http://www.goodtherapy.org/psychotherapy-practice-article.html Latest articles Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:45:14 GMT en-us http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/resiliency-maladaptive-ptsd-behaviors-0207122/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/resiliency-maladaptive-ptsd-behaviors-0207122/ Tue, 7 Feb 2012 22:00:27 GMT Resiliency is seen as one?s ability to adaptively cope with stressful events. Individuals who have survived childhood traumas learn how to cope in various ways. Some engage in dissociative behaviors to protect themselves from emotional distress during childhood. Other children rely on different strategies to survive. But when these children reach adulthood, the once adaptive coping methods can become maladaptive in the absence of ongoing abuse. The resilient behaviors of childhood can become pathological, and, conversely, pathological behaviors exhibited during traumatic times may evolve and develop into resilient techniques that allow survivors to function in a healthy way. It is this ?braiding? of behaviors that was of interest to Nicola R. Brown of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Canada. She theorized that clinicians could better serve trauma survivors, specifically those struggling with posttraumatic stress (PTSD), if they could disentangle maladaptive coping strategies and those that promoted resiliency by listening to client narratives more closely. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/price-for-being-perfect-child-0206125/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/price-for-being-perfect-child-0206125/ Mon, 6 Feb 2012 19:05:38 GMT Being considered a ?perfect child? by one?s parents feels fantastic. Basking in the glow from parents? approval and love can feel safe and special, like one is living in a magical world where everyone is happy and satisfied. These feelings are very seductive. The child is usually not aware that they pay a price in order to maintain the parents? continued extraordinary approval. That price is the giving up of one?s unique sense of self in order to comply and be the child and then the adult that the parents adore. Being kept on a pedestal distracts from being aware that one has wants and needs that are not defined by one?s loving parents. This interference with developing an individual self can result in difficult and/or empty relationships as one becomes an adult. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/what-have-i-done-for-me-0206124/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/what-have-i-done-for-me-0206124/ Mon, 6 Feb 2012 18:28:46 GMT All too often, women and some men  (in my experience, mostly women) experience the fatigue of ?having it all.? More and more women, by choice or necessity, work a full-time job in addition to family and home responsibilities, leaving little, if any, time for them. Likewise, many of us in the helping professions struggle or have struggled with the balance of giving so much emotionally to not only clients, but also family and friends, and find ourselves depleted. In both cases, it is very easy to face burnout. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/emotionally-focused-couples-therapy-0203122/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/emotionally-focused-couples-therapy-0203122/ Fri, 3 Feb 2012 22:13:46 GMT Emotionally focused couples therapy (EFT) is an emotional approach used to help couples address problems within their relationships. Clinicians who deliver this type of therapy undergo intense training to be able to effectively use all of the components of the treatment in a productive way that maximizes treatment outcome. EFT training strives to increase a therapist?s ability to process emotions and identify and address attachment styles, and it enhances self-compassion. However, most clinicians report that their own personal development has not been addressed in previous EFT training sessions or through supervision. Because a clinician?s emotional intelligence and relationship skills are critical factors that directly influence treatment, Michelle Montagno, Ph.D., of the Wright Institute in Berkeley, California, conducted a study that evaluated the knowledge and competence levels of clinicians following a 4-day intensive EFT training session. The skills and growth achieved in EFT training can enhance a clinician?s curiosity and acceptance and increase his or her motivation to explore issues that are pertinent to clients. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/guide-to-multicultural-competence-0203125/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/guide-to-multicultural-competence-0203125/ Fri, 3 Feb 2012 21:42:29 GMT It seems impossible to be multiculturally competent: There are an infinite number of cultures to be learned with limited time, and cultures evolve constantly. Books on multiculturalism are getting thicker every day, and that thin line between stereotyping and having cultural knowledge is extremely challenging to walk. Many people?s eyebrows furrow, feel anxious, or worry about being incompetent when they think about being multiculturally competent. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-and-recovery-take-time-0202125/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-and-recovery-take-time-0202125/ Thu, 2 Feb 2012 22:16:55 GMT Quick, would you prefer 100 million dollars right now or a penny that that doubles every day for a year? Next question, would you like to be cured of your depression, relationship problems, eating disorder, or addiction immediately or would you like to work on it? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/gifts-of-trauma-survivors-0201124/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/gifts-of-trauma-survivors-0201124/ Wed, 1 Feb 2012 18:28:07 GMT Traumatic experiences along with the mending process can expose the shrapnel from what feels like perpetually open wounds. Time lost to history and recovery, missed opportunities, broken relationships, and a delay in building life?s foundation are side effects of these experiences. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/taking-love-in-0113125/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/taking-love-in-0113125/ Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:41:57 GMT Love is one of the most elemental of emotions?it is a building block to some of our deepest relationships and a component in many of our happiest days. Yet the ability to freely give and receive love is a fragile skill, which traumatic experiences can all too easily dent or damage. Learning how to be loved is a vital part of your healing, and here are a few tips on how to regain your ability to accept someone?s care, concern, and nurture. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/parenting-and-friendship-0131124/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/parenting-and-friendship-0131124/ Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:23:29 GMT I was talking to one of my colleagues about the age of my son and the age of his daughters. His daughters are much older than my almost 1 year old, but he was able to give me some great wisdom. The wisdom was that ?friendship comes later.? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/age-matters-in-the-client-therapist-relationship/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/age-matters-in-the-client-therapist-relationship/ Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:16:38 GMT A strong therapeutic bond is imperative in order to achieve a successful outcome in psychotherapy. This bond must begin with the initial intake session. Research indicates that clients who feel disconnected from the clinician due to cultural, ethnic, or even religious differences, are more likely to terminate treatment as early as the first session. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/body-image-healthy-boundaries-013012/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/body-image-healthy-boundaries-013012/ Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:55:04 GMT Many people, but primarily young, educated, Western women, struggle to sustain a positive body image?for a multitude of reasons that have been discussed in previous posts. Often a negative body image leads to a poor relationship with the body and other aspects of self. It is associated with impoverished self-care and unhealthy eating and lifestyle habits. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/rural-men-avoid-counseling-0127120/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/rural-men-avoid-counseling-0127120/ Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:00:48 GMT Men, in general, are far less likely than women to seek professional help for mental health problems. But a new study, led by Joseph H. Hammer and David L. Vogel of the Department of Psychology at Iowa State University, suggests that men from rural communities are even more resistant than urban-dwelling men when it comes to getting psychological counseling. The study expands upon previous research by the team and explores the factors that create barriers to treatment. For example, in the study, Hammer and colleagues identified self-stigma as the primary reason that men from rural areas do not reach out for help. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/self-compassion-defends-against-helplessness-0127124/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/self-compassion-defends-against-helplessness-0127124/ Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:30:47 GMT After having worked in a residential treatment facility for abused and neglected girls for 8 years, I observed that the phenomenon of learned helplessness had become an all-to-common denominator for these children. It was very rare that an abused child was placed with us for a single incident of abuse. By the time these children reached our facility, many of them had already been physically or sexually abused numerous times throughout their childhood and adolescence. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mood-challenges-during-pregnancy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mood-challenges-during-pregnancy/ Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:06:21 GMT A lot of attention has been paid to postpartum depression, due in part to celebrities such as Brooke Shields, Marie Osmond, and Gwyneth Paltrow helping to destigmatize the most common complication of childbirth. As an advocate, therapist, mother, and survivor of postpartum depression, I am happy that medical communities and the public at large are becoming familiar with perinatal mood/anxiety disorders (PMADs, the clinical term). However, there is still much work to be done. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-regression-sex-therapy-0125124/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-regression-sex-therapy-0125124/ Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:18:40 GMT From sex and relationships, to confusion about career and life choices, to those persistent and pesky maladies of the mind like anxiety and depression, past-life regression therapy can heal the mind and body. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/expressive-arts-therapy-benefits-0118124/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/expressive-arts-therapy-benefits-0118124/ Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:12:51 GMT Expressive Arts Therapy bridges the gap between the conscious and the unconscious. It can bring light to areas of therapy that are blocked, inhibited, and stuck, as well as bringing greater focus to those areas of concern. The primary focus is on the process, which allows the client to discover new insight and meaning that might not be achieved with traditional talk therapy. Appropriate for all ages, it can enhance each person?s emotional, spiritual, cognitive, and physical well-being. While no talent in the use of expressive arts is required, several modalities available to the client within Expressive Arts Therapy magnify and deepen the process. The purpose of this article will explore five common benefits associated with the use of Expressive Arts Therapy with clients. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/in-session-immediacy-0111123/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/in-session-immediacy-0111123/ Thu, 12 Jan 2012 02:00:37 GMT ?Immediacy is the act of discussing in the here-and-now how the therapist is feeling about the patient, about himself/herself in relation to the patient, or about the patient-therapist relationship,? said A. Jill Clemence of the Department of Psychiatry at Albany Medical College. Immediacy has been shown to be a critical component of the therapeutic alliance and can have a significant impact on the client?s ability to process emotions. ?Immediacy is also conceptualized as a potent technique for managing an alliance rupture, for moving beyond a patient?s defenses, and for providing emotional support,? said Clemence, lead author of a recent study highlighting the effects of in-session immediacy. