Let’s Get Out of Here!

LET’S GET OUT OF HERE! The counselor’s office can be a semi-intimidating place for some youngsters. They don’t always do their best thinking there. There’s nothing wrong with a change of scenery.

One of my best sessions was with a girl I was treating for depression. She lived in a group home and just happened to be showing a lamb at the junior livestock show. She offered to show me the animal. After seeing her lamb, we walked a short distance to a rail fence and admired the open spaces as we visited.

The girl did more reflecting with me sitting on that rail fence than she did in weeks of sessions in the office. I have visited with young people at picnic tables, on a swing set, on a basketball court, in a woodshop with tools and on a brisk nature walk. All of those sessions were productive. These options are more limited in a school environment, both logistically and from a standpoint of confidentiality. But a little creativity can pay off in a big way.

 

James Sutton, Psychologist      www.docspeak.com