1st Edition

Efficient Therapy for Specific Client Problems Making the Most of Every Client Session

By Windy Dryden Copyright 2025
100 Pages 1 Color & 2 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

100 Pages 1 Color & 2 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

100 Pages 1 Color & 2 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

Most clients seeking therapy want to be helped with specific emotional problems with which they are struggling, and yet many therapists are reluctant to offer problem-focused therapy. Efficient Therapy for Specific Client Problems presents the case for such an approach and details how it can be practised efficiently. The book outlines the 26 principles of efficient therapy for specific client... Read more

Introduction  1. Find Out What the Person Wants from Therapy and Offer Problem-Focused Help When Appropriate  2. Get Informed Consent  3. Adopt a Client-Led Stance  4. Encourage Your Client to Prepare for the First and Subsequent Therapy Sessions  5. Use the Working Alliance Concept as a General Guide to Your Work with Your Client  6. Begin Therapy with Your Client As Soon as Possible  7. Develop a Problem List with Your Client and Set an Agenda for Each Session  8. Encourage Your Client to Get the ‘Feel’ of Being in Therapy with You,if Necessary  9. Establish and Maintain Meta-Therapy Communication with Your Client  10. Identify and Focus on Your Client’s Nominated Problem  11. Be Goal Directed with Your Client  12. Problem Assessment: Be Specific with Your Client  13. Be Solution-Focused with Your Client  14. Steps to Take Before Helping Your Client Find a Solution  15. Help Your Client to Select the Solution that Works Best for Them  16. Help Your Client Try Out the Solution in the Session  17. Help Your Client Develop a Plan to Implement Their Chosen Solution  18. Deal with Your Client’s Obstacles to Change Before and When They Occur  19. Uncover and Deal with Your Client’s Doubts, Reservations and Objections to Therapy  20. Invite Your Client to Summarise the Session and Specify Takeaways  21. Invite Your Client to Generalise Their Learning to Other Relevant Aspects of Their Life  22. End Each Therapy Session Well with Your Client  23. Encourage Your Client to Schedule Sessions (or Not) As They See Fit  24. Encourage Your Client to Engage in Post-Session Reflection  25. Review Periodically Your Client’s Views About Therapy Overall and Their  Progress  26. End Therapy Well with Your Client  References  Appendix 1  Appendix 2  Appendix 3  Appendix 4  Appendix 5

Biography

Windy Dryden is in clinical and consultative practice and is an international authority on single-session therapy. He is Emeritus Professor of Psychotherapeutic Studies at Goldsmiths, University of London. He has worked in psychotherapy for more than 45 years and is the author or editor of over 285 books.