Back to Situations
Psychological Counseling

Initial Assessment and Intake

A new client has their first session with the therapist. The therapist gathers background information, understands the client's main concerns, and explains the counseling process and confidentiality.

Dialogue

Listen and follow along with the conversation

1
Therapist (Female)
Welcome, please come in and have a seat. I'm Dr. Lee. Thank you for coming today. To start, could you tell me a bit about what brings you here?
2
Client (Male)
Hello, Dr. Lee. Thank you. Well, lately, I’ve been feeling really overwhelmed and stressed. It's affecting my sleep, and I just can't seem to focus at work.
3
Therapist (Female)
I see. It sounds like you're going through a lot right now. Could you elaborate a bit more on what you mean by 'overwhelmed'? What kind of thoughts or feelings do you experience?
4
Client (Male)
It's like my mind is constantly racing. I worry about everything – work deadlines, my family, just everything. And I get really anxious, sometimes to the point where I feel physically sick.
5
Therapist (Female)
Thank you for sharing that. It takes a lot of courage to open up. Before we dive deeper, I'd like to explain a few things about how counseling works and our confidentiality policy. Everything we discuss here is strictly confidential, with a few legal exceptions which I can outline if you'd like. Our sessions typically last 50 minutes, and we'll work together to identify strategies for managing these feelings.
6
Client (Male)
That sounds reassuring. I appreciate knowing about the confidentiality. So, what would be the next step for us?
7
Therapist (Female)
For today, we'll continue our discussion to get a clearer picture of your routine and how these issues are impacting your daily life. Then we can discuss setting some initial goals for our sessions. If you feel comfortable, we can schedule our next appointment.

Vocabulary

Essential words and phrases from the dialogue

overwhelmed

Feeling unable to manage a large amount of stress, work, or problems; often used when someone feels buried under too much pressure.

stressed

Feeling worried, tense, or under pressure due to difficult situations; common in daily life like work or family issues.

anxious

Feeling nervous, worried, or uneasy about something uncertain; can cause physical symptoms like a fast heartbeat.

elaborate

To explain or describe something in more detail; useful when you want someone to give more information.

confidentiality

The practice of keeping private information secret; important in professional settings like therapy to build trust.

courage

The bravery to do something that frightens you; often used to praise someone for facing challenges like sharing personal feelings.

strategies

Plans or methods designed to achieve a goal; in counseling, they help manage emotions or problems effectively.

reassuring

Making someone feel calmer and less worried; said when information or words provide comfort.

Key Sentences

Important phrases to remember and practice

Could you tell me a bit about what brings you here?

This is a polite, open-ended question to start a conversation and learn why someone is visiting; useful in professional or initial meetings to show interest without pressure. It uses 'could' for a gentle request.

I’ve been feeling really overwhelmed and stressed.

A way to describe ongoing emotional struggles; 'I've been feeling' uses present perfect continuous tense to show a recent and continuing state. Practical for sharing personal issues with friends or professionals.

Could you elaborate a bit more on what you mean by 'overwhelmed'?

Asks for more details politely; 'elaborate on' is a common phrase for clarification. Useful in discussions to deepen understanding, like in therapy or conversations, with 'could' making it soft and non-demanding.

It takes a lot of courage to open up.

Encourages someone by acknowledging their bravery in sharing; 'open up' means to reveal personal thoughts. Good for supportive talks, using 'it takes' to express the effort required for an action.

Everything we discuss here is strictly confidential.

Assures privacy in a conversation; 'strictly confidential' emphasizes complete secrecy. Essential in professional contexts like counseling to build trust, with 'everything we discuss' as a general statement.

That sounds reassuring.

A positive response to comforting information; simple and natural way to express relief. Use it when something eases your worries, like in explanations of rules or plans.

What would be the next step for us?

Asks about the following action in a process; 'would be' is conditional for future planning. Practical for meetings or procedures to show engagement and seek clarity on what's ahead.