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One parameter of the treatment planning process that needs more attention is the expected duration of counseling. Mental health counselors should be prepared to discuss with new clients both the typical duration of counseling and the rate of change that commonly occurs throughout counseling. Mental health counselors should be aware that most of their clients will attend only a few sessions before discontinuing, and they should plan counseling services accordingly. Furthermore, researchers have found that most client improvement occurs within the first few sessions, with diminishing returns as counseling continues, and discontinuation tends to occur when clients reach a level of improvement that they, but perhaps not their counselors, consider to be satisfactory. The purpose of this article is to describe how research on the base rate of counseling and the trajectory of client change can enhance the treatment planning process for both clients and counselors. |
