</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Flowerb said:
So when a therapist decides "this isn't in your best interest" - they also need to own that it likely isn't in theirs either - meaning it is outside their comfort zone or more about themselves sometimes....

Life is ever changing and change is always hard. And life changes for Ts as much or as often as it changes for clients. I think it is easier and perhaps slightly less painful if everyone acknowledges this, discusses it and approaches decisions as a team. Then the power is somewhat balanced.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">Flowerb, I really agree with this. If my T were going to change policy on something, I would want to know the true reason, and I would be very understanding if he said to me, "I just can't do X for my clients anymore. It is a hard time in my life, and right now I need to confine my therapy to the office," or something similar. But if he hid that reason and said "I am doing this for your own good" and it just didn't add up, I would be bewildered and feel a rupture due to the lack of truthfulness I might be able to perceive. Or I would feel OK if he laid it on the table and said, "look here's the problem, how can we solve it? I'm thinking you are ready for more independence. What do you think?" The team approach works well for me and helps build rapport, trust, etc. I think a lot of Ts do it this way, but I also think when it seems they don't, that sometimes it is poor communication that is hampering things, and that making sure the client really understands is key. (So many times I read here on PC, well maybe T thinks this or maybe he did that for this reason, or maybe maybe maybe.... It is very reassuring to have clarity, and it can take client courage to ask for it.) Good post, Flowerb.