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/exercise-dependence-scale-translation-0110113/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/exercise-dependence-scale-translation-0110113/ Wed, 11 Jan 2012 02:00:34 GMT Exercise dependence is a form of addiction, similar to alcohol, drug, shopping, or pornography addiction. ?Exercise dependence, exercise addiction, obligatory, compulsive, obsessive, or excessive exercise have been some of the terms describing the same negative phenomenon when people overuse exercise, neglect other life domains, and exercise even if ill or injured,? said Irini S. Parastatidou of the Laboratory of Sport Psychology at the Department of Physical Education and Sport Science at the University of Thessaloniki in Greece. Currently there are 14 tools that are used by clinicians to identify behaviors of exercise dependence, some of which are quite old and of questionable validity. ?Among the plethora of scales to assess exercise dependence, the Exercise Dependence Scale (EDS) followed by the Exercise Dependence Scale Revised (EDS-R) shows sufficient reliability and validity values, and it is based on a strong theoretical background relative to exercise dependence and the respective DSM-IV criteria for substance dependence,? said Parastatidou. But researchers have questioned the Greek version of the EDS because certain elements may have gotten lost in translation. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/50-signs-good-therapy-0110119/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/50-signs-good-therapy-0110119/ Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:45:40 GMT As a companion piece to the 50 Warning Signs of Questionable Therapy article, it's important to understand there are many signs of good therapy as well. After all, good therapy has been proven to help people from all walks of life, in thousands of different situations and in countless ways. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/trauma-treatment-and-recovery-problematic-0106114/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/trauma-treatment-and-recovery-problematic-0106114/ Fri, 6 Jan 2012 16:43:24 GMT The decision to contact a therapist, set up an appointment, interview the therapist and agree to move forward with treatment might seem to imply that a client is ready to pursue their goal of feeling better. Unfortunately, ambivalence surrounding the therapeutic process as well as its outcome occurs far more commonly than clarity around this pursuit. Healing would presumably be the obvious goal for all of us; why wouldn?t we want that, right? Clients have offered fairly good reasoning as to why not; if we hope to be able to move beyond the ambivalence and into confronting the trauma, providing a space to acknowledge where the individual is in regard to their process would be a necessary first step. Common reasons for not pursuing treatment from the client?s perspective will be discussed here as a means of normalizing hesitation while validating concerns about process and outcome. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-self-growth-0102124/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-self-growth-0102124/ Mon, 2 Jan 2012 15:30:52 GMT We all have this wall around us. It is a very defined wall that protects us from harm. At times, it prevents us from opening our eyes to something we might need but don?t necessarily want to hear. Resistance within us is very thick and it gets even thicker as we move along in our daily lives. Our daily routines become redundant, predictable and too comfortable until we become unknowingly complacent. We feel there are no other alternatives, the feelings of sadness, disappointment and annoyance creep. These emotions seem to not to want to go away even if and when we try to entertain ourselves, be it with friends and outings or any extracurricular activities. Many times, alcohol, gambling and other mood-altering substances take the place of healing, a means to self-medicate. A means to escape the vicious cycle we have created. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/integrated-therapy-provides-hope-against-eating-disorders-1228112/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/integrated-therapy-provides-hope-against-eating-disorders-1228112/ Wed, 28 Dec 2011 22:00:55 GMT Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a difficult issue to treat and many clients who begin therapy to overcome their food issues drop out before they have reached their goals. At the core of any successful therapy is the treatment alliance, the working relationship between the therapist and the client. ?Researchers suggest one of the leading reasons for high drop-out in AN treatment trials is the difficulty patients with AN and therapists have in establishing a treatment alliance,? said Dana A. Satir of the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders (CARD) at Boston University. ?Higher quality treatment alliances have been consistently associated with better outcomes across different forms of psychopathology.? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sharing-therapeutic-experiences-with-others-benefits-client-1228111/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sharing-therapeutic-experiences-with-others-benefits-client-1228111/ Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:00:59 GMT Freud believed that a client should not disclose what occurred in therapy to people outside the confines of the therapeutic alliance. ?Disclosure to others was seen as a defense against being fully engaged in the analytic relationship,? said Rachel Khurgin-Bott of the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology at Teachers College at Columbia University. ?In general, therapy has become more egalitarian and relational, and few contemporary therapists would likely set rules for what their patients could and could not say outside the boundaries of the therapeutic setting.? With the introduction of social networking websites, people have begun to share intimate details of their lives more frequently, including details of therapeutic experiences. Additionally, the stigma surrounding therapy has decreased. ?As a result, many individuals are far less reluctant now to acknowledge going to a therapist,? said Khurgin-Bott, lead author of a new study examining the pros and cons of disclosure. ?Whether and to what extent such acknowledgment extends to sharing the details of psychotherapy treatment are questions that have remained largely unexamined.? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/genuineness-working-alliance-influences-therapeutic-outcome-1227113/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/genuineness-working-alliance-influences-therapeutic-outcome-1227113/ Wed, 28 Dec 2011 02:00:52 GMT The working alliance, a dimension of the therapeutic relationship between a therapist and client, has been shown to be an important predictor of treatment outcome. But the real relationship, the personal relationship between the client and therapist consisting of genuineness (G) and realism, may provide a more accurate forecast of treatment outcome. ?Genuineness may be seen as the participants? degree of authenticity with each other, whereas the realism element implies experiences and perceptions that ?befit the other,? rather than inaccurate or distorted perceptions that may be because of earlier unresolved conflicts,? said Gianluca Lo Coco of the Department of Psychology at the University of Palermo in Italy. ?The real relationship component of the overall therapeutic relationship is thought to exist from the first moment of contact between therapist and client, and it has been theorized to be a part of all relationships in general, and therapeutic relationships in particular.? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/trustworthiness-self-disclosing-therapists-1227112/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/trustworthiness-self-disclosing-therapists-1227112/ Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:00:03 GMT Self-disclosure by therapists, a practice that was once frowned upon in psychoanalysis, has become a commonly accepted practice. Therapists who self-disclose believe that they are benefiting their clients by sharing similar problematic situations and offering experienced resolutions. However, the effects of specific types of self-disclosure countertransference (CT) have not been examined until now. ?The definition of CT that has been used in most research, and that was employed in the present study, views CT as the therapist?s reactions to the client that are based on the therapist?s emotional conflicts and vulnerabilities,? said Yun-Jy Yeh of the Department of Counselor Education, Counseling Psychology and Rehabilitation Services at Penn State University, and co-author of the study. ?In addition to lack of agreement about how to define CT, controversies also exist about its therapeutic virtues.? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/ethical-concerns-with-cyber-psychology-122311/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/ethical-concerns-with-cyber-psychology-122311/ Sat, 24 Dec 2011 02:00:06 GMT Technology has advanced by leaps and bounds over the past several decades, affording clinicians the opportunity to provide services in more unique and far reaching way ways than ever before. However, these advancements have not come without risk. ?Unfortunately, professional psychologists have also identified a number of disadvantages associated with the increased use of technology in psychological practice, including difficulties in managing electronic database and communication security, unauthorized access to client data, inappropriate disclosures of identifying information, and unethical interactions in the social-media context,? said Jason Van Allen of the Clinical Child Psychology Program at the University of Kansas. ?To further complicate matters, regulatory, ethical, and legal standards in psychology are not advancing at the same rate as technological advances. This technological adoption and infrastructure mismatch is associated with a variety of potential challenges and concerns (e.g., psychologists operating without guidance from the professional organizations or with a consensus of the professional community).? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/client-therapist-communication-1220111/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/client-therapist-communication-1220111/ Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:41:33 GMT Story: ?Once at the end of a first session, my client asked for some ?homework? so I suggested she do some journal writing about a habit she had discovered during the session. When she arrived for the next session, she sat down, looked at me, and immediately began almost screaming that she ?couldn?t trust me?I was just like all the others?she knew this wasn?t going to work?I had a formula that I applied to all my clients?and I wasn?t going to take a personal interest in her??. ?My goodness, you certainly have strong feelings!?, I replied. ?Yes, I do! I just can?t believe you gave me journal writing. I hate journal writing, and I bet you do that with everyone!.? ?Well, I guess I?ve learned something about you. I?ll never ask you to journal again!? She then burst out laughing at the absurdity of this much anger. Soon we were both laughing. I let her know I understood how important my personal attention and care were to her. She sat back and said, ?I can?t tell you how touching it is that you are interested in learning about me and willing to change how you are in response. And, even more amazing that you didn?t just reject me as a client.? My intention with journaling homework was to offer her something to think about and help her get more involved in therapy. The impact was that she felt distanced and uncared for. Her unconscious intention in her anger was to prove to herself that once again therapy wasn?t going to help. The impact of my response was that she got treated the way she had longed for. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/hope-and-fear-in-china-1213115/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/hope-and-fear-in-china-1213115/ Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:30:06 GMT In October, I wrote about going to China as a member of CAPA, the Chinese American Psychoanalytic Association, on a working tour of four main cities- Beijing, Xian, Chengdu and Shanghai. We lectured, visited schools and training institutes, and met individually with people who wanted private consultations. I knew I would miss my friends and family, and I was a little scared to go so far away. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/changing-brain-chemistry-changing-paradigms-1208114/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/changing-brain-chemistry-changing-paradigms-1208114/ Thu, 8 Dec 2011 18:09:16 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/externalization-trauma-ptsd-symptoms-healthy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/externalization-trauma-ptsd-symptoms-healthy/ Wed, 7 Dec 2011 20:25:21 GMT Trauma symptoms are often experienced and viewed as invasive and malevolent.  Helplessness, hopelessness, confusion and a condemnation of self for their existence also appear thematic.  The initial layer of trauma treatment is frequently the unraveling of self-loathing for the expression of symptoms themselves; survivor and therapist collude in their endorsement of them as being inherently destructive and are to be eradicated.  A divergent perspective could be that symptoms are an expression of health versus illness.  Viewing the manifestation of PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder) as having utility may offer an alternative understanding of the client?s presentation as offering direction to treatment, internal compassion, decreasing fear of symptoms and can foster a relationship between survivor, therapist and Trauma.  Additionally, the externalization and personification of Trauma may illuminate the individual functions of client presentation while offering precise direction for treatment. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/adolescent-turning-point-provide-positive-benefits-126111/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/adolescent-turning-point-provide-positive-benefits-126111/ Tue, 6 Dec 2011 16:37:28 GMT Turning points are life experiences that permanently change the course of one?s life. The death of a parent, a divorce, or even a geographical move are all examples of turning points that can have a positive or negative affect on an individual. ?The most defining characteristic of a turning point, however, remains that the event is perceived as significant or life-changing to the individual,? said Royette Tavernier of the Department of Psychology at Brock University, St. Catharines in Canada, and author of a recent study. How individuals process those turning points is referred to as meaning-making and is theorized to affect well-being. ?The purpose of this study was to examine whether meaning-making within turning point narratives, as well as the timing of these turning points, would be associated with psychological wellbeing among a sample of Grade 12 high school adolescents,? said Tavernier. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sudden-gains-improve-long-term-therapeutic-outcome-125111/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sudden-gains-improve-long-term-therapeutic-outcome-125111/ Mon, 5 Dec 2011 16:47:22 GMT Every individual responds to therapy in their own way. Some people have sudden enlightenments during therapy, while others see a gradual reduction in symptoms little by little between their therapy sessions. These reductions in symptom severity are called sudden gains and are common among people receiving treatment for depression and anxiety. Previous research has shown that one of the biggest benefits of sudden gains is the residual effect they have. ?Individuals who experienced sudden gains reported lower levels of depressive symptoms at post-treatment, 6 months following treatment and 18 months following treatment, compared with individuals who did not experience sudden gains,? said Idan M. Aderka of the Department of Psychology at Boston University, and lead author of a recent analysis of sudden gains. ?These findings suggested that sudden gains were related to better treatment outcome at termination and at follow-up.? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/finding-source-energy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/finding-source-energy/ Sat, 3 Dec 2011 18:00:19 GMT Part One: Finding Source Energy http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/group-therapy-two-leaders-better-than-one-1130111/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/group-therapy-two-leaders-better-than-one-1130111/ Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:55:15 GMT The leadership structure of a group therapy environment has a direct influence on how the participants respond, according to a new study led by Dennis M. Kivlighan, Jr. of the Department of Higher Education and Special Education at the University of Maryland in College Park. ?Co-leadership describes a group therapy leadership structure in which two therapists are partnered to facilitate meaningful interactions among group members,? said Kivlighan. ?Today, co-leadership is a widely used leadership structure across various mental health, and is often utilized in the training of group psychotherapists.? Leadership structure can have advantages for a group, but can also have disadvantages. Kivlighan said, ?For example, large groups often out-perform small group including time, energy, and expertise. Unfortunately, in larger groups, there is also more con?ict, absenteeism, and less cooperation than in smaller groups.? He added, ?Finally, members of large groups are less satis?ed with their group.? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/can-article-reading-improve-relationships-1118114/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/can-article-reading-improve-relationships-1118114/ Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:18:50 GMT As a Relationship Therapist of over 25 years, my answer to this question is ?Yes.? You may think you don?t have time to read relationship advice articles. You may think you don?t need to go to some ?outsider? about your personal relationship. But consider this: http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/navigating-between-workplace-truth-safety-1117114/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/navigating-between-workplace-truth-safety-1117114/ Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:30:05 GMT A while ago I had an interchange with someone that got me thinking.  It went like this:  http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-attachment-affect-emotional-disclosure-1113111-2/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-attachment-affect-emotional-disclosure-1113111-2/ Sun, 13 Nov 2011 16:00:25 GMT Sharing emotional experiences, or engaging in emotional disclosure, can be a cathartic process, resulting in reductions in stress, anxiety and tension. ?In an opposite manner, the active concealment of distressing information is associated with psychological distress and physical symptoms such as headaches and backaches,? said Angela M. Garrison of the Department of Counselor Education and Counselor Psychology at Western Michigan University. Similarly, people with depression or anxiety often suppress their emotions to avoid facing negative feelings. Research has shown that individuals who have attachment issues struggle with emotional disclosure as well. Because emotional disclosure is so closely linked to depression and attachment, it is difficult to determine how each condition affects emotional regulation. ?Specifically, depression symptoms and attachment are both associated with emotional disclosure, but depression symptoms and attachment are also related to each other,? said Garrison, lead author of a recent study on emotional disclosure. ?For theory clarification, it is therefore important to disentangle the effect of depression symptoms on emotional disclosure from the potential effects of attachment on emotional disclosure.? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapeutic-immediacy-has-promise-case-studies-1112111/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapeutic-immediacy-has-promise-case-studies-1112111/ Sat, 12 Nov 2011 16:00:43 GMT Therapeutic immediacy (TI) is a term used to encompass any discussion between a client and therapist during a session. The therapeutic alliance formed between the two parties as a result of the discussion is fundamental to the success of treatment. ?Recently, in order to capture the more interactive and dyadic nature of the therapeutic relationship, this definition has been broadened to also include any client-initiated disclosures of feelings about the therapist or their relationship, and the revised term of therapeutic immediacy has been suggested,? said Jason Mayotte-Blum of the Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies at Adelphi University, and lead author of a recent study on the effect of TI. ?Typical examples of therapeutic immediacy include exploring parallels between external relationships and the therapy relationship; client or therapist expression of in-session emotional reactions; inquiring about the client?s reactions to therapy; the therapist commenting on his or her experience of the client; supporting, affirming, and validating the client?s feelings in the therapy relationship; and expressing gratitude. Use of therapeutic immediacy in the therapeutic relationship can then act as a template for interpersonal functioning in the client?s outside relationships.? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/harness-marriage-bond-power-1109114/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/harness-marriage-bond-power-1109114/ Wed, 9 Nov 2011 21:05:58 GMT I knew a couple whose divorce cluttered up the Broward County Courthouse for 10 years. That was before I went back to grad school for my doctorate but I kept thinking, ?Surely something could have been done to release this couple from each other?s clutches.? There was. One party escaped the country and I never heard the rest of the story. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/text-messages-help-depressed-people-1108113/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/text-messages-help-depressed-people-1108113/ Wed, 9 Nov 2011 02:00:08 GMT Nearly everyone has a cell phone with text messaging capability. For people with depression, this method of communication may help them maintain their treatment regimen. ?Poor adherence to the elements of depression treatment presents a major barrier to effectiveness in real-world settings,? said Adrian Aguilera, Ph.D. and assistant professor of the School of Social Welfare at the University of California, Berkeley. ?Mobile phone-based text messaging (short messaging service; SMS) is a widely available and cost-effective tool, used by people of all socioeconomic backgrounds, that holds promise in improving adherence to mental health treatments.? Clients are often assigned homework between therapy sessions, and non-adherence to the work delays treatment. Practicing and monitoring mood regulation in real-life situations are necessary to move forward from a depressive state. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/virtual-therapists-help-clients-treatment-adherency-1107111/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/virtual-therapists-help-clients-treatment-adherency-1107111/ Mon, 7 Nov 2011 16:00:53 GMT For clients with schizophrenia, maintaining their antipsychotic medication and clinical evaluations is sporadic and frequently results in non-compliance. ?Factors contributing to non-adherence and partial adherence include medication side effects, severity of psychotic symptoms, impaired cognition, and inadequate understanding of the role of medication in preventing relapse,? said Kathryn Puskar, Ph.D. and Professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing. ?Non-adherence to antipsychotic treatment is associated with lower global functioning, impaired insight, and greater number of inpatient days (44.8 days versus 20.6 days) compared with those who adhere to their antipsychotic treatment regimen.? New research has suggested that relational agents can improve client compliance. ?Relational agents are typically deployed as software humanoid animated agents that can simulate face-to-face conversation with patients so that real-time dialogue, speech, gesture, gaze, and other verbal and nonverbal channels can be used to communicate therapeutic information,? said Puskar. These agents focus on caring and empathy and help clients stay on task with their medication and evaluations. