December 5th, 2011 |
Dreams have long been the subject of psychology. “Studies of dream content have often relied on diaries collected as part of a therapeutic context,” said Steven J. Hoekstra of the Department of Psychology at Kansas Wesleyan University and lead author of a new study. “This study wanted to explore the racial dimension of dreams, particularly the degree to which the dreams’ social demographic characteristics reflected the experiences of the dreamer.” Hoekstra and his colleagues wanted to determine if people dream in racial color and if so, to what extent. They also wanted to know if the... Read More
© Copyright 2011 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Naperville Bureau - All Rights Reserved.
May 5th, 2011 |
When it comes to my experience, perception is always more powerful than reality. Everything that I am is influenced by that which I perceive to be true, whether it is actually true or merely imagined. As a therapist, I have a responsibility to notice and, at times, even confront perception. I would do well to proceed respectfully, empathically, and without unnecessary provocation. At times, those real or imagined perceptions that infuse every marriage and family that I sit with act as that great big pink elephant in the room—standing between spouses and parents and children—that, unacknowledged,... Read More
March 1st, 2011 |
There are several types of therapy that are used to help people with attention issues (such as ADHD) learn to set healthy habits and try and keep their mind on track. Therapy for ADHD often includes a psychoanalytic approach, psychodynamic approach, behaviorism, or humanism. After adequate therapy, those with ADHD probably do not need counseling forever, but they could benefit from a bit of continued guidance as they go. Enter ADHD coaching,... Read More
© Copyright 2011 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Santa Barbara Bureau - All Rights Reserved.
February 15th, 2011 |
A client of mine who is currently “taking a break” for financial and other reasons wrote me an email letting me know that part of the reason for his decision was that he did not feel that our discussions about spirituality were a productive use of his time. Coincidently, we were at the point where he would have had to pay his deductible (meaning he would have out-of-pocket costs for his sessions rather than a small copay). He said he did not think he wanted to spend his time on “…that type of conversation” and that it was not really what he came for (even though he did say he wanted to... Read More
May 21st, 2009 |
Awareness is Ever-Present
To be aware is to witness. And our witnessing selves are always there when we dream, [1] in daily activities, when feeling emotions, and in states of excitement or distress. We are constantly aware, though our focus may be clear or muddled. Without awareness, there is no consciousness. But awareness is hard to see. It is ever-present, like the air we breathe.
Although always present, awareness may not be remembered. For example, we may walk around a table while moving... Read More
March 15th, 2007 |
I’ve received two requests to add Psychoanalysis to our list of therapies and I thought this would be a valuable discussion topic and one that would help me to make a decision about whether or not to include this type of therapy. Here’s my problem: I know this may be biased and outdated, but the association I have (no pun intended) when I think of Psychoanalysis is of a withdrawn, unresponsive, and impersonal figure providing well-timed interpretations about the transference of their “patient,” who lays with the analyst sitting... Read More
