[sarahxxkristine]

are sessions ended 10 til so that clients dont run into eachother? i never understood the 50 minute rule thing.

[Christina86]

Sometimes that's the reason. It also helps the T write down notes between appts, and go to the washroom and answer phone calls and stuff. It's also useful if the client is in crisis and needs a few more minutes to get settled before they have to leave.

I know at my school, they start classes 5 minutes after the start of the hour (or half hour) and end 5 minutes before the end of the hour (or half hour) ... to allow for students to get from one class to another.

I tend to do 60 minute sessions. Though, I should do 50 minutes as it is the "therapeutic hour". It allows us to write down notes, check voicemail and email, use the restroom, grab a drink, grab a snack, etc. Running 60 minute sessions back to back cause exhaustion!

[sunrise]

My guy starts 10 minutes after the hour and goes to the hour, although we rarely start or finish on time. I often run into the other clients on both ends of my hour. I am always curious to see who else employs my T. The variety of the different family groupings gives me confidence he has lots of experience with different types of groups and dynamics. I think everyone needs a break between clients and I wonder why other healthcare professionals don't tend to do the same. Like your family doctor. Mine is always going directly from one patient to the next and this has been the pattern of all the family docs, gynos, dermos, etc. that I've ever had. Is there something significantly different about psychotherapy that they wouldn't do it the same way as other clinicians? Because surely every doc would like time to write up notes, go to the restroom, etc. So why wouldn't MDs do that too?

Originally Posted by sunrise

Like your family doctor. Mine is always going directly from one patient to the next and this has been the pattern of all the family docs, gynos, dermos, etc. that I've ever had. Is there something significantly different about psychotherapy that they wouldn't do it the same way as other clinicians? Because surely every doc would like time to write up notes, go to the restroom, etc. So why wouldn't MDs do that too?

I think because usually nurses/assistants bring the patients into the room, do the vitals, etc and the dr doesn't come in until they're ready so if they want to run to the washroom or jot down a few things, the patient that's waiting in the actual room waiting to be seen wouldn't be aware where their doc actually is.

Does that make sense?

My T said that part of the reason is for him to have a break and get his mind ready for the next client. I think it would be really hard to be sitting there focusing intensely on one person's set of issues and then suddenly have to switch gears and give that same intense focus to someone else.

My T has also mentioned "notes" but I've never seen him write any...

My T tends to run almost back to back with his clients, even though it's technically supposed to be a 50 minute session. So, while I'm sitting there waiting, I see the client before me leave (that's always interesting), T says "hi" and hits the bathroom or grabs something off of the printer/fax, refills his water, and we get started. My sessions pretty much ALWAYS run 60 minutes (which includes time to get receipt, pay, schedule appts)...I think T schedules an hour break during the day that he is VERY protective of....I'm sure he needs it!

Although I think my 90 min appt is currently eating up 1/2 of his break. I keep getting pangs of guilt about that, but then I tell myself, he offered, he will take care of himself. (not to get too off topic or anything!lol)

[peaches100]

I'm usually my t's last session of the day, so I usually get 1 hour or maybe even go 5 to 10 minutes after the hour if I have a particularly difficult session. When I've had to see my t mid-day, I purposely don't even look in the waiting area as I leave because I do not want to see her other patients. I know it's childish, but I guess I'm kind of jealous.

[splitimage]

I think the 50 min hour is both so clients don't run into each other and so the T has a break. My T and addictions Dr., both do 50 min sessions, but my pdoc gives me a full 60 min. But she's primarily a hospital dr and doesn't see many people in her private practice, plus she sees me at 7:00 am, so I'm always her first client before she starts doing stuff on the psych ward.

--splitimage

[chaotic13]

My sessions never start on time, however I usually get my hours worth. My T seems to have patients back to back. Sometimes she will ask me to give her a minute before she takes me in. I assume this is either because she needs to write something down from the previous client or look over my file, or do some personal business. The key I guess is whether you feel slighted at the end of the session. I don't.Even though sometimes it seems to go too quickly, I usually get my 50-60 minutes of attention.

[Behindthecouch]

Last 2 T's always used a full hour.. don't know when they found time to write notes

I think somehow if I were to work with someone for 50 mins now I'd feel short-changed, especially as it can take me 30 minutes to "warm up" - anyone else experience that?