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/face-your-demons-1103114/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/face-your-demons-1103114/ Thu, 3 Nov 2011 14:20:42 GMT Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you need? Because this is the experience you are having at this moment. - Eckhart Tolle http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/treating-eating-disorders-individuals-couples-families-1102113/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/treating-eating-disorders-individuals-couples-families-1102113/ Wed, 2 Nov 2011 16:10:02 GMT Last Friday, I gave a presentation at my state professional organization?s fall conference entitled, ?Illicit Lovers and Unwanted Guests: Treating Eating Disorders in Individuals, Couples and Families.? My organization, the North Carolina Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, comprises Marriage and Family Therapists who address all sorts of different problems that bring people to therapy, including, but not limited to, issues that cause problems in relationships. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-effectiveness-for-depressed-children/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-effectiveness-for-depressed-children/ Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:00:29 GMT : http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/religion-divorce-coping-strategy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/religion-divorce-coping-strategy/ Sat, 22 Oct 2011 01:00:20 GMT : http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/love-versus-object-personification-synesthesia/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/love-versus-object-personification-synesthesia/ Fri, 21 Oct 2011 21:01:32 GMT Perhaps you?ve come across one of the many articles or videos with titles like, ?In Love with the Eiffel Tower?, or a recent National Geographic Taboo program called ?Forbidden Love?? The topic is Objectum Sexuality (OS), a rare sexual orientation which includes affectionate, romantic, and sometimes erotic attraction and relationships with objects. The beloved objects can range from transport to landmarks, from sporting equipment to fisheye buttons. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/workplace-co-dependents/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/workplace-co-dependents/ Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:24:28 GMT Sometimes co-dependents may be identified by their behavior in the workplace. You may think that is impossible, because co-dependents tend to be good employees. They work harder than anyone else, they anticipate the needs of management and the are very dependable. However, there are two types of behavior that often identify them. The first type of behavior may be identified by management and, in some instances, the referral to the Employee Assistance Program may be on a mandatory basis. The second type of behavior generally comes in as a self referral unless it is extreme. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/forgiveness-effects/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/forgiveness-effects/ Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:57:29 GMT Forgiveness is often misunderstood. I recall asking a colleague to forgive me for my unskillfulness in handling a situation that affected him. I had made an important decision without consulting him. I was truly sorry.  His response to my request for forgiveness, however, surprised me: "If I forgive you, it will be as if it never happened. And it did happen so forgiveness wouldn't be right." Forgiveness, in fact, is a very deep feeling of reverence for life and willingness to somehow let go of past hurt. It does not require forgetting or condoning or even reconciling, as my colleague imagined and felt. In that moment with my colleague, I sat still. I wanted to explain what forgiveness was, as I understood it, but I had the sense that the core of the issue was not forgiveness, but my colleague?s need to hang on to the hurt. When you aren't forgiven, what CAN you do? With this man, what I found I could do was to feel compassion for his need to keep his hurt as part of his story. And then, with sadness, I could let go of my need to be cleared of the burden of this hurt, so that we could move forward with good will. I must say that as a result of this interaction, somehow our current working relationship dramatically improved, but I continued to feel a shadow waiting in the wings.  Was it mine? His? Ours? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-conflict-management-skill/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-conflict-management-skill/ Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:54:36 GMT Here?s a story related recently by one of my clients that shows how a couple?s simple conversation escalated into a shouting match that threatened to lead someone straight to a divorce lawyer?s office. See if you can relate to what?s being said. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/disruption-of-unhealthy-pain/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/disruption-of-unhealthy-pain/ Mon, 17 Oct 2011 19:24:44 GMT Nobody likes pain. It makes sense that we make every attempt to avoid it or make it go away. That?s just part of being human. But why do some humans seem to have less of it than others? There are two types of pain: clean pain and dirty pain. We don?t have a whole lot of choice about our clean pain. But we can create dreadful amounts of dirty pain throughout our lives in reaction to the clean pain. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-therapy-practice-suits-society/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-therapy-practice-suits-society/ Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:03:31 GMT For a while, it was the story that wasn't a story: Occupy Wall Street, where many people of different backgrounds took action to bring attention to the need for change in our political and economic systems. I found myself elated that large groups of people across the country had organized a way to ?do something? about situations that often seem intractable to me. I agree that many of our governing assumptions are skewed, and I see this way of functioning reflected in the microcosm in the autocratic ways of thinking that our brains often slip into. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/tribute-making-as-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/tribute-making-as-therapy/ Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:39:55 GMT Making a 'Tribute' to a loved one who has died can be therapeutic. It can provide opportunities to reflect on the person, on your relationship with the person, to memorialize an aspect of their personality, and possibly to help shift focus from loss to celebration. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/going-to-china/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/going-to-china/ Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:26:21 GMT On October 20th, I?ll be landing in China (Beijing, to be precise), accompanied by a group of psychoanalysts and therapists who have been teaching and supervising Chinese student analysts in training, using Skype and other distance learning methods. I am psyched. I will see, in person, students with whom I?ve developed warm relationships, and it is amazing how close people can feel even though they are far away from each other. We?ll be seeing each other for the first time. Or will we? It?s more accurate to say that we?ll be meeting in a different dimension than usual; the two-dimensional screen will vanish and be replaced by three-dimensional flesh and blood. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/teens-parents-evaluate-family-therapy-differently/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/teens-parents-evaluate-family-therapy-differently/ Tue, 4 Oct 2011 18:00:27 GMT : http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/way-around-grief/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/way-around-grief/ Wed, 21 Sep 2011 18:43:43 GMT Grief, a deep feeling of sadness over a loss, is one of the most difficult experiences a person can have. During the grief process, we may feel hopeless, out of control, dead inside, empty, pained, afraid, angry, or just about any other painful emotion one can name. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/hitting-therapy-wall/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/hitting-therapy-wall/ Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:31:46 GMT As marathon runners pass mile after mile, many reach a point where they suddenly feel that they cannot go on. They may feel an unimaginable weight come over their body and a depletion of mental and emotional resources so complete that they can't imagine taking another stride ? they have hit the wall. A similar phenomenon can occur in therapy. You may enter therapy with the commitment and determination of a runner who has just begun to train for a marathon. Then, just as suddenly and inexplicably as a runner hits the wall, you may at some point feel unable to move forward in therapy. You may feel like you have painstakingly explored each and every issue that brought you into therapy, but that your life has yet to change and you are no better equipped to make decisions or take actions than when you entered therapy. You have hit the wall. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/artlish-art-language-communication-911/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/artlish-art-language-communication-911/ Fri, 16 Sep 2011 15:29:32 GMT Art is a language. For the sake of this blog, let?s call it ?artlish? (not to be confused or linked with the Artlish Caves Park in British Columbia). ?Artlish?, the language, can externalize experience, perception, hope, fear, rage or a combination of those feelings and others. On opposite ends of a spectrum, art language, or artlish, can be raw or it can be refined. It is influenced by culture, education, repetition and trends. But most often, artlish is spoken privately in the imagination, in dreams and nightmares, in a studio, on a stage, in a welding shop, in an edit suite, on paper, in found objects, on a computer, through a camera, drawn in the sand, through the written word, or through dance. Artlish doesn?t need an audience to be uttered but when it is taken in, a connection is made. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/creatively-moving-from-grief-into-hope-and-renewal/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/creatively-moving-from-grief-into-hope-and-renewal/ Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:00:05 GMT A person to whom I?ve been close for many years is going through the dying process. It?s been slow and painful, at times evoking for me one of the most beautiful and poignant musical pieces I've ever encountered. It is the ?Agnus Dei? of Samuel Barber, a choral version of his beloved and well-known Adagio for Strings. The text is from the Latin Mass and ends with the phrase, ?have mercy on us.? Now, mercifully, there is an end in sight for my loved one, but to those she leaves behind, the grief is palpable: at times dull and weighty, at others raw and biting, and frequently overwhelming. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/overcoming-barriers-evidence-based-ptsd-treatment/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/overcoming-barriers-evidence-based-ptsd-treatment/ Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:00:15 GMT : http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-middle-way/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-middle-way/ Fri, 9 Sep 2011 17:00:31 GMT When I hear the clients in my psychotherapy and grief counseling practice talk in black and white terms, or view their options in terms of extremes, I am reminded of the Buddhist concept of the Middle Way. When the Buddha was asked how one should meditate, he responded, "not too tight, not too loose." He analogized this to a string instrument, like a lute:  If the strings of the lute are too tight, they will break, and if the strings of the lute are too loose, they won't play. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/hopeless-experience-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/hopeless-experience-depression/ Thu, 8 Sep 2011 17:38:00 GMT Next in this series of different types of depression experiences is the Hopeless Type. Hopelessness can be a passing part of a depressive episode or even a normal brief aspect of grief after a big loss. But the hopelessness can also be a long-term pattern of thinking and feeling. People with this type of experience expect the worst from life, other people and themselves. They may expect to fail what they try, to lose what they have, and to have no chance to have what they want.  