Blogging on Good Therapy

Written by Joan Levy, LCSW

Click here to contact Joan and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile

Emotional Injuries Hide In Our Unconscious

Throughout our lifetime, most of us have in some significant way been wounded.  The physical wounds we can see.  Their solutions, if available to us, are fairly straightforward.  But those that take place in our minds and in our hearts are not so easy to see and are often stored out of touch, deep within our unconscious.  Those we do remember, we often avoid because it just hurts us too much.  Our culture supports this avoidance in the name of “denial”.
Even though we would like to learn, to grow and to heal, most often we end up feeling powerless, unable to break the patterns which repeatedly lead us to dissatisfaction and pain.  The more we try to run away from our pain, the faster our pain seems to catch up to us.

Pain Is A Warning Signal

Healing asks us to address our pain rather than avoid it.  Pain is a warning signal.–– A call for our attention.  We need to give our pain our attention.  As we explore what there is to learn from our situation and our interactions and as we investigate our thoughts and our feelings, we can begin to see the pain as a part of a dysfunctional pattern that has been repeating itself throughout our lives. (more…)

Written by Julie Simons, LCSW

Bioenergetics is a form of psychodynamic psychotherapy that combines work with the body and mind to help people result their emotional problems and realize more of their potential for pleasure injoy in living.

Bioenergetics psychotherapists believe that there is a correlation between the mind in the body.  What affects the body affects the mind; in what affects the mind affects the body.  The psychological defenses when uses to handle pain and stress of life are also anchored in the body.  They appear in the body as unique muscular patterns that inhibit self expression.  These patterns can be identified and understood by bioenergetics psychotherapists who knows how to look the structure, movement and breathing patterns in a person’s body.

Bioenergetics psychotherapists, like other psychotherapists, focus special attention on the muscular patterns and person’s body.  They are interested in these patterns and their relationship to movement, breath, posture and emotional expression.  Every physical expression of the body has meaning. (more…)

Written by Sandra M. Wolf, M.A., LMFT

Abstract: Are the discipline techniques you are trying to use with your children not working?  One common technique used by many parents is time-out.  However, time-out is often unintentionally implemented incorrectly by many parents.  Find out how!

I have often gotten clients coming into my office exasperated because the techniques they’ve been trying to employ to discipline their children are “not working”.  To take one example, time-outs have become quite popular and common-place in our arsenal to rein in our unruly children.  However, what I have found is that many parents non-intentionally implement this technique incorrectly.  Most parents seem to know the “rule” of putting their child in a time-out approximately 1 minute per year of life, thus, a 3 year old would warrant about a 3 minute time-out, and so on.  What many parents are missing in the implementation is the “spirit”, if you will, of how an effective time out should be put into place.  (more…)

Written by Jeanette Raymond, Ph.D.

Click here to contact Jeanette and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile

If you are considering entering into psychotherapy chances are it is because of a strong sense of unease within yourself. There is a powerful urge to get rid of that discomfort no matter how it is manifest. It may be anger, jealousy, guilt, feeling constantly wounded, fear of losing an important relationship, or a sense of frustration/dissatisfaction with the way  life is. Often there is a need to feel in control of your life, or a desire to discover if you are lovable no matter how bad you think you are. Sometimes there is a massive fear of change and needing a place where the world can stop for a while. Whatever the initial reason for seeking psychotherapy the basis for the work will mean exploring the relationship you have with yourself. The process can be long and arduous and it takes courage and forbearance. It requires allowing yourself to pass through many stages of self-discovery while you get relief from your discomfort. (more…)

Written by Bud Feder, Ph.D.

Abstract

This paper describes a specific approach to group therapy that is carried out within the context of a Gestalt orientation. It begins with a brief history of how the particular approach described here evolved. Then come a description of elements to pay attention to in the composition such a group, followed by a brief statement of the orientation given to each new member. Then five ground rules for the group process are presented. A central distinguishing principle of this kind of group is that participants agree to devote their attention and efforts to experiences that directly pertain to this group. Conversations about events in other times and places are largely off limits. After the “Ground Rules,” a section called “Some Tweaking I’ve Done” presents changes in the process the author has gradually made that contribute to a more effective process. Three thumbnail sketches of typical work follow.

