[Steven_Guinness]

Hi everyone,

I am currently writing a novel, and I am about to write a scene where one of my character's visits a psychologist. But there is one thing I am unsure about, and that is how the psychologist and client talk to each other. How formal or informal should it be? Is it okay for the client to call the psychologist by his or her first name, and vice versa?

Any help would be great. Thanks.

any psychologist or psychiatrist that I have been to for the first time has introduced themselves as "Dr. Timbucktu" when that happens its expected the DR wants to be called his/her official name. With those that I have been with longer they eventually use their first name for example on my answering machine - "hi this is Tom Timbucktu and I am calling to reschedule our appointment" that tells me it is now ok to use first name basis because he has referred to himself by first name instead of official title.

[jennie]

ever seen a movie with a patient at a counseling session?

try watching any/all of these movies for ideas:
*** GOOD WILL HUNTING
*** KPAX
*** PRINCE OF TIDES
*** ANTWONE FISHER
NUTS
MR JONES
DON JUAN DEMARKO
WHAT ABOUT BOB

[(JD)]

did you leave the one about the mafia boss out on purpose? hehehe "hit the pillow" Well, I hope that's not the only reason you came to PC... but it's good you were upfront about your reason for asking.

It's all up to the therapist and the patient.. who is called what (client?) and up to the style of therapy the T engages in as to whether they are direct or not... You're writing the book... make the way you want.

[JustBen]

It varies from therapist to therapist. It would be hard to miss the mark here, I think.

[gardenergirl]

You could always try doing research on this by seeing a therapist for a few visits. It can be scary, but it would give you first hand experience with one style.

gg

[Hopefull]

I don't know about anyone else. But, I never called Dr Ackerly by any name. I suspect that the proper form of address was Dr Ackerly because I don't even remember a first name. However, I still run into this problem. I have been thinking about asking what is the proper way of addressing my new T (masters in social work, licensed clinical social worker). A psychologist/client relationship is strange because he kind a sorta out ranks you. However, it is treated almost like a partnership because only you can do a lot of the actual work. So, I suspect that it might depend on the individual psychologist/therapist.
I think it might be good to have the client actually ask what is appropriate. I mean I am not very good at figuring that out myself and I am studying to become an addiction counselor. It may also depend the theoretical background of the individual therapist. Psychoanalysis/psychodynamic (Sigmund Freud) would probably want to be addressed as Dr. However, I suspect that client-centered therapists might prefer to use a first name. Maybe the therapist might even say "Whatever you are most comfortable with." I could see that. I mean had it come up with Dr Ackerly, I suspect I probably would have just said, Dr Ackerly because most of my teachers were addressed in that fashion. So it may depend on what makes the client most comfortable. Is your character used to addressing people with formal titles or do formal titles intimidate him/her?

[Hopefull]

I chickened out of asking--imagine that! So, I still don't know what to call her. Fortunately since its only me and her in the room I don't feel the need to use any forms of address. But, I would like to know. Besides, I can't pronounce her last name correctly. Her card has her full name and so it doesn't give me any hints. One of my friends calls his guy by his first name. But, he has been in a longer and possible permenent relationship. I enter these relationships on a shorter term because my problems are "slight."

[SS8282]

I'm kinda like you - I don't address my shrink by any name when I talk to him. When I ask for him, though, I always use Dr. Shrink. That said, I think in the beginning, the therapist should be addressed as Dr. Therapist, then change if the therapist suggests something else. Of course, depending on the character, maybe he would want to call the T 'Doc' (if the T. has that designation).

i called my Pdoc "jenny" and i call the new one "doctor so and so"....he calls me "patricia...spanish prounciation". he asked me first if he could call me that. the T i call "doctor so and so". it totally varies. my first Pdoc i never called him anything except Dr. so and so. saw him five years.

[ashley22]

I call my therapist by her first name. Sometimes nickname! But that's only when I talk about her with other people.

What I find weired is that I usually don't mention her name in the sessions.

As far as her, she calls me by my first name, which I don't like, and sometimes by my nick name. She kinda plays with that...if she wants to call my attention she calls me by my name. If she sees I'm struggling opening up or something she will call me by my nick name.

[(JD)]

Wow this is an interesting thread! Maybe I could have been more specific in my first reply. I only call my T by his title and last name "Dr xxxx", and that's ESPECIALLY when I mention him to others (my MD, my PT, my friend, family.) IMO anything less would be disrespectful.

With that said, he probably wouldn't mind if I called him by his given name (first name)...

It's up to the T what they prefer.. .and also it's up to YOU what you want the T to call you. Make this a point in session. It's been said that the sweetest word to someone is her own name! If someone called me by my former first name, I would not consider them a friend, nor knowledgeable about me

[Merlin]

I generally call my pdoc by Dr. so and so, when I use his name at all, but my mom calls him Doug which is really weird to me. However they were classmates in Med School so that it a bit of a different relationship. I guess I don't want to get to "friend"ly with him, since we aren't friends. I'm the patient and he's the doc.