If activities are suggested to them, they may experience them as too much effort, too little reward, or even as having the potential for disaster. The world often feels bleak and dark. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/trauma-systems-therapy-psychological-benefits-decrease-hospital-stay/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/trauma-systems-therapy-psychological-benefits-decrease-hospital-stay/ Sun, 4 Sep 2011 15:00:54 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/anxiety-inhibits-emotional-perception/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/anxiety-inhibits-emotional-perception/ Sun, 4 Sep 2011 15:00:17 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/decreasing-binge-eating-cognitive-behavioral-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/decreasing-binge-eating-cognitive-behavioral-therapy/ Thu, 1 Sep 2011 01:00:43 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sit-with-discomfort/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sit-with-discomfort/ Wed, 31 Aug 2011 17:48:09 GMT I have a confession to make: I don?t believe you can feel happy 24/7, any more than you can feel anything every minute for your entire life. We are designed to feel a broad spectrum of emotions because, so far, they have kept us safe and helped perpetuate the human race. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/video-games-decrease-nightmares-soldiers-ptsd/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/video-games-decrease-nightmares-soldiers-ptsd/ Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:44:25 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapeutic-alliance-transference-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapeutic-alliance-transference-psychotherapy/ Wed, 31 Aug 2011 01:00:00 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/adhd-working-memory/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/adhd-working-memory/ Tue, 30 Aug 2011 20:00:41 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/introduction-clinical-sexology/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/introduction-clinical-sexology/ Tue, 30 Aug 2011 16:51:37 GMT As a unique form of short-term, complementary and alternative modality (CAM), clinical sexologists are largely under-recognized and under-used. Though it's said we specialize in studying "what people do and how they feel about it," sexology touches on everything from erotology to anthropology, law, medicine, psychology, anatomy and physiology (naturally!), gender studies, public policy, history, and so on. That's because human sexual behavior is pervasive, it affects everything we collectively do and create. As a sexologist, my interests have included Asperger's Syndrome and sexuality, Native Hawaiian sexual traditions, objectum sexuality, parenting transgender children, the effect of sensory dysfunction on sexual behavior, and the use of hypnosis to address sexual concerns. Almost anything can provide delightful grist for a perpetual, intellectual mill and this has been my joy. Sometimes useful clinical insights emerge from regarding artifacts or incidents through a sexological lens. However, even when there is no immediate clinical application, the overall effect is a deepened respect for the unstoppable and endlessly creative human engagement with eros. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-reduce-stress-anxious-individuals/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-reduce-stress-anxious-individuals/ Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:22:56 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/pediatric-diabetic-patient-mental-health/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/pediatric-diabetic-patient-mental-health/ Tue, 30 Aug 2011 01:00:07 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/family-therapist-alliance-schizophrenia/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/family-therapist-alliance-schizophrenia/ Mon, 29 Aug 2011 20:00:38 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/codependents-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/codependents-psychotherapy/ Mon, 29 Aug 2011 18:14:42 GMT Co-dependents rarely have presented themselves for therapy with me by stating that they want help with their own co-dependency. Of course, as you might expect, they are focused on helping or saving somebody else. My last article focused on how people are identified as co-dependent through certain relationship issues. It focused on romantic relationships. Another way that they are identified is through family/child concerns. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-affect-brain/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-affect-brain/ Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:53:48 GMT What does therapy actually do? How does it work? Does anyone really ever change? The field of neuroscience has exploded in recent years, revealing a number of findings about the human brain; how it develops, how it operates, and how it changes. Neuroplasticity explains that the brain is not a rigid organ, but is malleable, and changes throughout life, both in structure and function. This change happens through our experience. We actively change our brains by the way we respond to our environment. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/functional-family-therapy-at-risk-youth/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/functional-family-therapy-at-risk-youth/ Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:01:25 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/self-anxious-associations-anxiety-issues/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/self-anxious-associations-anxiety-issues/ Sat, 27 Aug 2011 01:00:55 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/jung-teacher-marion-woodman/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/jung-teacher-marion-woodman/ Fri, 26 Aug 2011 17:02:29 GMT Marion Woodman is one of the most well-known Jungian analysts. She has published many books, lectured widely, and is one of our elders in the Jungian community. Marion writes and teaches by exploring dreams, literature and mythology, imagery in the body, many artistic forms, and case material.  Marion?s imaginings and wisdom are part of the foundation that informs my work as I play and create with others. My bookshelves are filled with her writings and often I find myself picking up a volume of her work to imagine and journey through a spiral. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/dialectical-behavior-imago-family-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/dialectical-behavior-imago-family-therapy/ Wed, 24 Aug 2011 18:17:25 GMT I am not formally trained in DBT. My knowledge of it coming from texts, watching trained practitioners do it and gradually incorporating it into my practice. I?m comfortable with its use due to my background and training in similar modalities and have found the skills to be valuable for those who have a difficult time with more traditional approaches. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/hawaii-association-marriage-family-therapists/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/hawaii-association-marriage-family-therapists/ Tue, 23 Aug 2011 20:39:12 GMT In an audacious show of power, the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) lost a lengthy tug of war with one of its fastest growing divisions, the Hawaii Division, Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (HAMFT). In business since 1974, and presided over by former Division President, Dr. Kai Swigart, the HAMFT found itself in an embroiled battle with its association after posting an alleged sexual harassment complaint against the organization on its website in November of 2010. The AAMFT insisted, since the charges had not been proven that the HAMFT remove the posting. Citing freedom of speech and full disclosure, the HAMFT, an entity whose board had already raised concerns about the corporate structure at the AAMFT, specifically, lack of an impartial Human Resources Department to address such complaints, refused. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/personal-power-shift/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/personal-power-shift/ Tue, 23 Aug 2011 18:25:43 GMT Let's say you have an interest in power issues and dynamics. For example, you notice you are overly cautious in using the professional power that goes with your position of trust. Or, you are so well-boundaried that you can't be flexible with your power when it is appropriate. These two beliefs are toward the extreme on the "use of power continuum."  Holding any position that is extreme makes you extra vulnerable for making ethical mistakes. Right Use of Power calls us to examine and evolve our relationship with both personal and professional power. The health of this relationship is crucial to using power well and more significantly, to using power for the good of all.  I have been thinking about the process of evolving more satisfying and effective beliefs. Obviously, it is more complicated than just deciding you want a new belief or a new habitual response. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/theraplay-classroom-autism/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/theraplay-classroom-autism/ Tue, 23 Aug 2011 16:41:23 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/becks-cognitive-integration-depression-theories/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/becks-cognitive-integration-depression-theories/ Fri, 19 Aug 2011 18:45:24 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/visual-or-verbal-imagery-%e2%80%93-which-is-more-prevalent-in-people-with-anxiety-issues/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/visual-or-verbal-imagery-%e2%80%93-which-is-more-prevalent-in-people-with-anxiety-issues/ Fri, 19 Aug 2011 01:00:04 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/talk-painful-feelings-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/talk-painful-feelings-therapy/ Thu, 18 Aug 2011 17:16:49 GMT You?ve sat comfortably on your therapist?s couch for six months talking about everything under the sun; how you prefer to do your laundry, how nothing is ever good enough for your spouse, how irritating your mother is when she compares you to your older sister, how traffic makes you crazy.  You feel comforted, your feelings validated, your motivation lifted.  You walk out of there, pensive yet energetic, ready to face any challenge.  You feel like you are moving toward your goals with more clarity. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/parent-child-interaction-therapy-positive-outcome/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/parent-child-interaction-therapy-positive-outcome/ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 01:00:58 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sudden-gains-children-post-traumatic-stress/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sudden-gains-children-post-traumatic-stress/ Mon, 15 Aug 2011 20:50:43 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/dissonance-treatment-eating-disorders/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/dissonance-treatment-eating-disorders/ Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:48:33 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/family-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-depressed-parent/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/family-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-depressed-parent/ Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:25:39 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/manual-guided-therapy-client-alliance/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/manual-guided-therapy-client-alliance/ Sat, 13 Aug 2011 15:00:13 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/bipolar-progression-spectrum-symptoms/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/bipolar-progression-spectrum-symptoms/ Fri, 12 Aug 2011 01:00:12 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/effective-therapy-therapist-likes-client/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/effective-therapy-therapist-likes-client/ Thu, 11 Aug 2011 20:55:29 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/angr-friend-not-attending-wedding/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/angr-friend-not-attending-wedding/ Thu, 11 Aug 2011 16:09:36 GMT If you remember from last month, Ellen had to decide about attending her friend Robin?s wedding, to be held in a far away resort- it would be a lot of fun, but Ellen didn?t have enough money to go and couldn?t take time off from her new job, either- she was scared she might be fired- she liked the job a lot, and jobs can be hard to come by. On the other hand, even though Robin came from a big family and everyone planned to come, the most important people of all, Robin?s parents, had died several months earlier in a car crash and their absence felt like a giant hole in Robin?s world. