A practice use case for counseling and social work trainees
Practice the opening when a fictional client says, "I have to be here"
Mandated client role-play practice for counseling and social work trainees. Rehearse a reluctant fictional client's opening on paper, with peers or by text.
Text-only practice with fictional clients, for adult learners (graduate students and early-career practitioners). Feedback is AI-generated and can be wrong.
Written by SeatTime. SeatTime details (price, plans and scenarios) were checked against our pricing page and scenario library on October 21, 2026. SeatTime is for adults in the US.
As of October 2026. Linked external sources were checked on October 21, 2026. Prices, plans and features can change. Check current terms before you pay. Sources are linked in each table row.
Short answer: pick one invented opening line and rehearse responding to what the person actually said before you decide what to ask next. This is a practice exercise, not a protocol for working with mandated clients. Your site's procedures and your supervisor's guidance come first.
One fictional prompt
"I didn't choose this appointment. I'm here because I have to be."
Write a first response. Then write a second version that reflects what you heard without arguing, explaining the rules, or trying to persuade. Compare the two. There's no single right answer, and nothing here predicts how a real person would respond.
Three ways to rehearse it
| Option | What you do | Tradeoff for this exercise |
|---|---|---|
| Written exercise | Write responses to invented client statements, like the exercises in our MI practice guide. | Our read: good for weighing wording, but a worksheet can't reply in character. MI practice guide |
| Peer role-play | Classmates take counselor, client and observer roles, as in this course syllabus. | A classmate can hear your delivery, but you need people at the same time. The syllabus shows the method, not this scenario. Course syllabus |
| SeatTime | Type to a fictional AI client, then read AI-generated feedback. How SeatTime works | Text only, and the feedback can be wrong. Full access is $15/month, with a daily fair-use limit. SeatTime pricing |
Partnership and autonomy, briefly
SAMHSA's TIP 35, a 2019 guide written for substance use treatment settings, describes partnership in motivational interviewing as "an active collaboration between you and the client" and autonomy support as honoring "a client's right to and capacity for self-direction" (SAMHSA TIP 35, chapter 3). In a mandated setting, those ideas shape how you listen. They don't change what a court or agency requires. For reflections and open questions, see the MI practice guide.
Finding this practice in SeatTime
The monthly plan includes a scenario called "The judge said so," in which a fictional client opens by saying he's only there because a judge required it. The free practice conversation is a different fictional scenario, so use it to decide whether text practice suits you first.
Questions for your field instructor
What your site expects you to say about required attendance, reporting and confidentiality is a question for your field instructor, not a practice tool. For questions to bring in your first week, see field placement preparation. For a broader interview walkthrough, read social work client interviewing practice.
Frequently asked questions
Will the free demo open the mandated-client scenario?
No. The free practice conversation uses a different fictional scenario. The mandated-client scenario is on the monthly plan.
Can this tell me what a court or agency requires?
No. This page is about how you listen in a practice conversation. It isn't legal advice and doesn't describe any court's or agency's rules. Ask your field instructor or site supervisor what your setting requires.
Who is this for?
Adult learners in counseling, MFT and social work programs, and early-career practitioners. The clients are fictional. SeatTime is optional practice outside your program and doesn't count toward any program, placement or licensing requirement.
Try the free text demo
SeatTime is a text-only practice simulator: you type to a fictional AI client, then read AI-generated feedback on what you did. No account or card needed for the free exercise.
Start the free text practiceThe free demo uses a different fictional scenario. Use it to explore the text-practice format.
Text-only practice with fictional clients, for adult learners (graduate students and early-career practitioners). Feedback is AI-generated and can be wrong. It's optional practice outside your program and doesn't count toward any program, placement, or licensing requirement. Use fictional details only. Your supervisor's guidance comes first.