ABSTRACT
Advocates of Single-Session Therapy (SST) are keen to make clear that SST is best seen as occupying an important place in a range of therapy services available within an agency’s therapy provision. Budget holders may be attracted to SST because they see it as a way of reducing costs. In most SST services, further sessions are possible, usually booked one-at-a-time rather than, for example, booked weekly months into the future, unless this is clinically indicated. Some people think that SST is like ‘therapy speeded up’ where the therapist attempts to cram a number of sessions into one session. In fact, if a therapist attempts to do this, it often renders SST ineffective. SST is guided by two principles: ‘sooner is better’ and ‘less is more’. On the contrary, SST is best practised when clients see the potential in it, and therapists embrace the challenge of helping willing clients in the shortest possible period.
