Problem 83 people who want to be your friend—use your first name

Generally speaking, it is best to retain an authoritative position as a therapist and not tutoyer (the French term for speaking familiarly) with people you treat. This helps maintain the “therapeutic barrier” ⁵ and prevents boundary violations. You should introduce yourself with your title: Doctor, Mister, or Ms. I generally greet people coming for evaluation with their title and my own. ⁶