Counseling setting for MDD
Here in this post, we are providing the “Counseling setting for MDD”. You can discuss more your concerns about mental health in our community, and we will provide you with tips and solutions in a short time. Keep visiting Mental Health.
Counseling setting
The Counseling environment should be:
- Welcoming (e.g. greet clients appropriately, show them where to sit)
- Comfortable (e.g. have comfortable seats, try to sit at the same level)
- A place with few distractions (e.g. no telephone, or interruptions from other staff or family members)
- Somewhere where privacy and confidentiality can be maintained (e.g. somewhere away from other people)
- Non-threatening (e.g. a place where people can feel relaxed and comfortable).
When you visit people in their homes it is difficult to organize the counseling environment to meet all your needs. However, you can make sure you sit somewhere comfortable and quiet away from other family members. You can try to minimize distractions by switching off radios or televisions.
How to create a therapeutic environment
Some factors to consider when creating or redesigning a counseling room include the following:
- Color
- Seating
- Nature
- Materials
- Windows
- Adjustable Lighting
- Privacy
- Age-Appropriate Furniture
- Soft Furnishings
- Positive Distractions
- Personalization
Color
Many therapists may not be able to control the type of paint or wallpaper that goes on the walls, but if they are able to choose colors, it is generally advisable to use light and soothing tones, such as shades of green or blue.
Seating
It is important to ensure that the seating area for the therapist and client is non-confrontational and favorable. It is also essential that chairs have ample back support, be adjustable or easily moved around, and be heavy enough not to be picked up in cases when a client may have a history of violence. It may also be beneficial to place the client’s chair in a spot where they can see the door to add to their sense of free will and safety.
Nature
Research suggests that the presence of even small components of nature may be associated with better mental health. Keeping a few plants in the office, having views of serene landscapes, or having access to a courtyard or nearby garden can add to a positive therapeutic experience.
Materials
Research shows that for reasons that are not entirely clear, people prefer natural-colored wood with the grain rather than surfaces without a grain. They also feel more comfortable with wood than with sleeker options such as chrome or glass. However, when natural wood surfaces such as floors and walls take up more than 45% of the surface of a room, it starts to lose their stress-relieving effects. People also do not want surfaces to leave traces of people in the room before them, such as fingerprints.
Windows
Whenever possible, keep windows open to let sunlight in. This helps ensure the space looks and feels bright, open, and warm.
Adjustable Lighting
One way to empower clients is to give them the option to make light fixtures or lamps inside the clinic as dim or as bright as they please. Adjust the light to a level that is most comfortable for the client. This also demonstrates the importance of their needs and strengthens their ability to express those needs.
Privacy
Ensure that conversations are not audible outside the room. Entrances and exits must also be as private as possible to make clients feel protected.
Age-Appropriate Furniture
If families, children, or the elderly are among the clients, it is essential to provide chairs or couches that are comfortable for all. If desks are used during sessions, round tables may facilitate more interactive communication.
Soft Furnishings
Using soft furnishings and flooring materials (like rugs or carpets) provides a soothing feel to a room and creates a sense of comfort.
Positive Distractions
Some good “distractions” can help a client by allowing him or her to rest from discussing some emotionally uncomfortable topics. They can shift their focus to a piece of serene artwork, a soothing tabletop fountain, a calm spot away from the therapy space, or even comforting toys. Talking about weighty matters can bring about feelings of vulnerability, and it may be beneficial for clients to take a break every now and then.
Personalization
A few personal elements, such as small mementos or the therapist’s credentials, can be reassuring to the client. However, it is best to keep personalization to a minimum, to help the client feel “at home” within the space, and not as a visitor.
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