Start the referral process with your challenging client now
You’ve been sitting “on the fence” for some time…..You’re questioning yourself, on how to let-go of your difficult client. You feel conflicted. Your head and your heart are saying two different things. You really want to help your client who needs your support….But you know this is not someone, that you can do your “best work” with.
Sure, you might be feeling guilty, because this client is always on time to sessions, they pay your full therapy fee and they don’t contact you outside of your business days/hours. So “on paper” they should be easy to work with, right? But you really DREAD seeing them! You don’t like how condescending they can be. You can feel their ego get big, when they talk down to you. You’ve tried to be patient and have an open mind, but your walls are up. You have tried to gently confront them on their behaviors, but they lash out in anger. When this happens you start to get defensive.
It’s not easy to stay emotionally grounded and calm, in these tough situations. We are only human, so of course our instinct is to protect ourselves. So we might get emotionally triggered and take our clients harsh words personally. We can even start to feel defeated, with a negative mindset. So instead of torturing yourself by holding onto this difficult client, start the referral conversation process now. I know it can feel really intimidating to have these conversations, which is why I enjoy supporting Clinicians just like you, so you can do this!
Here’s 3 reminders so you can let your challenging client go:
You have a deep passion to work with clients within your (niche). You get excited to see your client and you feel motivated in these sessions. Keep taking in your ideal client. This will only sustain the success of your career. Therapy doesn’t always have to feel so hard.
You’re not the right therapist for your challenging client. You want to help your client, so you find the best fit referrals for your client and their needs. Watch your guilt disappear, knowing your client will be in good hands.
You feel so relieved once the sessions end with your challenging client. You ramp yourself up with anxiety, right before you see this client. You’re counting down the minutes until the session ends. Then you’re feeling exhausted afterwards. It’s not good for your mental or physical health, to have this much anxiety over a client. If it’s that much work and you wish that they would just quit therapy, then it’s time to start the termination process.
I know that it’s not an easy thing to bring up to clients, but believe me you’ll feel better in the long run! It takes practice, by having these conversations with your challenging clients. So if you’re on the fence with referring your challenging client out, keep the above reminders in mind.