INCIDENTAL ENCOUNTERS BETWEEN THERAPISTS AND CLIENTS - THE CLIENTS PERSPECTIVE

A questionnaire concerning clients' feelings about incidental encounters with therapists was administered to 147 university counseling center clients. Results indicated that most clients had experienced brief incidental encounters with their therapists. Clients generally felt comfortable with their therapists' responses, but some wanted a more involved response from their therapist. The feelings that clients reported experiencing most frequently were confidence, surprise, awkwardness, enjoyment, curiosity, and anxiety. Implications for further research and training are discussed.