Agree, it sounds formal - an agreement with a psychologist or a contract. Even terrifying. It may rather increase anxiety in clients who are already getting used to the psychotherapeutic space. Psychoanalyst Horatio Etchegoen writes on this topic in his book “Fundamentals of Psychoanalytic Technique” about the case of his student who was just beginning his practice. He offered to “draw up a contract” to one of his first patients (as clients are called in psychoanalysis). This patient, a lawyer, with pronounced symptoms of obsessional neurosis, brought a draft contract to the next session for approval. Just like that, literally. In the first years of practice, for some time I also offered to conclude written contracts with clients. Which really added to their anxiety. I haven’t done this for a long time. Now we agree verbally. Concluding an agreement/contract with a psychologist occurs in the same way as when purchasing goods or receiving services. Concluding an agreement between a psychologist and a client. How this happens. After 2-3 sessions (with all clients in different ways), I propose to agree in the psychologist’s contract on the following: • The goals of psychotherapy. The client talks about his difficulties and situations, I clarify the details, try to see the broader context of the problem, and check the client’s request for realism. For example, when a client wants to change other people, I say that we cannot influence this. But it is possible to change the client’s attitude towards the situation and people. Over the course of one or several sessions, we formulate goals, such as: better understand ourselves, regulate our inner life, adapt to the outside world, and naturally approach the rules in the agreement between the psychologist and the client, which will help us move towards our goals. Rules in the agreement psychologist with the client. We agree: • On a certain day and time (I give several options, if possible). • On the method of payment. I suggest paying for sessions once at the end of the month.• About how the client should behave. During the sessions, I recommend not limiting yourself to topics for discussion; I welcome free associations. At the same time, I don’t insist that the client say everything that comes to mind, because I understand that mental defenses - repression, resistance work for us all the time.• How a psychologist works - I give feedback without evaluating, without criticizing, I am attentive, I try with my interpretations help the client progress, research, analyze the client’s situation, open to everything that happens in the therapeutic space.• It is quite logical that clients ask about the duration of therapy. I say that I cannot accurately determine the amount of time. For most or all of their lives, clients have developed habits of coping with their difficulties and ways of reacting. It takes time to change. The psyche quickly breaks down, but does not change. I agree with the opinion of G. Etchegoen, he says that as changes occur in psychotherapy, concerns about its duration decrease.• I do not always mention the rule for canceling and postponing sessions at the very beginning, in the context of the psychologist’s agreement with the client. I say this as needed, when the client missed a session or wants to cancel or reschedule. These agreements serve as a guideline for clients in future work. The contract/agreement with a psychologist rather requires them to make efforts to fulfill it rather than strictly follow it. My task is not to demand compliance, and, of course, not to punish for non-compliance. And watch. How clients behave when aware of the rule. If they are having difficulty complying with the contract, it is important to find out what it is. And it happens that the questions: whether it is necessary to pay for a missed session, go to therapy more often, fix the day and time of the session, and others remain obvious for discussion in psychotherapy for a long time. Only in this case the possibility of therapy remains open. I am glad for your comments!