The conversation that follows a mandated report is one of the most clinically important — and least prepared for — moments in therapy. A guide to telling your client, handling their reaction, and preserving the relationship.
Documentation standards that hold up in court: timely completion, objective language, and critical incident writing.
A practical therapist guide to silence in therapy: when to wait, when to check in, how to notice rupture or overwhelm, and what to say without overinterpreting the quiet.
By Kristen McClure, MSW, LCSW | TherapistWorksheet.com The phone rings. A potential client wants to talk. You have fifteen minutes to figure out if this is someone you can help, communicate what working with you would be like, handle logistics, and close the call — all while sounding warm, professional, and not like you’re reading…
By Kristen McClure, MSW, LCSW | TherapistWorksheet.com A client begins to cry. In that moment, many therapists feel an immediate pressure to respond correctly. The urge to fix or comfort can show up quickly. Even small actions—like immediately handing over a tissue—can sometimes shift the moment before you understand what the client needs. Pause long…
By Kristen McClure, MSW, LCSW | TherapistWorksheet.com Something shifted. The client went quiet. Or they got angry. Or they smiled and said “it’s fine” in a voice that told you it wasn’t fine. A therapeutic rupture is any moment where the connection between you and your client is disrupted. It can be dramatic — a…
By Kristen McClure, MSW, LCSW | TherapistWorksheet.com It starts innocently. A client texts to confirm an appointment. Then a question about a coping skill. Then a message after a hard day. Then three messages on a Sunday evening, each one a little more urgent than the last. You started allowing texts for logistics. Somewhere along…
