What Are The Benefits of Consultation?
Working as a mental health therapists doesn’t have a guidebook, recipe, or playbook. We are constantly working off of our education, experience, gut feelings, and research. It is without a doubt, a profession that keeps us on our toes. This is why consultation is so important in our field of work. There are so many benefits to consultation.
Consultation in the mental health field, typically falls into two different categories; clinical consultation and business consultation. Clinical consultation isn’t a new phenomenon in our profession, by any means. Many people have engaged in this practice, while others are left wondering what’s so great about it. Let’s break down some of the benefits of Consultation.
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Mental health therapy can feel lonely.
That’s interesting to say, isn’t it? We are surrounded by people all day. The fact of the matter is, we are typically moving from therapy session to therapy session and not spending time in between decompressing from the information we hear. Finding a consultant to speak through cases helps us to decompress.
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Consultation can get help with tricky cases.
Many people are seeking consultation for specific areas of therapy. For example, if someone is struggling with providing couples therapy (or just needs some new ideas, clarification, or support) they can seek a consultant who specializes in couples therapy.
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It provides a second opinion.
Do you ever have those times you think you did the right thing during session, but you are second guessing it. These are the perfect scenarios to bring up during consultation. You can get a second opinion on how to do things differently next time, or reassurance that another professional agress with your recommendation/response.
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It looks good in court.
For those of us who have had to testify, can we say intimidating?! If/when you have to testify in court, it is really nice to be able to say that you received consultation on a case. This is providing the court with the knowledge that it wasn’t just you that had a specific recommendation, but by receiving consultation on it, there were multiple professionals in agreement. Additionally, it goes to speak to your character that you would be willing to pay for consultation to better yourself as a clinician, when it isn’t a requirement in our field.
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Business Doesn’t Always Come Naturally.
Not all of us are business savy. Some of us struggle with managing the financial aspects of the practice, while others are struggling to manage and supervise other therapists and keep a positive work environment. If you find yourself in this category, a business consultant might be just what you are looking for.
These are just some of the benefits of consultation in the mental health field. No doubt, there are plenty more. Go ahead and take a peek at our consultation directory listing and see who you can find that matches just what you need.
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash