherapeutic work, 1 to 3 meetings are required and the client undertakes to come to these meetings.

Psychological defenses and habitual mechanisms of the client's psyche are often expressed in the form of avoidance of therapy, since the familiar is always preferable. To overcome these mechanisms and achieve results, you need to work with them. This rule gives a chance to work out these mechanisms and take the client to another level. Any self-respecting professional understands the importance of working with defense mechanisms and therefore will not just let the client go from therapy. At the same time, the therapist is also aware of the importance of consolidating the result, therefore, if the request is achieved, he is ready to end the relationship with respect, accuracy and benefit for the client on demand.