Beginnings: Invitations and Responses in Single Session One-at-a-Time

The beginning of a single-session encounter, one that might be the only time the client and therapist meet, is crucial. The invitation/response sequences at the beginning aim to set goals for the session and frame it, which are crucial for creating an effective and helpful session for clients. The author has interviewed single-session therapists and asked them to describe their preferred first questions in single-session therapy. The article focuses on how therapists of various theoretical and practical orientations can utilize these preferred first questions. The importance of the first sequences of invitations and responses, the infinite possibilities in the client-therapist encounter, and the importance of listening to the clients’ initial responses are strongly emphasized. The article contains numerous specific and detailed examples.