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How do you help clients open up with you when starting counseling sessions with you ?

Counseling is extremely dependent on the client seeking help. How do you help make sure the client feels safe to share their issues and not hide them?

counseling mental-health-counseling counseling-psychology
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Sarah’s Answer

I will preface this by saying that I work with violent sexual offenders. These individuals have often endured and perpetrated abuses that are deeply affecting them. They went through years of prison, rejection by loved ones and community, and a variety of other traumas. These clients do not trust easily. So, since I run group sessions as well as individual therapy, I am able to have introductions in the group setting and I give the existing members an opportunity to share what they believe a new client needs to know about me and about the group. I also set expectations, boundaries, and encouragement from day 1. In their first individual, they will be asked to talk about the offenses that brought them to me with the explanation that I want to hear them tell it before I review their records. I do not ask about childhood trauma, relationship issues, anything like that at the beginning. In this setting, I try to be firm, fair, and consistent with state regulations and requirements, while also supporting growth, empathy development, and accountability. Usually new clients are quiet for a couple of weeks before starting to ask questions and talk. about their own experiences, thinking, and emotions. My groups are sometimes fun, sometimes tense, sometimes emotional- but never judgmental or closed off. Your behavior and communication with your clients heavily influences their behavior and communication.
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Rachel’s Answer

I find humor helps. Sometimes I'll say (depending on the amount of paperwork client signed in an advance)' I've known you for 10 pages now and I'm going to be asking you all sorts of questions.

I work more with coming back to present. Do you go by ..(name)? Or I'll compliment ones persistence, courage, and navigation it took for them to show up in that moment.

If it's an online zoom session I sometimes say, "welcome to the new world order" esp for older folks as the social media formats are still awkward for a lot of people to work with and disconnected.
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Nija’s Answer

When I start counseling with a new client, my main goal is to make them feel safe, understood, and not judged. I build trust slowly, avoiding deep questions at first. I begin with simple questions like, “What brought you here today?” or “What’s on your mind?”

I tell them it’s okay to take things at their own pace. I explain a bit about how therapy works and reassure them it’s normal to feel nervous or unsure at first.

I listen more than I talk, and I repeat back what I hear to show I’m really listening. Validating their feelings with comments like, “That makes sense,” or “That sounds tough,” helps them feel comfortable.

Each client is unique, so I adapt to their needs and let them guide the process. Trust takes time, but a calm and supportive space helps a lot.
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