Your time is one of the most valuable gifts you can give someone. There are very few situations where we get to be number one, where the focus is solely on us and what we need. Therapy is one of these magical places. Having someone be fully present with you and tuned in can be remarkably healing. As a therapist you may be aware of this, though you may not be aware of how present you are in your own sessions.
Barriers to Being Present
No matter how good of a therapist you are, you are a human first. You can’t put yourself fully on a shelf and ONLY be a counselor. You have a life and feelings and obligations outside of your office. No matter how much you care for your clients, you can be triggered by them and distracted by other things going on in your life.
Some barriers to being present are small and can be easily overcome. These barriers can include a loud waiting room, a ringing phone, incoming text messages, email alerts etc. Things like this can be removed, you can turn your phone off, you can use white noise machines, you can turn your computer off. It is important to make sure you minimize any possible interruptions and distractions before sessions start so that you can be present and not distracted by things that don’t deserve your attention at that moment.
Larger distractions can include interpersonal conflict, illness and even counter transference. These larger issues must be identified and addressed sooner rather than later. Being tuned into your wellness and needs is important. If you aren’t in a headspace to work with clients it’s important to recognize this and take time for self-care. You likely tell your clients that you are not good to others unless you are good to yourself, put this into practice. Take care of your needs sooner rather than later so you can get back to doing what you love.
Mindful Scheduling
Set yourself up for success rather than failure. When you create a schedule that works for you it is far more likely that you will be fully present. If you aren’t a morning person, don’t front load your day and start at 7am. If you are better in the morning, schedule as such. Be sure to allow yourself enough time with each client. Eat food, drink water.
Take your clients needs into account also when scheduling. If you have clients that tend to need more time to begin or wrap up sessions, stay on top of this and create structure where it is needed. This will prevent you from running over or being late, two things that can create anxiety and distraction. Every client will require something different, be sure that the time you schedule them coincides with what is needed for you to be present.
Do NOT double book appointments. There is no way you can be present if you are trying to juggle sessions. If clients see this they are unlikely to engage or return. They deserve your attention and you can’t give it fully if you are spreading yourself too thin. This is not only true for therapy sessions, I would argue that this is true for any provider appointment.
To Sum It Up
Being fully present is powerful and important. This needs to happen in sessions, though there can be barriers to this. If they are small, easily fixed things go ahead and fix them as quickly as possible. Barriers that are more serious in nature may take longer to overcome, though it is possible to work through what is keeping you from being fully present.
Take care of yourself and make sure that you aren’t trying to pour from an empty cup. Your clients deserve you being present and you deserve to be able to offer this. When we feel competent and effective in our practice it does wonders for our clients as well as ourselves.
Practice what you preach, my therapist friend. See you next time.
*If you are interested in becoming an independent contractor with CCS and you are a licensed therapist in North Carolina, send your cover letter and resume to the following email: Applicants@CarolinaCounselingServices.com
