Once the client arrives I spend the first fifteen minutes allowing them to present their problem and completing the intake form. Then I say to them, "How can I help you today?" and they begin to tell me their problem.
If you learn the art of intense listening, you are likely to discover the problem in the first five minutes. During the intake interview I interact, I communicate, I ask questions, I clarify and I feed back. When you are using the process correctly, the client will come to know several things, in the first Fifteen minutes.
One: that you are not just hearing them, but you are listening and focusing your full awareness and conscious attention upon them.
Two: they become aware that you are analyzing, interpreting and evaluating by the feed back that you give them ... "I hear you saying," or "I understand that," or "it seems as if," then they can confirm, deny or correct. "Oh, I didn't mean it that way, what I am really saying is..." or "Oh, yes, that's right."
Three: as they become aware that you are relating to them in a therapeutic process, your rapport is being developed in the non-hypnotic interview. They become convinced that you are interested in them and care about them, you devoted your full attention to them and that you are really a very wise person.