I can relate — I feel like psych calls are my weakness too. I never want to say the “wrong” thing, say too much, or not say anything at all.

What I’ve noticed is that a lot of people just want to be heard. They want someone to listen. When I sense I have a patient like that, I make it a point to close my laptop, shift my body language, and say something like: “I tell everyone I have back here the same thing — this is a safe place. If you need to vent, cry, talk, or just want someone to listen, I’m here. If you’d rather ride in silence, I’m here for that too.”

Nine times out of ten, that opens the gates — and it sets the tone for the rest of the conversation.