Before You Leave…
How should we end our meetings with clients?
We have a responsibility not to leave our clients to marinate in their traumatic memories that we had to work with them to recall. Ensure that we engage in some grounding exercises with them before sending them back to their daily life.
Share a short meal, drink, or snack together while you talk about things that you’re looking forward to doing.
Engage in a short creative activity together, such as coloring, writing a poem, or making a quick song (Chrome Music Lab’s Song Maker is a great and quick option!).
Complete a short guided breathing exercise, meditation, or mindfulness activity together.
Provide resources (websites and apps) to continue the work at home if they later feel strong emotions as a result of the meeting.
Encourage them to meet with their therapists, counselors, social workers, etc. to manage their ongoing care. Provide referral resources to trusted providers if requested. Maintain clear boundaries between our “front line” work and the licensed work these providers offer.
Ensure that clients have a safe path home. Many firms will reimburse for clients to ride home in a car.
Follow up with your client after the session (later that day or the next day) to validate the hard work that they put in, and show that you appreciate them being vulnerable with you.