Blogging on Good Therapy

Blogging on Good Therapy is rich with valuable information for both seasoned therapists and those who’ve never been in therapy. All are welcome to join the conversation, ask questions, and make comments. In the right hand menu you will find nearly a dozen categories related to counseling & psychotherapy. Please feel free to click on a category that interests you and share your experiences and opinions. If you’re new to therapy or thinking about going, you may be interested in the following posts:

Written by Sarah Jenkins, MC, LPC

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

Sit down, and let me tell you a story, a fable that tells of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It is a fable, written by Aesop, that you may be curious to learn, and can tell us of addiction’s common deceptions. Perhaps you will find the lesson in the beginning, or even at the end, but you will be curious about what you will soon learn, as you read on.

“A wolf found great difficulty in getting at the sheep owing to the vigilance of the shepherd and his dogs. But one day it found the skin of a sheep that had been flayed and thrown aside, so the wolf put it on over its own pelt and strolled down among the sheep.

A lamb began to follow the wolf in the Sheep’s clothing. So, leading the lamb a little apart, he soon made a meal of her. For some time he succeeded in deceiving the sheep, and enjoying hearty meals.”

What’s Underneath: The Wolf (more…)

Written by Julienne B. Derichs, LCPC

We all have a picture of intimacy. Passionate sex, long talks where you reveal your inner most thoughts, and sharing life’s experiences. Creating intimacy in a relationship can seem mysterious and illusive. Most people want it, but what is intimacy really?

Intimacy is not a concrete concept; it is a quality in a relationship that takes on many forms. The common thread being feelings of closeness among partners in a relationship. Intimacy and healthy relationships go hand in hand, yet everyone has different ideas about how intimacy is created. (more…)

Written by Edward W. Wilson, Ph.D., MAC

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

Non-traditional alcoholism treatment methods have always recognized that 12 Step models work for some individuals but not for most, at least not for very long. The problem is that nothing else seems to either. Designing effective treatment for individuals turns out to be a complicated business that must take into account many variables in ways that don’t easily lend themselves to any particular model. As a result most programs offer little beyond “don’t drink, go to meetings, work your program, and repeat – forever.”

It’s also difficult to remember that people have been quitting drinking for as long as alcohol has existed. Some individuals quit when their doctor suggests it’s time; others when spouses threaten to leave; a few when they collect their first DUI with all of the attendant costs and embarrassment; and still more just because they decide to. They quit with or without help or programs or meetings.

So, what happened? (more…)