-My Favorite Clients

I wish I could say that my favorite clients are children or marital cases or depressed clients or some other kind of issue related client. However, what I really appreciate are clients who have good timing and attitude.

Let us start with a description of a more difficult case. A difficult case is one where the couple says “We decided to stop by your office on the way to the lawyer.” I’ve not had that statement made literally, but the effective message was the same. By the way, a colleague has had clients say “we have an appointment with the lawyer this afternoon.” The problem is when clients, whatever the issue, come in after the problem has really beat them down. They may be too tired to do the work or are desperately looking for quick relief. While I am quite happy to take up the challenge, the process is seriously handicapped by the fatigue and desperation these clients feel.

The ideal client has much different timing and attitude. First, they come in much earlier in the process. They have a problem, they’ve tried to solve it, and are finding the solutions to be more difficult to identify than they thought. The problem is significant, but it hasn’t overwhelmed them. Then they consider getting some professional help. This client also comes in with a different attitude. He/she or they realize that there is some work to do. Change takes effort. It won’t always be pleasant, but usually the results are. They are willing to be honest with themselves and those around them. These are the clients I most enjoy working with. These are also the clients who are most likely to get something out of therapy.