Guidelines for Clients of Private Practitioners: Committing the Structure to Print

Whether done explicitly or not, counselors structure the therapeutic relationship. Clients benefit because they are not left guessing about the ground rules. Counselors benefit from not having to redecide every time a new situation arises. Providing clients with the ground rules in writing helps counselors and their clients operate from a common frame of reference and reduces the likelihood that nontherapeutic issues will become a source of conflict. The author describes one practitioner's experiences in preparing and using guidelines with clients seen in a small private practice.