Psychological Consulting Process

Below is the most common scheme of the Psychological Consulting Process, based on 6 interconnected stages:

1. Case study: There is established a contact between the psychotherapist and the patient. A psychotherapist at this stage encourages the patient to conduct a deep self examination and a thorough examination of their inner problems. A psychotherapist will note the feelings of the patient, the statements, and the nonverbal behavior (gestures, mimics, body language etc.)

2. Determination of the Problems: The therapist attempts to describe the problems of the patient. The refinement of the problems is conducted until the patient and the therapist achieve an identical understanding of the problems. The precise determination of the problems makes it possible to understand their reasons, and sometimes it will also indicate the methods of solving them. If there appear difficulties and vagueness with the determination of the problems, then they return to the first stage - the stage of the examination of the inner problems.

3. Looking for the Solutions: The possible solutions of the problems are explained and openly discussed. Psychotherapist helps to advance additional alternatives; however, he/she does not try to impose his/her decisions upon the patient.

4. Planning: The selected solutions are being evaluated. The therapist helps the patient to see what realistic approaches there exist based on the previous experiences and the present readiness of the patient to change. Composing the plan of the realistic solution of the problems will also show that not all problems can be solved. Some problems require too much time to be solved; others can be solved only partially.

5. Implementation of the Plan: The implementation of the plan of the problems solution. The therapist helps the patient to build the plan of resolving the problem. The therapist also helps and to understand that there is a possibility of a failure in the achievement of the objective. In the case of a failure the plan of resolving the problem should be reassessed, a new plan should be created and then implemented.

6. Estimation and Feedback: At this point the patient together with the therapist evaluates the level of achievement of the objective (degree of the resolution of the problem). It is possible to once again refine the plan of the resolution of the problems. Returning back to the previous stages is necessary with the appearance of new or deeply concealed problems.

Well, the actual therapy process is much more extensive and it does not always fit into this scheme, and some stages are clamped with the others etc. However, this scheme shows the basics of the psychological consulting.

The next and probably the most important question: how to select the right psychotherapist?

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