How Therapists Can Deal with the Crisis of the Week

Curt and Katie chat about a typical dynamic that can happen in therapy sessions, namely the “crisis of the week.” We look at how this dynamic comes up and what therapists can do to deal with it more effectively. We identify both clinician and client factors and suggest strategies to improve therapy sessions.

Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!

In this podcast episode we explore how therapy can get stuck responding to the crisis of the week

During one of our Patreon coffee hour/Q+A sessions, we got a request from a patron to talk about how to navigate client sessions that were mostly focused on worrisome incidences from the week, rather than on treatment goals.

What is “Crisis of the Week?”

·      When therapy gets stuck with only talking about what has happened in the week

·      Crises take precedent over treatment goals

·      There are also biases in how this topic has been brought up during training or supervision for early career clinicians

How do therapists determine whether the “crisis of the week” conversations are helpful

·      If conversations are repetitive or there is little progress made, these conversations are likely not helpful

·      “Crisis of the week” can be conversations from clients and (for kids) their parents

·      If the conversations align with treatment goals, they are more likely to be helpful

How can therapists mitigate the concerns related to “crisis of the week”?

·      Making sure to talk about the therapy and determine whether the treatment goals are appropriate for the client

·      Providing structure on how to work on therapy goals can help make therapy more effective

·      Making sure that you’re hearing the client and then redirect to treatment goals or the client’s hopes for therapy

·      Making sure that everyone is on the same page with how the treatment progresses

·      Insight into why there is a tendency to go to the crisis of the week

What are the clinician factors in getting stuck in a “crisis of the week” conversation?

·      Feeling uncomfortable with structuring therapy

·      Allowing the client to lead, when they are not ready to do so

·      Potentially not taking responsibility for the session due to laziness, burnout, or other concern

·      Therapists not clarifying expectations early enough in treatment

What are the client factors in getting stuck in a “crisis of the week” conversation?

·      Clients are fearful and potentially using a decoy issue to avoid discussing a more relevant

·      Clients may be having a trauma response that leads to speaking about safer topics

·      Clients are not yet comfortable enough with the therapist to dig deeper

·      Clients do not have the skills to manage the topic

·      Cultural factors could impact communication and expectations

What conversations can therapists have with clients related to avoiding crisis of the week?

·      Setting up structure for sessions

·      Addressing the relational elements related to attachment and getting to the clinical work

·      Identifying how to address it when “crisis of the week” happens

·      Determining how best to start your session with each client

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Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:

Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/

Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/