Before You See Your First Client: 55 Things Counselors, Therapists and Human Service Providers Need to Know
Before You See Your First Client begins where courses, workshops, training seminars, and textbooks leave off, providing a candid behind-the-scenes look at the fields of therapy, counseling and human services. In a reader-friendly and accessible style, Dr. Howard Rosenthal offers his readers 55 useful and practical ideas for the implementation, improvement, and expansion of one's mental health practice. Based on the author's own personal experiences, the book is written in an intimate and...
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Before You See Your First Client begins where courses, workshops, training seminars, and textbooks leave off, providing a candid behind-the-scenes look at the fields of therapy, counseling and human services. In a reader-friendly and accessible style, Dr. Howard Rosenthal offers his readers 55 useful and practical ideas for the implementation, improvement, and expansion of one's mental health practice. Based on the author's own personal experiences, the book is written in an intimate and personal style to which inexperienced and beginning therapists can easily relate.
1Join forces with a psychiatrist to open a risk-free private practice12Don't become married to a single referral source53Accept the fact that salaries in this field are often unfair74It pays to be assertive when you're shopping for your salary95Managed care panels often slam the door in your face116Managed care firms dictate who, when, and how137The multicultural diversity secret : you can work with a wider range of people than you think178Never give any client information without a signed release-of-information form199You must use a DSM or ICD diagnosis to secure third-party payments2110The insurance superbill must have your name as the provider2311Lecturing may not flood your waiting room with clients2512Referrals received do not determine how many new clients you actually see2713Managed care companies discriminate against some counseling and psychotherapy theories2914Refer severely distributed clients for a medical or psychiatric evaluation3115Find out whether the psychological and psycho-educational test reports you receive are individualized3316Don't be misled by clients who initially put you on a pedestal3717Most professional certifications won't help you secure insurance payments3918Don't use paradoxical interventions with suicidal and homicidal clients4119Conduct a suicide assessment of each initial client4320Don't try to clone your favorite therapist4521When in doubt, use a person-centered response4722Read ethical guidelines before you even so much as hug a client4923Don't rush to therapeutic judgment until you get all the facts5324The number one therapeutic blunder : confronting sooner than later5525You are not a failure if you don't land your dream job5726Your supervisor's knowledge and experience should not be underestimated5927Use verbiage your client will understand6328Be a better helper by networking with others in the field6529Grandfathering : the fast track for snaring licenses and certifications6730Use free advertising to build your agency or practice7131Helpers are mandated child-abuse reporters7532Beyond confidentiality : professional counselors and therapists have a duty to warn7733If you want to work in a public school, contact the Department of Education7934Don't let a day from hell in court lower your professional self-esteem8135Save your course catalogs to invest in your future8536Enhance sessions by adjusting group treatment exercises and using small talk8737If a client was disappointed with the previous helper find out why9338Use caution when considering the "in" diagnosis9739Don't go into this field to recount old war stories about your own recovery10140Don't become married to a single system of psychotherapy10541Be enthusiastic if you want to be a better workshop presenter10742Don't try to clone your favorite mental health lecturer10943If a client you have been seeing for an extended period of time requests marriage, family or couples therapy, consider a referral to another therapist11144Be prepared to change therapeutic strategies at a moment's notice11345Documentation : the royal road to promotion11546Avoid dual relationships like the plague11747Insider tips for a good cover letter and human service resume12148If you are daydreaming, your client will perceive you as an uninterested helper12549Pick a theory of intervention and a job your believe in12750Despite the pitfalls, make friends with the media to promote yourself and your agency13151Writing a book or starting a project? : ask your agency first13752Your employment and credentials determine what you pay for malpractice insurance13953Private practice is not a panacea for everything that ails you14354Steer clear of false memory syndrome14955Create an emotional trophy closet to help you through a bad day151