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Written by Alethea Smith-Withers, M.Div., D.Min.

Some years ago, I performed a wedding ceremony for a young African-American man and woman.  They are a striking couple.  The man, James, is an attorney and the woman, Ria, is a nurse practitioner.  They are ambitious, well-educated and dynamic young adults.  They like to travel and both are runners and have done a marathon together.  During pre-marital counseling, they shared that they wanted to wait for at least two years before they had children.  Both James and Ria seemed happy with their decision.  James was pleased because he said that he wanted to buy a house before they had children.  Ria expressed relief about not having children and she talked about needing time to develop professionally.  I sensed there was more that needed to be said and explored.  However, in the face of such seeming satisfaction, I initially thought there was little that I could add as the pastoral counselor.  I asked a few questions and somehow they shifted the focus to benign concerns about housekeeping responsibilities. They eventually married as planned.  But seven months later, they asked to see me for a few Couples Sessions.  They had heard that I had completed Imago Relationship training and were interested in experiencing the Imago, a unique approach to couples counseling.  During the first Couples Session, I introduced James and Ria to the Intentional Couples Dialogue and explained the three distinct steps and the gift that is a part of the process: (more…)

Written by John Sovec, MA, MFT Intern

Click here to contact John and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile

I recently had an experience outside of a local market that gave me a unique insight into how we can apply the practice of mindfulness in our daily life.  I was on my way to shop, going over my grocery list in my head as I drove, with my concentration primarily on remembering the ingredients I would need to make dinner for the evening.  As I pulled into the parking lot, which was quite busy, I saw a space and pulled my car in to park.  As I opened the door of my car, a man was standing there and he started to yell at me.  He was screaming that I had taken his parking space and I was a jerk (a nicer version of what he actually said) for cutting him and his wife off.  (more…)

Written by Julie Simons, LCSW

“So what do you do for a living?”

The inevitable question asked at any social gathering. Though typically an innocuous question, I find myself dreading it. This is probably due to the flash of fear I often see upon the word, “Psychotherapist.” Sometimes, people are even bold enough to ask, “So are you analyzing me right now?” Unfortunately, this is reflective of one of the many myths that continue to persist around this profession. So I’ve taken on the task of blasting some of those myths and hoping to provide a clearer understanding of what this therapy business is all about. (more…)

Written By Edward A. Dreyfus, Ph.D.

Click here to contact Edward and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile 

Historically, the focus of all psychotherapies has been on curing various forms of mental disturbances, including  maladaptive behavior, cognitive distortions, personality disorders, chemical imbalances, genetic predisposition, and so on.  For the most part, the various psychotherapeutic approaches focus on ameliorating discomfort, re-structuring the personality or re-educating an individual, and changing maladaptive thought processes or behav-ior, in order that an individual might live a happier and more fulfilling life.  Generally speaking, this approach follows what might be called a disease or pathology model.  Similar to most of Western medicine, it focuses on what’s wrong with an individual, seeking to remedy a disease or problem.

However, medicine is undergoing a transformation in which the focus is more on disease prevention and health maintenance than only curing disease when it occurs.  Researchers are investigating the value of vitamin sup-plements, acupuncture, nutrients, herbal medicine, fiber, exercise, meditation, and spirituality, to name but a few approaches to disease prevention.  Homeopathic remedies are being viewed in a new light for the first time since the discovery of penicillin.  As our life expectancy increases, we want to live healthier lives not just longer lives. 

A similar transformation is taking place in the field of mental health. (more…)

Written by Edward A. Dreyfus, Ph.D.