Originally Posted by Behindthecouch

I think somehow if I were to work with someone for 50 mins now I'd feel short-changed, especially as it can take me 30 minutes to "warm up" - anyone else experience that?

Yes - actually, it takes me about 40 minutes to REALLY start feeling the pull of the things I really need to deal with and then I don't want to start anything serious and then I leave feeling kind of unsettled. That's why we're doing longer sessions now. I used to have an easier time getting going more quickly, but it was before all of the DID stuff came to light, and now I'm much more defensive and closed off until I've been there for almost the whole session. Hopefully, that will fade with time...

[searchingmysoul]

My sessions also run 60 minutes. It is a good length of time for me. I do think the 50 minute hour is so that the last (or first) 10 minutes gives the T a break. My T does her sessions every hour and 15 minutes, so she has a 60 minute session and a 15 minute break between clients. I like this because I rarely see another client.

Originally Posted by Behindthecouch

especially as it can take me 30 minutes to "warm up" - anyone else experience that?

(((Behindthecouch)))

Yes! I can sit in silence for an excruciatingly long time, I can also deflect and distract very well... Getting down to business can be really hard.

[deliquesce]

my sessions with my old-T were 50mins. i found them to be about the right length. however sometimes i really did need more, but he never extended it by even a minute (yeah, i've left the office crying and he wouldn't give me time to pull myself together ).

my pdoc sessions go from about 45mins to 70ish? i'm always his last client of the day, and i think he has an hour scheduled break before me (to do phone calls and the like), so there's never any rush. our session length is just based on how much we need to say that day.

it seems i'm unlike everyone else here in that i love seeing who else goes to meet with my pdoc or T. i am also that annoying person who will strike up conversation. i'm sorry .

[skeksi]

My T has the 50-minute hour and it works well for me (and him too, I suppose). Although it does take me 20-30 minutes to warm up and really settle in, I think I tend to get to my limit of what I can tolerate emotionally by 45 minutes. Then we spend a few minutes winding down.

I think T spends his 10 minutes between clients doing process notes, running down the hall to the restroom, getting water, and stretching before asking the new client in. I think he needs a brain break between such blocks of intensity (I would, at any rate).

[sunrise]

Originally Posted by stormyangels

I think because usually nurses/assistants bring the patients into the room, do the vitals, etc and the dr doesn't come in until they're ready so if they want to run to the washroom or jot down a few things, the patient that's waiting in the actual room waiting to be seen wouldn't be aware where their doc actually is.

No, my doctors go straight from one patient to the next. I can hear them or see them do that. The nurse usually has a couple of patients in different exam rooms at the same time to make that possible. There is not a break time between patients, typically. Maybe they schedule the docs pretty heavily like this since the doc bills as such a high rate. Probably the docs wish they had a break between patients, like therapists often do.

Why do some people not like to see their T's other clients? As I wrote upstream, I like it, it gives me confidence in my T, plus I'm curious. Are those who don't like it worried they will run into someone they know in the exam room and feel embarrassed to be going for therapy? Or maybe if you have a hard session and are crying as you leave, you don't want someone to see you so upset? I can understand that. My T's waiting room is a pretty short distance to cross once I am out of his room, so if I was upset, the next client would only get a glimpse of me as I fled out the door. And then most likely I'd never see them again, so well I don't care if they see me upset for an instant. My T has actually chased me a couple of times into the waiting room when I left upset and tried to un-upset me right there when another client was present. That was weird! Like, hey T, I don't do therapy when there is a stranger present!

I like seeing my T's other clients because I like to know who my competition is for Favorite Client. ha! just kidding (sort of! lol)

Really, it doesn't matter to me if I see his other clients. In a way, it's just sort of interesting to see who else he is spending time with. He does a lot of couples therapy, so I usually see a lot of (surprisingly happy) couples.

[velcro003]

Originally Posted by sunrise

My T has actually chased me a couple of times into the waiting room when I left upset and tried to un-upset me right there when another client was present. That was weird! Like, hey T, I don't do therapy when there is a stranger present!

That made me laugh out loud. There is about 9 other T in the office I go to, and I've seen two people there that their child goes to my program I work at. EMBARASSING. But it actually wasn't too bad, because they are there too....