Question

As a therapist would you accept to stay 50 minutes after your day usually end to postpone a session with a client who arrived 10 minutes before the end of session, if this specific client struggles to be on time everywhere?

Answer 1

Whether a therapist would accept to stay 50 minutes after their usual end time to accommodate a client who arrived late depends on several factors, including the therapist's personal boundaries, the therapeutic relationship with the client, and the policies of the therapist's practice or organization.

Here are some considerations:

1. Boundaries: Therapists need to have clear boundaries to maintain their own well-being and prevent burnout. Staying excessively late regularly might not be sustainable or healthy for the therapist.

2. Client's Needs: It's essential for therapists to be compassionate and understanding towards their clients' struggles, including issues with punctuality. However, accommodating a client by staying late every session might not be the best solution in the long run.

3. Therapeutic Alliance: If the therapist and the client have a strong therapeutic alliance and the issue of punctuality is a recurring theme in the therapy, it could be addressed within the therapeutic process. The therapist can explore the underlying reasons for the client's struggle with being on time and work collaboratively on finding strategies to manage it.

4. Practice Policies: Some therapy practices or organizations have strict policies about session times and may not allow therapists to extend sessions beyond their scheduled time. It's essential for therapists to adhere to these policies.

A more practical approach might involve the therapist and the client having an open and honest conversation about the issue of punctuality. The therapist can express concern for the client's difficulty with being on time and work together to find a suitable solution. This could include setting reminders, identifying potential barriers to punctuality, or exploring the impact of lateness on the therapeutic process.

Ultimately, the decision to extend a session or address the issue of punctuality should be made collaboratively, with the well-being of both the client and the therapist in mind. It's important for therapists to balance empathy and understanding with the need to maintain professional boundaries and self-care.