In my office, I have a desk. When my clients come in, I set up the chairs so that I am sitting across from them. I noticed that I sit a lot closer to my clients than any T has sat to me. My T has sat very close in situations where he is holding my hand, but generally does not sit as close to me as I do with my clients. I feel comfortable with sitting close to them. I also know that most of the population I work with views physical closeness more as sign of emotional connection, rather than an invasion of space.

Over the last couple of days, a bunch of my clients have expressed their appreciation of my seating choice. They said, "My previous therapists would sit behind the desk. You make me feel comfortable." I was appaled. Therapy behind a desk? Umm, we are not doing taxes, here! I explained to my clients that I felt like a desk would create a barrier in our relationship.

Has anyone ever had a therapist who sits behind a desk??

[Shaymus]

Ive never had that before. Most of my therapists do/did sit at their desk but not behind it and turn the chair around so its facing me with the desk right behind them. I cant imagine a t sitting behind their desk, id think they were reading their monitor or something instead of listening to me.

Yes.
When I was a child I saw T's who sat behind their desk.
One even put their foot on the desk while talking.
I told my last two T's the same as your clients told you - that I appreciate them sitting face to face, without the physical barrier.

[sunrise]

I have a PNP who I have seen 3 times. She sits behind a desk. It has not bothered me. Her office is tiny and there is no way both of us could fit in the room without one of us sitting behind the desk. I do consider our relationship to be different from that of a Therapist-Client. I tell her about my symptoms, we talk about meds, she advises on some possible behavioral solutions, etc. She is very nice and I like her and I do feel a connection. But it is not the same as my T. I have shared with her some embarrassing dysfunctionality to help her with diagnosis and meds recommendations, but I never share with her anything traumatic or soul-wrenching, like I do with my therapist. Also, I am not seeing her in her regular, large, comfy, inviting, private practice office at my choice. Her "public" location is more convenient for me, so she lets me see her there. So if I didn't want the desk barrier and teeny office, I could go to her regular practice location.

I would not want the desk barrier with my T, but with my PNP I am OK with it.

Pink, I wonder if many of your clients are used to seeing T's in hospitals (I think I remember you saying you are in a hospital)? The offices in hospitals tend to be small and not that nice, frequently. Good for you to come out from behind your desk. Such a simple thing could really make a difference.

[ECHOES]

Not any good ones.
The behavioral therapists I saw through the community mental health center sat.. not exactly behind their desk, but at their desk with the client's chair right next to the desk.
Very small offices there.
Very impersonal, that desk looming there.

This reminded me, so I am editing to add that once T and I sat outside the community mental health center at a picnic table, and that was rather nice and felt intimate. I liked that.

[Simcha]

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pinksoil said:
In my office, I have a desk. When my clients come in, I set up the chairs so that I am sitting across from them. I noticed that I sit a lot closer to my clients than any T has sat to me. My T has sat very close in situations where he is holding my hand, but generally does not sit as close to me as I do with my clients. I feel comfortable with sitting close to them. I also know that most of the population I work with views physical closeness more as sign of emotional connection, rather than an invasion of space.

Over the last couple of days, a bunch of my clients have expressed their appreciation of my seating choice. They said, "My previous therapists would sit behind the desk. You make me feel comfortable." I was appaled. Therapy behind a desk? Umm, we are not doing taxes, here! I explained to my clients that I felt like a desk would create a barrier in our relationship.

Has anyone ever had a therapist who sits behind a desk??

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Therapy behind a desk seems so inappropriate. It creates an artificial barrier, and it also highlights the different role between client and therapist too prominently. It seems like it could only create distance. I've never had therapy behind a desk, but I'm glad that you don't practice behind a desk.

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sunrise said:

Pink, I wonder if many of your clients are used to seeing T's in hospitals (I think I remember you saying you are in a hospital)? The offices in hospitals tend to be small and not that nice, frequently. Good for you to come out from behind your desk. Such a simple thing could really make a difference.

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Actually my patients were referring to the therapists they have seen at the agency. A lot of my clients have been long time clients of the agency and have seen many, many therapists. Even those who have not been there so long have seen a few therapists. Unfortunately, we lose a lot of therapists due to the enormous caseload and intense paperwork. So yes, they were referring to other therapists they have had there, even in that very office, which is quite large with A LOT of room to move around in. I have a big table in the back of the room for group therapy and sometimes I do individual session at the table with the client. Sometimes I color with some of my clients.

[Christina86]

I had my first meeting with a new T last week. She sat behind a table. It irritated me to no end, but she's just new to the therapy thing, so maybe she'll change. I hope.

Beyond that though... nope, they've always *not* sat behind a desk. It felt better.

[splitimage]

It would drive me nuts. My T has a nice set up with 2 comfy armchairs facing her chair. My pdoc's office isn't really set up for therapy -she's mainly a hospital pyschiatrist and sees only a few private patients. So we usually sit across from each other at the table in her office. It always makes me feel like I'm at a work conference , but she's a great pdoc and I love her. My addiction's Dr. likes her barriers - she keeps a couple of low tables between her and her clients and the chairs are really far appart. It feels very formal to me.
Worst set up was when I was seeing a replacement pdoc, because my pdoc was on medical leave. He had a tiny office with only one chair beside his desk. So he was at his desk and I was beside him, I felt like I was just another patient to be processed as quickly as possible.