First impressions can be very revealing or so the marriage therapist would like for you to believe. There are nine basic reveals that a therapist may surmise from your very first consult. Its this assessment period where they can compute the terms of the therapy needed and the initial hurdles that need to be addressed and overcome.
Key Takeaways:
- Part of the challenge is some people cover things up, some are worried about what I’ll think of them and others lie or have a distorted sense of reality.
- Experienced marriage therapists can read code. That means we can look beyond what is being said and learn about the underlying issues by observing the body language of the couple sitting in front of us.
- Right off the bat, I ask each half of the couple to describe for me and for each other why they reached out and how I can be helpful.
“A marriage therapist ― even one who’s worked in the field for years ― can’t know a couple’s full story by the first therapy session. They can tell quite a bit, though. (A spouse’s tendency to avoid eye contact, for instance, reveals more than words could ever say.)”