client question

client question (by elaine77)
I work in a counseling center as a counselor. The client has walkin hours everyday. Last week, a woman walked into the center and was visibly upset and was crying, The schedule of events at the center was to have a movie at this time. She was the only one to show up so in her distressed state I asked if she wanted to talk instead. She said she was prefer to talk. She told me many things and said she was upset about her husband dying one year ago. She also found out he was cheating for the entire marriage. Then she said she wanted to hurt the woman he was cheating with and knew her address. I chose to spend as much time with her as possible to determine if she was a harm to her. I felt this rage was decreased. I asked how she knew of the center. she said she once came in and spent some time with the intern who is a graduate student with her first internship. After a long session, she asked if she could come back to see me instead of the young intern. I told her it was her choice. When I was at work today I told my colleague the situation and that this client will come back to see me on the scheduled time. My colleague, another counselor, said I must call the client and tell her she must see the intern and she does not have the choice to see me again. I am not sure what to do at this point. The other counselor said I must call her to cancel our session and tell her she must see the intern. Who is right? What should I do? Should I discuss this with my boss?

In my opinion, the client should choose the therapist she can work with best. If she doesn't get on well with the intern, then who does it help for her to be "forced" to see the intern? No one. I think your colleague is wrong. It happens all the time that clients switch therapists to find someone they can connect with, trust, and who can help them. I am surprised your colleague does not know that.

I agree with sunrise. It probably would be a good idea to discuss it with the boss -- if he is a "reasonable" person who listens even if he may not always agree.

I agree with what the others have said. Did this person tell you *why* they thought you should tell her such things? It does seem strange... The person might be worried that you would be stepping on the toes of this other person... But that would be something to take up with them, I would have thought.

Hey. I am also a therapist and I have had something very similar happen to me, only the client hadn't actually worked with the other therapist yet. The client was set up for an intake with another therapist. That therapist was then going to take on his case. I ended up having to do the intake, but I was supposed to still turn the case over to my colleague. The client and I ended up connecting quite well during the intake, and he asked if he could work with me instead. I spoke with my supervisor, who said this was absolutely fine.

Your colleague should really have no influence on who you take on as a client. However, it is important to discuss this with your supervisor. There is more to it than just switching therapists. The client should have a termination session with the current therapist/intern. Also, feelings should be explored as to why this person wants to switch. Ultimately, the client should be with the therapist who will be most beneficial to his/her treatment-- if the two of you connect welll, then perhaps you should work together... but it is important to consider all factors. Again, I would never take direction like that from a colleague. I would also not go through with a switching of clients without making my supervisor aware, as well as the intern, and then discussing the implications, thoughts, and feelings surrounding the situation.

One of the reasons for this rule is so counselors don't proselytize other counselor's clients, just as a psychologist cannot talk someone into coming to see them personally. I do hope that once you discuss this with your boss, and he checks with the client, that she will be able to see the person she chooses. Good wishes!

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Pinksoil said:
The client should have a termination session with the current therapist/intern. Also, feelings should be explored as to why this person wants to switch.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

I don't know from a client perspective this seems like a lot to go through just to talk with the person I would rather see. I think it would be very hard to sit in a session and tell the intern..."Sorry but I talked to her and I like her better than you." I might be able to do this in a normal confident state of mind, but certainly not when I was in crisis.

Maybe my defensiveness/elitism is showing here but as a client I should not be required to see an intern when there was a full trained counselor who I like better? Maybe I just don't have a clear understanding of what an intern is. Sorry if that statement offends anyone.

I know it is the personal connection that is most important in the therapeutic relationship. elaine77 post suggests that she took the time and effort into reaching out to this client and was able to make a connection that the intern was not able to do.

Is this young? Could it be that the intern didn't have enough life experience to make the client feel confident/comfortable? If so, doesn't she deserve to have the person she wants?

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
The other counselor said I must call her to cancel our session and tell her she must see the intern.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

My response to this other counselor would have been, "Why?" Clients which counselors all the time in practices. It's not like elaine77 was covering movie night in an effort to pimp other people's clients. Is this just some special rule for interns? Is the intern using this client for a class project or something?" Is her supervisor required to assign her X number of practice patients?

I guess I just have an issue with the "tell her she must see the intern" comment. No proselytizing rule or not, as a client I would have an issue with this.

As a person who's been in both chairs...Of course you should talk to your boss about this situation.
Find out what office protocal is regarding such situations. If the person has an appointment with the intern then the entire issue needs to be discussed with both the client and the intern before or during that appointment. It should always be client choice in which therapist they wish to work with. However, said client should be directed appropriately on how to change/switch councelors.
Personally, from what you described, I feel your co-worker sounds like an individual who may need some ethics re-training and or interpersonal communications training. Surely there are other issues surrounding this situation....Just my opinion...Alonian