4 First Session Strategies Every Therapist Should Know

Robert Taibbi, LCSW

Why must social workers (and other mental health providers) make the most of their first session with each client?

This is because most people drop out of therapy after only one session! Furthermore, on average, people go for a total of 5 to 8 sessions. This suggests that we need to start doing something differently during our first meetings with prospective clients [as well as perhaps in subsequent ones].

To increase my chances of getting things right with clients from the beginning, I listened to Robert Taibbi, LCSW's informative talk on "Making First Sessions Count" from the 2013 Psychotherapy Networker Symposium.

Below is an infographic (my first!) summarizing some of the key take-aways from Robert's talk.

Best in Mental Health (wks 4/29-5/12/2013)

I'm watching twitter, google+ and the web so you don't have to...

This post is part of a weekly series, Best in Mental Health, featuring the best posts of the week, in social work, psychology, evidence-based practice/healthcare, non-profit and private practice concerns on Social Work Career Development.

Last, but not least, please check out this month's selection of free mental health webinars [it is continually being updated].

To get a quick idea of the topics covered in this week's round-up, please see the above word cloud :)

Evidence Based Practice/Healthcare:

The Health Care Law 101 - webinar
HHS.gov

May 23 at 2PM EST: "the main provisions in the Affordable Care Act (the health care law) and how to access care in your community. Info on the Health Insurance Marketplace and how to get updates on implementation of the law..."

Psychosocial and psychological interventions can prevent postpartum depression, says new Cochrane review

The Mental Elf (Mark Horowitz)

"the most effective types of intervention were intensive, individualised postpartum home visits, lay (peer)-based telephone support, and interpersonal psychotherapy... Individual and group-based interventions were found to have similar effectiveness..."

Social Work

Being mindful of power and wealth
Mindfulness for NGOs (Alessandra Pigni)

"In the nonprofit sector power and money are two big taboos... There’s one thing worse than bragging about one’s privileges, it is denying them. Denying your power or wealth, does not support any cause... "

Become a Pick Up Artist App isn’t Just Creepy: It’s Proof of a Rape Culture
Where Is Your Line (Jen)

"Become a Pick Up Artist perpetuates rape culture because rape culture is the idea that women are obtainable objects for a “prize,” and that their sexual agency isn’t important... Women are not people in this app..."

The Zen of Online Marketing for Private Practice

Are you a social worker or other mental health provider who would like to create your own website? Are you also rather new to the world of social media?

If yes, you are likely to find the e-book Internet Marketing for Therapists Made Easy by Cathy Hanville, LCSW, very helpful.

This e-book covers the following topics:

• Website design
• Search engine optimization (SEO)
• Writing a blog
• Social media basics (and reasons for using)
• Social media ethics
• Google, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
• Internet marketing plan
• Measuring success

How to Practice Self-Care

Self-Care - You know that it is good for you but how do you get there, if you have no time,  energy or idea of where to begin?

Some of you may be familiar with my post on self-care for social workers and other mental health professionals but today's post is for everyone, regardless of what profession you are in.

When you do not engage in self-care on a regular basis, everything about it could feel like work!

It may feel easier to postpone taking care of yourself to the weekend, or to your vacation-time.

The problem with this approach is that you may end up feeling sick, rundown and exhausted by the time the weekend or your vacation finally rolls around…

This is because our bodies are telling us that we must take the time to provide ourselves with self-care every day… to feel healthier, happier and more energized throughout the week.

The question is how do you engage in self-care? And are there simple ways of doing so on a daily basis?

Lucille Zimmerman, MA, LPC, the author of Renewed: Finding Your Inner Happy in an Overwhelmed World has written an inspiring book on this specific subject.

Mental Health Webinars for You, May 2013

Do you want to keep up-to-date with the latest developments in the mental health arena?

Attending one of these free webinars is an easy way of doing just that :)

This post is part of the monthly series, Mental Health Webinars for You, featuring the registration information for free webcasts for this month in the field of social work and mental health.

For a quick overview of the topics covered in this month's selection, please see the above word cloud.

Free Webinars for May 2013:

Working with the AANHPI Communities: Cultural Competence in Practice
CLAS

May 1 at 4PM EST: "the range of issues related to working with Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities: demographic characteristics, health and human service issues..."

Creating Accessible, Culturally Relevant, Domestic Violence- & Trauma-Informed Services and Organizations: Agency Self-Assessment Tool and Process, Part I
National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health

May 1 at 5PM EST: "an overview of the key elements of the ACDVTI Self Reflection Tool and offer guidance on preparing for and engaging in a reflective agency self-assessment process."