Hi Henry,

Glad your clients feel safe enough to share their stuff with you. It speaks
well of the atmosphere that you and your office creates for them. One thing
I do at the start is that I ask them on the intake form whether he/she has
been in therapy (I even put it physical or mental) and ask if they have a
therapist, pastor, network of friends that they use to work out problems. I
also know therapist who I can refer too.

I believe that just being with them is all right. And I do mirror back what
they say so they feel that they are heard. And because they are there with
me to do work on and make discoveries about their body, I usually refer them
back to their body. For example:
Client: I am feeling really sad right now.
Me: I hear you say that you are feeling sad.
Client: Yes it is such a sad situation.
Me: So where do you feel that sadness in your body?

So hopefully once back into the body you are back into your area of
expertise. As for time, you just gotta do what you gotta do sometimes. I am
usually so on schedule that my clients are very forgiving when something runs
long (and it usually doesn't run that long-remember most psychotherapy
sessions are 50 minutes-the brain tires after about an hour). It gives them
an excuse to read the People Magazine in the waiting room and they also like
the idea that if something comes up for them that you will spend the extra
time with them also.

I would also encourage you to join some group or therapy situation for
yourself and make sure you have the support you need around you so that you
can handle your stuff when it is bombarded by their stuff. I have been
involved with a gestalt group for 3 years now and it has been very beneficial
for me. There is also the area of practioner/client confidentiality that
needs to be thought about.

Good Luck,
Scott Gauthier