Reference no: EM131882448

Imagine you are a staff psychotherapist at an intensive outpatient clinic that treats psychotic disorders, and you are meeting with a new patient for the first time. You greet the new patient, Andrew, in the waiting room and take him into your office to begin your first session. As you take your seat and encourage Andrew to do the same, he asks, "Could you please bring in three more chairs for my friends?" Confused, you ask him to elaborate. Andrew says, "Well, I don't want my three Martian friends that are with me to have to stand the whole time." What would you do? Would you refuse the request, which could potentially disrupt the therapeutic relationship? Or would you grant the request, which might reinforce his psychotic symptoms? How might you proceed?