Before I talk about what a session and the preceding exploratory call look like, let’s take a moment to acknowledge that whatever happens in the session and the call will be held in full confidentiality.
The exploratory call
Before doing any work with anyone I require a 20 minute exploratory call, either via Google hangout or Zoom. This is a one time call and is as much for your benefit as mine as it will allow us both to feel into working with each other. At any time during or after the call either one of us can decide that this is not the right fit. Perhaps you feel for whatever reason that I am not the one to help you. Or perhaps I feel that I’m not the best fit given what you’re looking for. Or perhaps we both feel good at the end of the call and can move towards scheduling. The call is also a great time for you to ask any questions you might have.
The session
Sessions have a pre-agreed upon duration, and the length of the session to a degree informs what that session might look like. For shorter sessions, it’s entirely possible that the entire first session is needed to talk, and lay the groundwork for the work to be done in following sessions. For longer sessions (2+ hours) we’ll likely move from talking to doing at some point.
Regardless, the start and end of each session will be similar. At the beginning we’ll take some time to land together, and open the container of the session in a way that feels good to you. Similarly, we’ll leave some time at the end of each session to be able to close the container meaningfully. The session starts once I’ve arrived at your location, and have settled in.
During our time talking we’ll chat both about what’s alive and present in your life right now, and what it is you want to work on together. These may be one and the same, or they may not. Either way talking about the backdrop of your life against which the session operates will be helpful and create further context to work within. And in doing this we’ll work towards clarifying your intention for our work together (which may well change and/or be refined from session to session.)
Once the intention is clear we’ll talk about available modalities, and settle on those, and about boundaries and consent. If there is time, we’ll then move into the doing part of the work, which will continue until we reach the end of the session (unless you feel complete before then.)
You are in full control during the entire session and there is all of the space for you to change your mind about anything, for any reason, at any time. You decide whether you’ll receive touch, and if so, how much and what kind. Similarly, you get to decide how many (or few) clothes you wear, and how many (or few) clothes I wear during the session.
And at the end of the session, we’ll take a few moments to close the session in a way that feels good to you.
Up next: Modalities