The Art of the First Therapy Session

While the average length of clinical treatment is 5 to 8 sessions, most people who are seeking therapy come to a particular therapist only once. Having the right diagnosis and effective treatment approach can mean next to nothing if the therapist fails to connect with the person seeking treatment. The pressure is on in that first session. People need to leave their first session believing they have found the Right Place and the Right Person. And the therapist must make this connection in 60 minutes or less.

In this web conference, Robert Taibbi, LCSW will discuss the essential art of the first therapy session. Drawing on the lessons of sales, with an awareness of the ever-more discerning expectations of people seeking therapy, he will walk participants through the process and goals of the first session. This presentation will examine ways of changing the emotional climate so those seeking therapy feel differently when they walk out of a session than when they walked in. Bob will also define the critical skills clinicians need to stay focused and will outline the three parts of the first session: the opening, the assessment, and the presentation of the treatment plan and next steps.

Clinicians who attend this event will learn how to handle objections, how to use treatment maps to hit the ground running, how to achieve balance with couples and families, and how to recognize and use transference cues with individuals. The idea is to learn what to do, but probably more importantly, what not to do in order to make the first session the best it can be. 

This introductory, instructional level web conference is designed to help clinicians: 

1. Define four ways of changing the emotional climate.
2. Describe the process for countering objections.
3. List the seven goals of the first session.
4. Define four sources of resistance in therapy.
5. Describe five ways of building rapport with new clients.

If you have any questions or concerns about this web conference or would like more information, please contact us here.

Event Reviews from Members

As an experienced therapist, this presentation really helped me conceptualize the first session from a business perspective. - Lisa Shouldice MA, RP, CCP

This presentation had great specific suggestions about how to connect with client/clients in the first session. - Kun-Hong Lu, LISW

​Great techniques for changing the emotional state of clients. - Surinder Harish, MA, LMFT

Continuing Education (CE) Information

Two CE credits will be provided by GoodTherapy.org for attending this web conference in its entirety. GoodTherapy.org is also an Approved Education Provider by NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals (provider #135463). Of the eight counselor skill groups ascribed to by NAADAC, this course is classified within counseling services.

GoodTherapy.org is an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEPTM) and may offer NBCC-approved clock hours for events that meet NBCC requirements.

GoodTherapy.org, provider #1352, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. GoodTherapy.org maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 3/30/2019 – 3/30/2022. Social workers completing this course receive 2 clinical continuing education credits.

GoodTherapy.org is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. GoodTherapy.org maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

GoodTherapy.org, SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #0395.

To receive CE credit hours for an archived event, you will need to complete a survey as well as a 12 or 15-question exam, verifying that you listened to or watched the event in its entirety. Archived CE events generally are considered "homestudy" by licensing boards.

Registration Information

Premium or Pro Membership with GoodTherapy includes access to this web conference at no cost. Not yet a Premium or Pro Member? Mental health professionals can attend this live web conference for $30.95 or access the homestudy recording for $15.50.

If the event is canceled by GoodTherapy, registrants who purchased the event will be notified and the charge for the event will be refunded

If you have any questions or would like information regarding disability accommodations, please contact us.

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