Sectional couches for psychotherapy?

[hereandnow]

I'm just wanting to get some opinions here. I'm designing a home office and am considering getting a sectional couch. I was wondering and worried, however, about whether or not the couch would seem to not be usable for psychotherapy. I think it should work just fine, but I wasn't sure. I know that the classic psychotherapy couch is a two arm chair sofa. Or perhaps even a chaise lounge for psychoanalysis. But what do people think about sectionals for therapy? Thanks in advance.

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[WisNeuro]

Why not just a comfortable chair? Couches and chaise lounges are for some bs hollywood version of therapy.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I'm in the process of getting new furniture for my office, and while I actually own a chaise lounger...it will be staying at home. 😀 I'm looking at a love seat and chair. I'll probably keep a couple of stacked chairs in te corner of my office if I need more (temporary) seating.

 

[hereandnow]

Good questions... well... I guess, it's a big space... and I'm not sure how to make use of it all. It's like 16'x18'. I think since I'm also using it as my home living room area, a sectional couch might be a way of providing a lot of seating also for entertaining, lounging, or alternatively for groups or family therapy, too.

 

[Suenya]

Why not just a comfortable chair? Couches and chaise lounges are for some bs hollywood version of therapy.

You might be surprised how many psychodynamic/psychoanalytic oriented therapists have couches, although I'm not sure how much use they get.

 

[WisNeuro]

Oh, I'm not surprised that the psychoanalysts still have them, got to keep up the image to get your self-paying clients to come back for several years of sessions.

 

[hereandnow]

Well, if you do couples therapy or family therapy, a couch can be helpful, for sure, I think. You get to see all sorts of body language and interpersonal contact when you put a couple on a couch together. Also, I would imagine, with a sectional and family therapy, though I have less experience with that. I think there was a study somewhere a while back that suggested that when a couples goes to couples counseling and sits in separate chairs that the outcome was less favorable to the marriage than if the couples therapy is conducted with the pair on a couch. Hmmmm.... Maybe there are some good reasons to try to get a sectional, then -- if the issues in the family are about insufficient mutual attachment -- but perhaps it is better to do the work in chairs if the issues have to do with creating boundaries.

 

[PsyDr]

"since I'm also using it as my home living room area"

If you have a dual use space, you absolutely cannot deduct the area for tax purposes.

 

[smalltownpsych]

For me the standard setup has always been a couch and two chairs. The couch is more for couples, but many of my clients choose it over the chair. It is not really for laying on although occasionally adolescents will recline on it when they feel more comfortable.

 

[463951]

"since I'm also using it as my home living room area"

If you have a dual use space, you absolutely cannot deduct the area for tax purposes.

Can't you deduct a percentage? (I don't work from home, I'm still an intern, I'm just curious)

 

[PsyDr]

Can't you deduct a percentage? (I don't work from home, I'm still an intern, I'm just curious)

Absolutely not. For a home office deduction, the area has to be regularly and exclusive business use, and well defined. For example, having a desk in the living room where you write reports would not be considered tax deductible. Even if you were brazen enough to try to file for such a small percentage, it would not be worth it. Home office is also one of the top reasons for having an audit.

If you have a home office that is either where you see clients or where you store/review files, and it is exclusively used for that purpose, then you can deduct that percentage and associated bills such as electricity from your taxes.

There's much more advanced ways to legally boost this, but you'd need an attorney, and a CPA. I think the proper set up cost me in the neighborhood of 8K.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

PSYDR is spot on. I did this back in the day (when I was a consultant and worked from home 1-2 days a wk). It is a huge PITA (to do correctly), and I was told by my counsel to expect an audit eventually because it is so commonly abused. I was never audited, but that was 12+ yrs ago, and the IRS wasn't nearly as aggressive w. audits in that area.

 

[smalltownpsych]

It might be a little tough to explain to the IRS how your living room with a cushy sectional sofa and big screen tv is a home office.
🙄

 

[futureapppsy2]

"since I'm also using it as my home living room area"

If you have a dual use space, you absolutely cannot deduct the area for tax purposes.

This seems like it would turn into a boundary nightmare on so many levels, tbh.

 

[hereandnow]

It might be a little tough to explain to the IRS how your living room with a cushy sectional sofa and big screen tv is a home office.
🙄

Haha. Yes, well, good thing I'm not looking for a tax credit.... and don't have a TV...But, yes, I hear you. And I think you are right though in what you said earlier about the couch plus two chairs approach. I like that. Thanks so much for the input. BTW, I just got the most amazing, snuggly non-sectional couch off of craigslist for free! The perfect therapy couch for feeling warm, held, safe, and secure. Craigslist for the win. 🙂