Strategy #2 for Building Client Relationships

In this series, we discuss various strategies for creating a relationship through therapeutic rapport. To see the entire series, click here.

Establish a check-in and check-out procedure. 

And no, not necessarily a hello and goodbye song...*  For many music therapy students, a hello and goodbye song seem de rigeur...  but you must consider the age of your clients.  My focus in this series is on notoriously tricky population--adolescents.  I do not want to risk my relationship with these clients by patronizing them or attempting to engage them in a process that is obviously not age appropriate.  Instead, I keep it simple and age appropriate.  I greet each person as they enter the room and begin and continue a light conversational tone as the group gathers.  Once we have all arrived, I then greet the group as a whole and pose a question to the group.  

When I sit down in my place and ask that question, looking around and taking answers, it signifies that group has begun.  This also allows me to gauge each participant's attitude and emotional state that day.  I generally keep my questions innocuous, and avoid triggers (like asking about family or weekend activities if I know there's a hot-button issue there...), but I do seek a contribution from each group member before beginning the interventions I have planned for the day.  Sometimes I jump right in, asking clients to share personal goals for today's session, or asking a question directly related to the subject at hand.  If someone refuses to participate at this point, I do not force the issue, but do take mental note as I prepare to wade into the day's group work.  

At the end, I do something similar, making sure I have made eye contact and spoken pleasantly with each member of the group before they leave.  Sometimes we individually report on whether or not we met personal goals for that day, or share what we learned or what was most memorable from group that day.  I also like to thank group members for their partcipation.  If it has been a particularly challenging topic, I try to acknowledge that some of the work we do in group is difficult, but that I was proud of their contribution.  As the group disbands, I again hold short conversations with various members as they leave and transition to their next activity.

*If you prefer to begin and end with music, a simple substitution for a hello and goodbye song that may be more age appropriate could be playing a piece of music free field while the clients enter and leave, related to the topic of the day.


What about you?  Do you do something similar?  Why or why not?