Click here to contact Edward and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile

More and more people are hearing the terms personal coach or life coach.  There have been newspaper articles and professional articles written on the subject.  Several people have asked me, “what is a life or personal coach and how is personal coaching different from psychotherapy?”  Until recently, personal coaching has been con-fined to corporations where it is known as executive coaching or executive consulting.  Today personal coaching has found its way into the public domain.  This issue of the Psychotherapy Update will discuss personal or life coaching as a new trend that will become more available over the next decade to assist people in achieving a more fulfilling, rewarding and balanced life.  Perhaps personal coaching is just what you’ve been waiting for to help you enrich your already satisfying life. (more…)

Written by Patti Geier, CSW

Click here to contact Patti and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile

“I lost everything when the police raided my house looking for prescription drugs. My husband and two little children were home that night. I was so ashamed I couldn’t even look at them. I was arrested, put in handcuffs and locked up. My husband divorced me. My children were taken away from me. I knew I had hit bottom.”

Sylvia* is a 44 year-old professional,  former president of a local organization, and a prescription drug addict.

An Invisible Epidemic

A great deal has been written about alcoholism and drug addiction over the last two decades. However, information regarding prescription drug abuse and addiction only seems to surface when someone famous has a problem and needs treatment or dies.

Historically, prescription drug addiction has been the most underreported drug abuse problem in the nation (National Institute of Drug Abuse). It is also the least understood. Addiction to and withdrawal from prescription drugs can be more dangerous than other substances because of the insidious nature of these drugs. (more…)

Written by Mitchell Milch, LCSW

Click here to contact Mitchell and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile

Let’s face it, we all want to avoid making the same mistakes raising our kids we believe our parents or surrogate parents made raising us. This is especially the case when we still hold grudges toward parents for what has or has not become of us. Under this historical cloud, we know yet may not admit to the old adage: “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” What this adage speaks to is the IMPOSSIBILITY of NEVER being like the parents we recall as having “screwed us up.” As much as we swear that we will never treat our kids the way we were treated, the moments inevitably arise when we sound and act like our parents. This is human nature. We will on occasion, identify and repeat the most noxious and self defeating parenting practices employed by our parents. (more…)

Written by Nancy Poitou, M.A., M.F.T., C.T.S 

Most of the research done on meditation has been done on Transcendental Meditation referred to as TM. I am not promoting TM over any other type of meditation, any technique is used has pretty much the same effects on health.

Research in the new field of psychoneuroimmunology show that emotional states, behavioral patterns, and mental attitudes are central issues in health and disease. A well documented relationship between the brain and body function is the neuroendocrine pathway. Stressful circumstances reduce the body’s immunologic response by suppressing disease fighting blood cells, lymphocytes with the production of cortisone-like compounds. A ten CPS (cycles per second) Alpha state induces a strong immunological system, more control over pain, blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature and even bleeding. (more…)

Written by Eric Denner, LMFT

It can be very difficult to tell if someone has a problem with drugs or alcohol. In the past addiction was defined primarily by physiological measures: tolerance and withdrawal. In the past few decades the definition has expanded to include:

- taking the substance in larger amounts or over a longer period than intended
- desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control use
- a great deal of time spent in activities necessary to obtain, use, or recover from the effects of a substance
- failure to meet important social, family, or occupational obligations or giving up or reducing recreational activities
- continued use despite adverse consequences
- tolerance
- withdrawal (more…)

Written by Jeanne Strauss, LCSW

Click here to contact Jeanne and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile

You heard me right.  I mean wealthy, not just healthy.  Therapy is not just about mental illness, it is about mental and emotional health and in my book it’s about emotional wealth.  I believe we are all capable of emotional wealth. What are the hallmarks of the emotionally wealthy person?  Look at the following characteristics and descriptions.  See how many you answer “yes”.

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Written Nancy Poitou, M.A., M.F.T

I have been asked often about what is self esteem, self love and self centeredness. These are very good questions and it is a fine line that separates these concepts.

Self esteem means to hold oneself in high esteem, feeling worthy of a good life and good treatment by others. Self esteem results from self respect and respect from others. Self respect includes competence, confidence, honesty, mastery, achievement, independence and freedom. Respect from others includes recognition, acceptance, status, and appreciation. Healthy self esteem is a realistic appraisal of one’s capacities and begins with deserved respect from others.