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sharing-depression-symptoms-partner/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sharing-depression-symptoms-partner/ Thu, 11 Aug 2011 01:00:41 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/art-making-is-not-enough/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/art-making-is-not-enough/ Wed, 10 Aug 2011 18:43:10 GMT Art making is not enough. Storytelling is not enough. Writing lyrics/music is not enough. Dancing is not enough to transform emotional pain and suffering into emotional freedom. If art making were enough, we wouldn't be reading about talented artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain and others who tragically slipped through a fissure in their lives to the other side because they succumbed to their demons. Demons, in this context are disorders listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (IV) of the American Psychiatric Association. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mental-health-professionals-terrorist-attack-victims/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mental-health-professionals-terrorist-attack-victims/ Wed, 10 Aug 2011 14:42:43 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/anxious-agitated-experience-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/anxious-agitated-experience-depression/ Tue, 9 Aug 2011 17:13:19 GMT Continuing in this series of how depression is experienced differently by different people, this is one that especially confuses people. Most people expect that depression will look like sadness, self-hate, despair, lack of ambition, and suicidal thoughts?and all of these are indeed ways that depression is experienced for some people some times. But for other people, depression manifests more like anxiety than anything else. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-military-family/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-military-family/ Mon, 8 Aug 2011 16:51:50 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/teens-respond-well-to-online-cbt-for-anxiety/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/teens-respond-well-to-online-cbt-for-anxiety/ Sat, 6 Aug 2011 15:00:27 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/yoga-balance-mind-body/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/yoga-balance-mind-body/ Thu, 4 Aug 2011 16:45:19 GMT Yoga is in ancient practice that originated in India but has gained considerable popularity in the US. Breathing exercises, postures, and meditation are core components of yoga. Although many people develop a yoga practice to become more physically toned or flexible, the benefits of yoga are purported to extend to calming the mind and balancing the emotions. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-based-cognitive-therapy-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-based-cognitive-therapy-depression/ Wed, 3 Aug 2011 21:00:57 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-therapy-chronic-pain/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-therapy-chronic-pain/ Wed, 3 Aug 2011 17:21:07 GMT ?Oh, my aching body!? You?ve heard this exclamation - or something like it - many times, probably in television commercials advertising the latest miracle pill or cream that promises fast relief and few side effects, perhaps from a family member or friend who did a few too many reps at the gym, pulled a muscle fighting with the lawn mower, or is simply down for a few days because of the flu and feels bad all over. You yourself are probably not immune to occasional aches and pains stemming from illness or injury. For some of us, however, pain is a more frequent visitor, and for others, being in pain has become a way of life. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/study-suggests-people-with-eating-issues-respond-based-on-personality-type/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/study-suggests-people-with-eating-issues-respond-based-on-personality-type/ Mon, 1 Aug 2011 23:00:34 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/children-adhd-transcendental-meditation/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/children-adhd-transcendental-meditation/ Sat, 30 Jul 2011 15:00:25 GMT Transcendental meditation (TM) was used in a new study to determine if it would help children with ADHD improve their focus and attention. ?We chose the TM technique for this study because studies show that it increases brain function. We wanted to know if it would have a similar effect in the case of ADHD, and if it did, would that also improve the symptoms of ADHD,? said principal investigator, Sarina J. Grosswald, Ed.D. The researchers recruited 18 children with ADHD, between the ages of 11 and 14, and had them participate in TM over a period of six months. The children?s brains were measured using an electroencephalogram for activity while they performed a rigorous visual-motor assignment. The task demanded focus, memory, attention and impulse control. The findings revealed that all of the children experienced increased brain functioning, processing abilities and even higher executive functioning, as a result of the TM. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-signs-children/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-signs-children/ Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:08:31 GMT Depression seems to be more apparent than it may have ever been. I do not have exact statistics with ages, gender, socioeconomic status and how depression has changed, but I do not think that it is necessary to go into that right now. At a time in any one person?s life, a person may or can experience depression. The severity of depression may be based on a number of factors such as: genetics, learned behavior patterns, environmental, family issues, individual perception of a situation and a person?s coping skills. These are the main ones that I particular see in my practice and in a hospital setting. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/world-depression-rate/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/world-depression-rate/ Thu, 28 Jul 2011 13:37:44 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/reconstructing-meaning/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/reconstructing-meaning/ Wed, 27 Jul 2011 14:51:05 GMT Last month we discussed the role affect regulation plays in recovery from trauma. Affect is driven by thoughts and in turn, thoughts are informed by meanings. It is useful to note at the outset many of these meanings lie outside conscious mind?s power and scope. Deeper mind, with its vast storehouse of implicit memories and ability to condense meanings and code them in various ways, makes meaning much more than just a conscious construct or a unidimensional belief. Trauma in general, and relational trauma, in particular, ( that rises to the level of an attachment injury) has the power to smash into awareness and leave an indelible imprint, blowing to bits our basic assumptions about relationships, human nature, justice, self-efficacy, and the availability of support or safety in the world. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/im-right-youre-wrong-relationships/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/im-right-youre-wrong-relationships/ Wed, 27 Jul 2011 14:38:41 GMT It?s a classic. Of all the themes in the history of relational strife, the I?m Right, You?re Wrong story is by far the most common. And like many things common, we often take it for granted or overlook the magnitude of its influence. When couples enter into therapy together, it may be a hidden goal for each of them to convince their therapist that they are right and the other is wrong. They demonstrate this in many ways, either subtly or in more painfully blatant ways. By doing so, they hope to feel validated that they were right after all, and that feels good. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/boston-study-psychiatric-national-implications/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/boston-study-psychiatric-national-implications/ Tue, 26 Jul 2011 23:00:32 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/internal-family-systems-eating-disorders/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/internal-family-systems-eating-disorders/ Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:39:00 GMT I am half way through the year-long Level 1 of the Internal Family Systems (IFS) training. IFS is a psychotherapeutic modality used for helping people and their therapists understand and solve the problems that bring them to therapy. And IFS helps make sense of the seemingly irrational world of eating disorders. I?d had some exposure to and experience using IFS prior to enrolling in the training, but the training is giving me a broader and deeper understanding not only of IFS, but also of how we humans work. I?m finding the process exhilarating! http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/codependency-therapy-jealousy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/codependency-therapy-jealousy/ Fri, 22 Jul 2011 15:05:30 GMT Rarely does a client call for an appointment and say that they want help with their codependency. One of the many issues that bring clients to therapy for codependency is relationship troubles. Sometimes a client will call with a broken heart and feel that they should have recovered from it by now. Other times there are problems with jealousy and trust issues. A client may call re: difficulty communicating with their spouse which often means the inability to resolve conflict. Other times a client calls to find out how they can get their partner to change something or get help. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/jung-poetry-full-embodied-living/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/jung-poetry-full-embodied-living/ Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:37:45 GMT Everything that irritates [or intrigues] us about others can lead us to a better understanding of ourselves. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/new-survey-could-forecast-those-at-highest-risk-for-ptsd-after-injury/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/new-survey-could-forecast-those-at-highest-risk-for-ptsd-after-injury/ Thu, 21 Jul 2011 23:00:00 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/meditation-flexible-mind-paramita/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/meditation-flexible-mind-paramita/ Thu, 21 Jul 2011 15:15:08 GMT The fifth Paramita, or practice for attaining happiness, is Dhyana, or Meditation. As with all the other Paramitas, we develop this one through practice. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-dogs-benefits/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-dogs-benefits/ Wed, 20 Jul 2011 23:00:51 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/playful-parents/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/playful-parents/ Wed, 20 Jul 2011 15:01:02 GMT Play is the special ingredient that offers a full and joyful life. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/fear-hurting-others-self-inhibition/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/fear-hurting-others-self-inhibition/ Tue, 19 Jul 2011 16:53:42 GMT Even when it is unintended, some people find it intolerable to hurt someone they love. To experience hurting the other can create shame, guilt and strong ?I am a bad person? feelings. As a result, we may avoid saying what is on our mind and put aside our own feelings and needs. This inhibiting of the self can be harmful to our relationships and can create the conditions for developing anxiety and depression. