Of the three elements to your basic consultation records, the intake form is the most fluid and individual document of all. Contracts cover the law, session notes cover the events and for that both are of a minimally variable format from one service to the next. The intake is the place where you get to use your expertise to tailor questions to the benefit of your target market, ready for each unique client. It really does express the tone of everything that is to come in working with you, or if you are not self-employed, with or your business or organisation.
Intake forms can have many names but they all provide an initial snapshot of the client’s situation. If you go to a nutritionist, for example, part of your intake will almost certainly involve questions about your weight and diet.
Designing your intake generally involves a mixture of two types of data, specifically data you are required to collect by law and by the standards of your insurers or awarding body, and data that you decide to also collect in order to maximise the benefit to your client. A third type may be added to the benefit of building your business, if appropriate.
It is better to have a sparse intake form that has only a few tick boxes and a place to sign, than to puff it up with information that you do not really need, as this will put you at odds with the law on data protection as well as making the process a chore for your client. It is also true that your stock in trade is trust. A client cannot do their best inner work without trusting the environment that you provide so don’t try to look like a superstar. It is far better to be a completely trustworthy beginner (i.e. open about it) than get spotted for faking more authority, which only tells your client that even you don’t really believe you are up to the task.
Honesty + Transparency = Integrity. I think that comes from an author called Steven Kuhn. See the start-up article on setting up your website and also read the Code, for more about reputation.
As part of your intake process, Holistic Insurance Services Ltd require that you take details of relevant lifestyle and medical history. EFTMRA asks for the same, phrasing it as personal details, client history and problem areas.
Relevant medical history is a prime example of information you may wish to discover as part of pre-screening; making it data that could be destroyed if no contract resulted from it. For example, for many it would be wise before sending the contract, to simply ask whether the client has any known, officially diagnosed mental health conditions that may affect the use of EFT and whether they are on any serious pain medication or anything else that may affect their mood or physical reactions, eg antidepressants, antipsychotics, beta-blockers, antihistamines or self-medication with alcohol or recreational drugs. Then, if you move forward, get that down as part of a signed document. On paper this second part about medication can be as simple as one question ~ Are you taking any medications or recreational substances? Please list. ~ This works well if this information is only required to decide on the suitability of working together. For others who intend to work in support of people living with certain conditions, (depending on niche, level of expertise and other training), much more detail will obviously be required.
Another massive issue that you can cover with a tiny question (unless they say yes) is “Do you consider yourself to be at risk of self-harm or suicide?” or “Do you consider yourself to be a potential danger to yourself or others?”. As questions, these are a mouthful to say but just one line against a pre-screening tick box, after which you can decide whether you wish to gather more detail. However, as long as your contract lists all the conditions that may affect confidentiality (harm to self or others is a big one) and as long as the client signs up anyway and you comply with the code in running through the terms of the contract at the outset of your first session, then you’ll end up filtering for that anyway, three times over.
Assuming medical blocks to the work are one or two small questions in amongst the rest of your intake, what else do you need to ask? This will vary very much depending on who you are and the market you serve, but as considerations:
- There are details that are required to be in your consultation records as a whole that could just as easily be on the contract, the intake, or both, specifically: the client’s full name, date of consultation, therapy outline and general description.
- It would be wise to require a signature to confirm that you have spent time in the first session going over the contract and confirming the client’s understanding and agreement.
- If not fully covered in the contract, you will need to explain the layout of a normal session and what to expect. This is a requirement but a good example of how it also helps would be if your client were prone to tail-enders. Their subconscious mind will need to be aware in advance if the tapping and the introspection stop earlier than the session ends.
- You may wish to ask for contact details of the next of kin or doctor, even if just name and phone number
- As EFT practitioners we help our clients to explore their own feelings, beliefs and reactions. Whether your client comes to you about a desired state or a problem state, there are many ways to check the ecology of the desired outcome, pre-frame the result, and highlight room for further development, with open-ended questions starting How will, What if, When will you, What else.
- This could be a good moment to ask the client for various permissions that often crop up in your sessions and depending on the severity of your intake as a whole, an opportunity to ask approval for a testimonial at a later date.
Remember, from the client’s perspective, the intake process is about tailoring your service to them as a unique individual so that they can reap the maximum benefit.
Author: Cheryl White, EFT Test Manager