Philosophy
Be guided by your clients while making the most of your experience and expertise.
Pragmatics
Make the most of each encounter because research shows that 40 - 60% of clients attend 1-2 sessions and that it is difficult to predict who will attend only one session and who will attend more. For example, 50% of the 25,000 counselling clients seen in Victoria by community health counsellors each year only attend 1-2 sessions.
Principles
Whilst it is a service-delivery model, rather than a model of counselling, SSW will influence all counselling models in many ways.
The following principles are basic to SSW:
• Create working contexts where there is a belief that one session may be enough, even for difficult problems, whilst at the same time ensuring there is always the possibility of further work;
• Link your work to the clients' goals;
• Negotiate a fit between you and your clients' preferred ways of working;
• Check in several times throughout each encounter that the work is on track;
• Respond to what clients want, including sharing information, ideas, feedback and advice in a thoughtful way;
• Create opportunities for clients to try out things before assuming they need further professional help;
• Keeping an 'open door' to further contact.
