I had a unique conversation with a colleague today and wanted to bring that conversation here. This might be an uncomfortable question, but I’m asking it from a place of curiosity about the reality of the work, not the ideal. Clinically, we’re trained to hold all clients with equal regard. At the same time, therapy is a relational process, and different clients evoke different experiences in us. We are human, after all.
I’m curious how you define a “good client,” if you do at all.
Not in a moral sense, but in terms of what feels like movement, engagement, or alignment in the work. For some, that might be a client who consistently shows up. For others, it might be someone who reflects between sessions, tolerates discomfort, or engages relationally in the room.
Do you notice patterns in the clients who feel easier to work with, or more activating in a positive way?
And how do you hold that awareness without letting it shape the care you provide?