About reading feedback

I don't have a very predictable way of working with clients. I tend to go along with whatever they are offering me.

Yesterday one of the residents: Jimmy (12 y.o.) was crying and verbally abusive toward the staff after contraband was found in his room. I invited to talk to me. But not before he washed his face with cold water.

Jimmy went to bathroom and cleaned his face. Too easy.

But let's assume he refuse to clean his face. What would you do?

Then he followed me to my office (I just came to work). I gave him a piece of chewing gum (kids love it). I asked him why he was so upset but he was talking like a 2-year-old kid (mumbling phrases). This was the dialogue:

Jimmy: "They took... it... from me...(crying, shaking.)

Carlos: "How old are you"

Jimmy: "12"

Carlos "I am not so sure" (This was not original. I learned it from one of the Minuchin's tapes)

Jimmy: "Yes, I am"

Carlos: '" 12 year old kids don't suffer from tamper tantrums". '" I think you are 2 y.o."

I asked him about his grandmother who was at the hospital. (I called this a diversionary technique. It is an action to reduce stress and defocus the client temporarily).

Jimmy stopped crying and his speech was better. (I have a habit of visiting the kids at their unit on regular basis, so I was not a stranger to him).

I asked the question again: 'How old are you" and he replied:"12". I replied: "I think you 4, now"

Jimmy did not argue about it.

As the child expressed himself better I added another year. This went on for about 20 minutes. Jimmy had to return to the unit but on his way he turned back and stated; "Mr. Carlos, I will be 12 by the end of the day".

My impression is the constant reading of the client's feedback serve as thermostat to calibrate if our interventions are proper or not to the client, the presenting problem and the context. Some of the writings against the therapist as an interventionist or the trashing of the techniques is the result of not knowing how to read the feedbacks from the clients/families.

Carlos J. Sanchez

Philadelphia

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