A Nice Question for the Closing Phase of the Interview

“Impart as much as you can of your spiritual being to those who are on the road with you, and accept as something precious what comes back to you from them.”

Albert Schweitzer, M.D.

A Nice Question for the “Closing Phase” of the Interview

TISA Description of the Problem: Many different questions can be of use in the closing phase of the interview. It is easy for clients to have forgotten bits of information that can actually be of direct use in their treatment planning and care. Here is a slightly different variant on the old stand-by of, “Is there anything else that you would like to tell me?”

Tip: The above question can be phrased with a slightly different twist as follows:
Clinician: Is there a question I missed that I should have asked?

TISA Follow-up: The above question metacommunicates a powerful message to the client – the clinician is interested in feedback and jointly exploring for solutions. Offering the client a chance to “educate” the clinician can subtly empower the client and leave him or her with a positive feeling about the developing alliance. It emphasizes that the clinician does not “know it all” and genuinely wants to work together in a cooperative venue.

Tip provided by:

Kathy A. Morall, M.D. Jefferson Center for Mental Health Arvada, Colorado