Shaping the session with furniture

I've found it useful to have chairs my clients and I can maneuver during the session, either on wheels or chairs you can easily slide. In my office, I have three armchairs on wheels, and other chairs I can bring in for family and group sessions. Each session then takes on a unique shape, depending upon how you and your clients position yourselves before and during the session. This is especially useful with couples, who can shift chairs to avoid eye contact with each other, or move closer to offer and receive support or touch.

Other advantages include:

• Movable chairs gives the therapist the option of shifting the intersubjectivity by adjusting the furniture, so couples can face each other or move closer to each other.
• Adjustable positioning gives you the option of commenting on spacing and position to open up avenues of confrontation and inquiry.
• Finally, as the emotions ebb and flow, it gives you the possibilities of altering your distance with your clients, moving closer to partners or individuals needing support, or orienting to be more central in conjoint or family sessions.