If I were the psychologist I would have done previous research on Juan before the appointment. When they would have arrived I would have introduced myself and let Juan talk. After that I would let his parents discuss their concerns. If there was any paperwork I would have explained it all even if it’s common sense. I would have them make a follow up appointment before trying to diagnose him. At Juan’s next appointment I would use free association to help him open up a bit. Free association is a technique used in psychoanalysis (and also in psychodynamic theory) which was originally devised by Sigmund Freud. Freud used free association to help his patients discover unconscious thoughts and feelings that had been repressed or ignored. When his patients became aware of these unconscious thoughts or feelings, they were better able to manage them or change problematic behaviors. The goal of free association is not primarily to uncover hidden memories but to identify genuine thoughts and feelings about life situations that might be problematic, yet not be self-evident (Meyer, 2009). This would be used as an icebreaker for Juan.
Example: “Well, this morning I woke up and had coffee…On my drive to work I listened to the radio…What is it with the radio, anyway? So many ads all the time…I really hate my work…Did you know that beavers can hold their breath for more than ten minutes? That was on the radio too…God, I wish I were a beaver so I didn’t have to go to work (Grinnell,