WHEN A FIRST MEETING WITH A CLIENT MAYBE YOUR LAST
Book ticketsOrganised by:
Counselling Service, Birkbeck University of London
Description
WHEN YOUR FIRST MEETING WITH A CLIENT MAY BE YOUR LAST BY WINDY DRYDEN
WEDNESDAY 24 FEBRUARY 2027, 09:30-13:30
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP
It is not uncommon for clients to attend only one therapy session, whether by intention or circumstance. This workshop explores the phenomenon of single-session therapy (SST), distinguishing between one-at-a-time therapy, planned and unplanned single-session encounters, with a particular focus on the theory and practice of planned SST.
The training will situate SST within its historical and clinical context, tracing its roots from Freud’s published single-session consultations with Aurelia Kronich, Gustav Mahler, and Margarethe Lutz, through to the pioneering contributions of Bernard Bloom and Moshe Talmon, whose work helped establish SST as a distinct therapeutic approach.
Central to the workshop is the proposition that clients should be informed of the different modes of therapeutic delivery available to them and supported to choose the format that best aligns with their needs and circumstances. Consideration will be given to the role of informed consent, client preparation, and the wider higher education service context in which single-session work takes place.
Participants will be introduced to the distinctive mindset required for effective single-session practice, alongside key principles and elements of good practice. The workshop will explore how therapists can work purposefully and collaboratively from the outset, maximising the therapeutic potential of a single encounter without assuming future sessions.
This workshop will be of interest to counsellors, psychotherapists, psychologists, and other mental health professionals seeking to enhance their ability to work effectively when every session may need to count.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
WINDY DRYDEN is one of the leading practitioners and trainers in the UK and was one of the first people in Britain to be trained in CBT. He is best known for his work in Rational-Emotive Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (RECBT), a leading CBT approach.
He is Emeritus Professor of Psychotherapeutic Studies at Goldsmiths University of London.
He has published over 200 books and has trained therapists all over the world. He aims to disseminate Single-Session Therapy, or what he calls ONEplus Therapy, and his most influential book on the subject is entitled The Single-Session Therapy Mindset: What to Keep in Mind and Implications for Practice (Routledge, 2026).
For any queries about the training, information about discounted tickets or group bookings, please contact:
Aditi Dhar
Email: counselling-services@bbk.ac.uk
