We asked psychologist Dr Samantha Clarke for her tips on tips on how therapists can stay in mindful awareness when working with clients. Here’s what she said:

1. Take a moment to become aware of your breath. Practice your mindful breathing and allow yourself to stay with 3 slow long breaths. Take the pressure off, remember that by listening non-judgmentally and with a caring open heart you are helping.
2. Don’t be frightened to slow the session down. Let the client know that what they are saying is important and that you want to take time to really hear what they are saying.
   
3. Zoom out your camera lens – often with difficult clients we are focused in that moment with something about their presentation – i.e. their story/content, their affect etc. Use your mindful attention skills to zoom out and become aware of some more aspects of your experience. Like your feet on the ground, the other sounds in the room, your posture in the chair.
4. Take a moment to come back to your feelings – notice what feelings and sensations you are experiencing in the room. If appropriate at that time feed them back to the client. This can be done either from their experience – “I am wondering right now whether you are feeling really helpless” or from your own perspective “I feel so sad that that happened to you”.
5. Shift away from content to process – take a moment to defuse from the story and notice the process that is taking place between you. See if this makes some room for you and helps your perspective
6. Be honest – sometime we get lost in session and it is appropriate to model to clients that we are human. Let them know that you just need a minute to reflect on what they just said and what you have covered in the session. This will also allow the client a moment to look in.
7. Use silences and pauses – therapists often have trouble allowing clients to sit in silence due to our own discomfort. Let the client have time to process in the session and give yourself time to breathe.
8. Re-orient yourself to the clients goals – why are you both here – what are your agreed goals?
9. Check out the relationship – sometimes difficult clients are the ones we have ruptures with in session. If you notice that this may have happened due to changes in the way the client is relating, take time to check out the relationship with them.
10. Draw on energy from a power greater than yourself – think about your own spiritual beliefs – whether this is god, or the sense that we are all connected and we are working for the greater good.

Samantha Clarke (PhD)

Samantha Clarke is a Clinical Psychologist, Personal Trainer and Director of Sunshine Coast Clinical Psychology in Queensland. Samantha incorporates an holistic approach to healthcare, placing emphasis on helping each individual move towards a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

Samantha’s work has a strong foundation in providing Mindfulness-based interventions and she is particularly interested in assisting people with addressing lifestyle difficulties and overall wellness. Her PhD is focused on connecting individual meaning into health practices to enhance goal achievement and overall wellbeing.

Merging two of her passions – travel and wellness – Samantha founded Mind Body Resilience wellness retreats held in Australia and overseas. These wellness intensives assist health professionals reconnect with their sense of meaning, combat burnout and kick-start their overall health.

Held in stunning natural locales the retreats combine evidence based psychological strategies, along with movement practices and nutritional needs to arm participants with the skills needed to bounce back from stress, pursue goals and address barriers that ultimately arise in life.

The dates for the next Noosa retreat are 17 – 22nd August and 13 – 16th October.

The next retreat for health professionals is in Byron Bay from 28th October to 2nd November.

MBR also create specialised retreat experiences tailored for your friends.

Contact Sam@scclinpsych.com.au for more details

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