This usually begins to be built in childhood, when we learn some new skill, or take a risk, a parent says, “Good! You learned how to tie your shoe!”  And so begins the building of self esteem. However when a parent is overly critical or abusive, we get a message that we will never be good enough, that there is just something inherently bad about us, that we are defective. As children we are dependent on adults to give us the foundation of our self esteem and be role models for what is good.

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Written by Chris Hancock, LCSW

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Harry Stack Sullivan, M.D. (1892-1949) was the founder of the interpersonal theory of psychiatry. He is perhaps best known for his groundbreaking work with schizophrenics whom he compassionately called “the lonely ones” (Evans, 1996).  A brilliant, complicated, deeply empathic, often irascible intellectual pioneer, he was among the first to deviate from Freud’s structural orthodoxy of the time. Sullivan uniquely viewed human development as forming wholly within the context of culture and inseparable from the interference of anxiety with respect to various patterns and problems in living (i.e. psychopathology). (more…)

Written by Kent Toussaint, MA, LMFT

Click here to contact Kent and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile

One day, you go into your son’s room and to your surprise, you find that missing can of whipped cream under his bed.  You think to yourself, “That’s odd.”

Out of your daughter’s backpack falls the can of paint thinner you used three years ago when you remodeled the kitchen and has since been sitting out in the garage among the other discarded tools and supplies.  You then ponder, “Is she in art class this semester?”

If something like this has happened to you, your kid may very well be abusing inhalants.  If he is, he’s in danger of not only destroying his mind and body but he could also die.

What are inhalants?

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Written by Peggy M. Huff, President and Executive Director of Essence Recovery Centers, Inc.

I’ve been in active recovery from alcohol dependency for more than 20 years.  I have watched thousands and thousands of people come into recovery, and just as quickly, they disappear, only to come back again and again, claiming a desire to get better.  What causes them to go through that revolving door for so long, and why are they in so much emotional pain?

I have studied alternative medicine for 15 years or more, and have learned about the importance of diet and nutrition in the treatment and prevention of many “dis-eases”.  I have personally corrected many chronic ailments within my own body, from Lupus to arthritis, to Fibromyalgia.  I fully believe that if we give our bodies what they need, they will heal themselves.  This belief is based in my own personal experience.

But what about addictions to harmful substances?  There are addictions to marijuana, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and a myriad of other “recreational” drugs.  But equally as devastating to ones health and well-being are addictions to other, legal substances, such as alcohol, prescription drugs (anti-depressants and pain-killers), tobacco, caffeine, sugar, chocolate and refined, fatty foods.  What is causing us to need or crave these substances?  Well, our brains.  Not our thinking, but our brain chemistry itself.  Our brains consist of tiny chemicals called neurotransmitters.  These neurotransmitters include epinephrine and nor-epinephrine, GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid), serotonin and dopamine.  They are closely tied to addictive behavior and addictions to many of the above mentioned substances.  When in ample supply, these chemical neurotransmitters cause us to feel good…that wonderful feeling of well-being we all desire and strive to maintain.  But when our neurotransmitters are depleted and/or are being re-absorbed by our brain’s receptor sites too quickly, we reach automatically for something that will make us feel better by increasing these chemicals.  This can be achieved through many substances, and is especially true alcohol, which is why alcoholism is so rampant in our society.  It is a legal “fix” to our continuing feelings of restlessness, irritability and discontentment.  But it is like putting a band-aid on an infected wound.  Whether we get our temporary fix through alcohol or prescription anti-depressants or that giant Hershey’s chocolate bar, the cause of the problem remains unaddressed.

So, what causes our brains to loose the ability to naturally take care of ourselves via neurotransmission?  (more…)

Written by Nancy Poitou, M.A., M.F.T., C.T.S.

There are several reasons why existential, religious and spiritual problems are important in psychotherapy. First it is important that therapists recognize that existential, religious and spiritual beliefs are at the foundation of individual, cultural, and societal frameworks of expression of internal and external experience. Whether the therapist or client recognizes it as an intregal part of life or not, conscious and unconscious beliefs about the nature of human existence and its meaning lie at the core of our relationships, values, ethics, morals, and how we act and interact in public and private life. (more…)