Opening Gambits: The First Session of Psychotherapy

The first session of psychotherapy is critical in determining the course of successful treatment because the possibility of engaging a patient is at its height during the initial contact. This book offers guidelines to enhance the clinician's ability to conduct an effective first session.

The therapist's stance and its implications for first session technique are discussed (e.g., first words, therapist anxiety, and subtle directives) as well as issues of scheduling, fees, and cancellations....