ABSTRACT
The preceding chapter presented a concept of therapy which emphasizes the growth-inducing values of the therapeutic relation established by the participation of both child and therapist. In this experience a child encounters a new and immediate reality. The understanding and direction a therapist brings to the beginning hours of treatment, in relation to the child’s first reactions, in no small measure determine the outcome of the case. It is important, therefore, to gain a clear understanding of what happens in the first interviews, and of the more noteworthy factors that influence the child’s responses. Hence, this chapter will be devoted to a discussion of the dynamics of the beginning interviews.
