Problems Clients, Client Goals

Identifying, Evaluating, and Exploring Client Problems and Goals Your ?rst, and perhaps primary, objective is to ?nd out about your client’s distress. As an interviewer, your exploration of a client’s chief complaint begins with your opening statement .

After the opening statement, at least 5 to 15 minutes should be spent tracking the client and trying to understand exactly why he or she has come to see you . In some cases, clients clearly identify their reasons for seeking professional assistance; in other cases, perhaps more often, they are vague as to why they are in your of?ce. As clients begin to articulate their problems, nondirective listening responses can be used to facilitate rapport. Then, after an initial impression of primary concerns is obtained, directive information gathering responses, including questions, should be used more liberally.

Client problems are intimately linked with client goals .

Unfortunately, many clients who come to therapy are unable to see past their problems.

Consequently, it is the interviewer’s task to help clients orient toward goals or solutions early in the counseling process . Remember that behind every client problem is a client goal.

Common problems presented by clients include anxiety, depression, and relationship con?icts. Other problems include eating disorders, alcoholism or drug addiction, social skill de?cits, physical or sexual abuse, stress reactions, vocational confusion, and sexual dysfunction. Because of the wide range of symptoms or problems clients present, it is crucial that interviewers have at least a general knowledge of psychopathology and DSM IV TR . However, every problem Intake Interviewing and Report Writing 169has an inherent goal. Therefore, early in the intake, interviewers can help clients reframe their problem statements into goal statements. For example, when clients begin talking about anxiety, interviewers can translate such language into a positive framework: “I hear you talking about your feelings of nervousness and anxiety. If I understand you correctly, what you’re saying is you really want to feel calm and relaxed more often. I guess maybe one of your general goals for therapy might be to feel calm and relaxed more often and to be able to bring on those calm and relaxed feelings yourself. Do I have that right?” By reframing client problems into goal statements, interviewers help clients feel hopeful and also begin a positive, therapeutic goal setting process . Such goal setting reframes can also provide useful assessment information regarding the client’s openness, or resistance, to actually setting realistic goals for therapy.