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-is-sought-more-when-optimism-is-at-a-low/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-is-sought-more-when-optimism-is-at-a-low/ Mon, 18 Jul 2011 23:00:58 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/positive-perception-may-lessen-teen-anxiety/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/positive-perception-may-lessen-teen-anxiety/ Thu, 14 Jul 2011 18:09:19 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/shadow-work-emotional-suffering/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/shadow-work-emotional-suffering/ Wed, 13 Jul 2011 15:05:34 GMT If you read last month?s blog, Creativity vs Shadow, you will remember a brief mention of Deepak and Gotham Chopra?s book, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Superheroes. In the book Chopra identified shadow as a ?force of the unconscious that can be destructive, divisive and/or self-sabotaging if it remains unconscious?. Shadow is difficult to recognize because left to it?s own devices it remains unconscious. Shadow is a zapping energy that lurks in the area of emotional suffering caused to oneself or to another. The concept can be broadly applied to families, groups, religions, governments, countries, etc. if we consider them bodies of energy. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/new-study-reveals-cbasp-as-promising-treatment-for-chronic-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/new-study-reveals-cbasp-as-promising-treatment-for-chronic-depression/ Tue, 12 Jul 2011 23:00:26 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/should-attend-friends-wedding/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/should-attend-friends-wedding/ Tue, 12 Jul 2011 17:14:54 GMT Yesterday Ellen walked into my office looking annoyed and confused. ?I don?t know what to do. Robin invited me to her wedding and I don?t want to go, but I think I should. It?s a destination wedding, a long weekend in Mexico- four days! It might be fun but I can?t afford it, and I can?t take time off from work either. But I have to go.? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/five-domains-healthy-relationship/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/five-domains-healthy-relationship/ Tue, 12 Jul 2011 16:31:50 GMT You might have heard the phrase ?love is the glue? that holds us, the universe, etc. together. I'd like to make a case for mindfulness as a similar connecting agent. In thinking of the work I am passionate about offering at Counseling on Capitol Hill, I've discovered that the various offerings have a common theme. What is it that couples counseling, Positive Discipline parent education, individual therapy, mindfulness coaching, and family therapy have in common? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/words-can-heal/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/words-can-heal/ Sun, 10 Jul 2011 15:00:15 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/accuracy-maslow-hierarchy-needs/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/accuracy-maslow-hierarchy-needs/ Sat, 9 Jul 2011 15:00:29 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/family-friend-influence-divorce/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/family-friend-influence-divorce/ Fri, 8 Jul 2011 19:59:09 GMT Many of you may remember the role of the Greek Chorus in literature classes from high school or college. They appeared in the works of Sophocles, Aeschylus, Euripidies and Aristophanes, to name just a few. Their role was to explain what they thought was going on and would intentionally or unintentionally ?stir the pot?. In modern times, it is often our friends and families who comprise our own personal Greek Choruses as they work so lovingly to protect us from what we have not yet experienced and to help us along in life. Consider the following scenario: http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/life-experience-predisposition-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/life-experience-predisposition-depression/ Fri, 8 Jul 2011 17:02:50 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/intimate-relationship-bullying/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/intimate-relationship-bullying/ Thu, 7 Jul 2011 17:48:48 GMT When we think of a bully we might be reminded of a big kid from school who used his or her size to intimidate others. Maybe we have an image from some television show or movie of a hulking being pushing others around. As a couples counselor I can tell you bullies come in all shapes and sizes. They can be demur women and they can be medium sized men. They can be kind in their presentation and underneath they can be steaming with anger and come out harsh.  Whatever their shape, they all have at least one thing in common? they are abusive to their mate. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-trust-collaboration/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-trust-collaboration/ Thu, 7 Jul 2011 16:28:08 GMT "When trust and confidence--at both the personal and institutional levels--are high, democracy works better, the economy develops with fewer problems, interpersonal relations are easier and more straightforward, people behave more altruistically, and standards of living increase."  http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/inner-critic-creative-block/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/inner-critic-creative-block/ Wed, 6 Jul 2011 17:02:29 GMT The article is due. The performance is today. The gallery exhibit opens next week. And you?re not ready. A small voice inside your head is saying, forget it. It?s no use. You?ve lost it. What you have to say is NOT more important than what anyone else has to share with the world. You?ve never written (painted, composed or performed) anything worthwhile. And you?re frozen, immobilized, mute - again. Maybe the voice has merely turned your world from colorful to dull gray, but, if you?ve become severely depressed over your inability to create, the voice may be this time have transformed itself from merely a very critical super-ego entity into a little gremlin of almost demonic quality that sits on your shoulder whispering its withering words and following them up with a cackle that is strongly evocative of the Wicked Witch of the West. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/jared-loughner-forced-medication/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/jared-loughner-forced-medication/ Tue, 5 Jul 2011 18:18:32 GMT Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords made her first public appearance last week when she joined her husband at the Houston Space Center as he received the Space Flight Medal. Giffords, who is still recovering from the brain injury she sustained from a gunshot wound to the head, will continue therapy indefinitely. Her doctors will advise her and her family what protocol to take, and she will be able to determine, after counseling with her loved ones, which course of action will be best for her recovery. The man who shot her does not have that option. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/american-geriatrics-society-guide/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/american-geriatrics-society-guide/ Tue, 5 Jul 2011 17:17:14 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/independence-nation-world-suffering/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/independence-nation-world-suffering/ Mon, 4 Jul 2011 13:00:22 GMT Independence Day is fast approaching. On that day we celebrate our declaration of independence from Great Britain in 1776 and our independence as a country today. As independent as we are in relation to many countries in the world, are we really independent? We could seek answers to this question through many lenses. Today we will choose one. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/elderly-alcohol-use/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/elderly-alcohol-use/ Fri, 1 Jul 2011 16:16:25 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/ptsd-national-awareness-day-2011/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/ptsd-national-awareness-day-2011/ Thu, 30 Jun 2011 23:00:09 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/stuart-greenberg-ethical-misconduct-suicide/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/stuart-greenberg-ethical-misconduct-suicide/ Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:46:19 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/couples-communication-responsiveness/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/couples-communication-responsiveness/ Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:49:11 GMT There?s a distinct set of habits that are shared by almost all people who know how to get their partners to be open-minded and receptive, and thanks to decades of painstaking relationship research, we now know exactly what these habits are. If you want to succeed in love, you simply must have specific interpersonal abilities. If you have them, chances are very good that over the long haul your partner will be responsive to your wants and needs. If you don?t have them, the evidence suggests that your relationship future is likely quite dim. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/premature-birth-adolescent-mood-issues/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/premature-birth-adolescent-mood-issues/ Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:07:24 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/stressful-environment-child-lung-damage/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/stressful-environment-child-lung-damage/ Tue, 28 Jun 2011 23:00:16 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/battles-within/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/battles-within/ Tue, 28 Jun 2011 15:23:50 GMT In my quest to continue my education surrounding the fascinating concepts that examine the inner workings of the mind and more specifically in my journey to become an increasingly effective practitioner in the face of resistant and entrenched clients, I stumbled upon "Working With Resistance" (J. Aronson, 2002). I found the text concise and practical in its approach and imminently applicable. I was able to see with crystal clarity how concise word usage and mindfully placed statements within the therapeutic environment can elevate what Bertha Pappenheim, aka Anna O. coined in 1893 as ?the talking cure,? from an aphorism to a precision tool skillfully woven to bring clients to catharsis. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/women-menopause-mindfulness-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/women-menopause-mindfulness-therapy/ Mon, 27 Jun 2011 23:00:02 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/create-rituals-grief/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/create-rituals-grief/ Mon, 27 Jun 2011 18:08:11 GMT We  humans like things to stay the same. Even if we are open to change, change can be very difficult. There is nothing more changing than the death of someone you love, someone whose existence is part and parcel to your own. When those people die, we are left floundering. That person may be your child, your husband or wife, your companion, your friend, your sister, your brother. The depth and breadth of your grief depends on the connectedness you feel to this person who has died. This can mean your spiritual, emotional, or physical connectedness, and often, your perception of your very existence. The more intertwined your life with the deceased--including your identity, and perhaps your very existence--with the person who has died, the  more affected you are by your experience of grief, when that person dies. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/codependent-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/codependent-therapy/ Sun, 26 Jun 2011 14:00:44 GMT You may wonder how people get into therapy for co-dependency. Rarely do I have a client come in requesting help for co-dependency. More often clients come in for other issues, and we discover the co-dependency as I am getting to know them. I will describe some of the presenting problems that sometimes can be a red flag for co-dependency. Then, in subsequent articles, I will describe we work together in therapy to make things better. