Dear Therapist: We are sticks…

On intakes, especially, and most sessions, I like to begin with "Where would you like to begin?" Or some version of that. It places the ownership for the client's process directly on them, and is a helpful tool for you to make sure you're taking the backseat to their insights. 

This was admittedly taken from a book I received while interning in the psychiatric ward in Worcester, and although almost never useful in that setting, has served my own practice incredibly well. 

We are but sticks in the river of anothers' process, not an entire log. So remember this in your own attempt in getting out of the way of the client's own process toward self-actualization.