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/brain-reward-system-cocaine-addiction/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/brain-reward-system-cocaine-addiction/ Sat, 25 Jun 2011 15:23:42 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/workability-acceptance-commitment-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/workability-acceptance-commitment-therapy/ Sat, 25 Jun 2011 14:00:45 GMT One of the cornerstones of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is the concept of workability. The aim of ACT is for our clients to create a rich, meaningful, and vibrant life. Workability is how we determine whether a client?s behaviors are serving that end. Usually, people know when their behaviors are not working for them, but because they are often fused with their thoughts, they may have a hard time acting any other way. Instead of bringing them closer to the life they want, their behaviors are more or less a means of struggling with or avoiding painful thoughts and feelings. To demonstrate how this might appear in a therapy session I?d like to present the case of Samantha (Of course names and details have been altered to protect confidentiality): http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/neurofeedback-trauma-veterans/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/neurofeedback-trauma-veterans/ Fri, 24 Jun 2011 15:48:45 GMT As we prepare to celebrate our country?s upcoming Independence Day, it seems appropriate to speak about a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapy, neurofeedback, which is currently being used to treat veterans who have symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)1. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/working-memory-cognitive-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/working-memory-cognitive-therapy/ Thu, 23 Jun 2011 23:00:34 GMT Experts have long thought that a person?s working memory is limited to remembering only four things. But a new study by researchers at MIT suggests that the brain can actually process different amounts of things with both the right and left hemisphere. They hope their findings may affect ?heads up displays,? brain games and lead to better cognitive therapy approaches. Timothy Buschman, a post-doctoral researcher at MIT?s Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, and the Picower Professor of Neuroscience, Earl Miller, explored the neural basis of working memory in monkeys to determine the capacity of human?s working memory. For many years, experts have believed that humans have only four slots in which to hold memory, but this belief has been debated by others who believe that our memory works more like a pool. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/group-therapy-childhood-abuse-trauma/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/group-therapy-childhood-abuse-trauma/ Thu, 23 Jun 2011 16:35:17 GMT Group therapy can be the most nurturing and also the most challenging form of therapy. It is highly effective. While it doesn?t replace individual therapy, it can be a great adjunct and a final step in the healing process. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/panic-delay-stressful-event/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/panic-delay-stressful-event/ Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:59:16 GMT New research suggests that stressful events may cause delayed increase in panic symptoms. Because the effect of stress on panic symptoms has not been studied extensively, researchers wanted to determine if people with panic problems experienced immediate increase or a gradual increase in symptoms following a stressful event. "We definitely expected the symptoms to get worse over time, but we also thought the symptoms would get worse right away," said Ethan Moitra, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. But the findings revealed that stress does not always cause an immediate panic attack. Dr. Martin Keller, principal investigator of the research and professor of psychiatry and human behavior, warns family members and clients to watch for signs of panic over the several months following the stressful event. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/play-therapy-work-success/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/play-therapy-work-success/ Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:42:25 GMT What are your basic needs? Do any of your basic needs fit into the categories of better health and conquering specific fears? Do health issues or your fears hold you back from living fully and contributing in the way you would like to? What can you do to help yourself? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/jungian-living/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/jungian-living/ Tue, 21 Jun 2011 17:20:17 GMT Next weekend our local Jung society will be meeting to explore what it means to be Jungian. Dr. Jung himself commented that he never intended anyone to be Jungian. At the core of analytical psychology is a call to each of us to align the ego and the Self, to individuate and reclaim our whole being. This re-claiming requires both the ego and the unconscious so we need to pay attention to the demands of both as we go through the process of living and re-connection. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/summer-solstice-life-cycle/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/summer-solstice-life-cycle/ Mon, 20 Jun 2011 16:37:40 GMT In January, shortly after the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, I wrote an article called ?The Light is Born and then?? and in it we met the fear of darkness that lives within. Today, as we are moving quickly toward the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, may what you read be perhaps surprising, and hopefully enlightening and healing for you. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/connecting-core-parenting-relationships/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/connecting-core-parenting-relationships/ Fri, 17 Jun 2011 18:29:26 GMT Developing Resilience and Groundedness with Mindfulness http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/trauma-and-eating-disorders/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/trauma-and-eating-disorders/ Wed, 15 Jun 2011 13:49:46 GMT When you hear someone has experienced a trauma, your initial thought is they were involved in some catastrophic event. Rarely does the image of an everyday problem or situation enter your mind; in most cases the later doesn?t even make it on your radar. The smaller traumatic events, which have been labeled by some as small ?t? traumas, are just as important to consider when it comes to working with people with a mental health issue (C. Patterson-Sterling, personal communication, November, 2010). http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/client-judge-quality-therapist-office-appearance/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/client-judge-quality-therapist-office-appearance/ Tue, 14 Jun 2011 19:00:42 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/postpartum-depression-men-fathers/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/postpartum-depression-men-fathers/ Tue, 14 Jun 2011 18:36:32 GMT Yes, it's true. One in four new dads have postpartum depression (clinical term is Paternal Postnatal Depression or PPND) after the birth of a baby. What this means in simple terms is dealing feelings of being down, depressed and anxious after the birth of a baby. The good news is that, fortunately, more and more information is being shared with the public about how common and how treatable postpartum depression is in women. And, the reality is that it's just as treatable in men as well! We can't forget those daddies! http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/part-ii-coping-depression-mindfulness-mind/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/part-ii-coping-depression-mindfulness-mind/ Mon, 13 Jun 2011 18:59:17 GMT In the last article we concluded that the avoidance of difficult emotions is a major component of depression. But emotion is natural?it is the movement of energy within and it is hard-wired. Even before we had language, we had emotion. So, why does it cause us problems? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/creativity-shadow/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/creativity-shadow/ Sun, 12 Jun 2011 14:43:47 GMT I recently ordered Deepak and Gotham Chopra?s book, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Superheroes on my iPad. I haven?t been this excited to read something since I read Carl Jung?s book The Archetypes many years ago. Luckily my iPad can hold both books and more at about 2 lbs. Both books address the archetype of  ?shadow?. Both Chopra and Jung describe shadow as a force of the unconscious that can be destructive, divisive and self-sabotaging when it remains unconscious. Shadow is that part of the human condition, that most mortals attempt to ignore or deny in favor of a self-perception inflated or deflated by ego, neither of which can be sustained without some form of self-destruction. We see this in the lives of adult politicians, entertainers and sports heroes who have been in the media lately for crimes of passion, adultery, and exploitation. The denial and repression of shadow has allowed ego to ?act out? in blatant ways. Because shadow was repressed they thought they would never get caught or that they were somehow above the laws that govern the rest of us. Denial of shadow sets humans up to be destroyed. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/focalizing-disease-transformation/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/focalizing-disease-transformation/ Tue, 7 Jun 2011 20:08:37 GMT Over three decades ago, amidst a sea of healthy, young gay men whose consciousness and life-styles could be described as expansive, I celebrated a hard-earned freedom some people will never know. Then suddenly, many became very sick and starting dying. I, too, became terminally ill. It wasn?t even called AIDS then, and HIV had yet to be discovered. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/child-choose-parent-live-with/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/child-choose-parent-live-with/ Fri, 3 Jun 2011 13:44:32 GMT On a fairly regular basis I am asked by a parent how old their child must be before they can choose which parent they want to live with. Many parents tell me their child will be 12 years old, 13 years old, 14 years old soon and will be able to make their own decisions. They appear to be uniformly surprised to learn that a minor child does not have the legal right to decide which parent to live with. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/getting-serious-women-mental-health/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/getting-serious-women-mental-health/ Mon, 30 May 2011 14:15:28 GMT May is Mental Health Month, and while mental health concerns impact everyone, women face distinct challenges. Women possess unique biochemical and hormonal influences that predispose them to certain mental illnesses, and they respond differently to environmental stresses. Not surprisingly, women benefit from a gender-sensitive approach to prevention and treatment. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-acceptance-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-acceptance-depression/ Mon, 30 May 2011 14:01:27 GMT Being human means that we can experience serious bouts of depression, which can make life feel seriously out of balance. There is a sense that we have lost sight of our own vitality and purpose. Depression, however, does not mean that we are ?sick,? as much as it means we may be coping with difficulties in such a way as to avoid feeling badly or dealing with problems. Often, in our attempt to not feel painful feelings, we avoid dealing with difficulties regarding our health, our relationships, our work, and our play. We avoid, withdraw, isolate, numb ourselves (through unhealthy behaviors), and paradoxically make ourselves feel worse. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/comorbid-mental-illness-addiction/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/comorbid-mental-illness-addiction/ Thu, 26 May 2011 20:28:36 GMT I was very young when I knew I wanted to be a therapist. I became particularly interested in depression and how people deal with traumatic events. Never in a million years did I think I would be an addiction expert. After my graduate studies I took an internship at a substance abuse outpatient center. This was purely by chance and because they had a good reputation for offering really good supervision. During my internship it quickly became clear to me that my graduate program in mental health had left me ill prepared to work with substance abuse issues. I kept screening for mental health symptoms because that?s what I knew and we tend to go where we feel comfortable. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/acceptance-commitment-therapy-functional-contextualism/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/acceptance-commitment-therapy-functional-contextualism/ Thu, 26 May 2011 19:45:50 GMT When I was a youngster, about eight years old, I played hide and seek with some of the neighborhood kids. As I fervently and keenly scanned for a good hiding place I happened upon a broken down and rusted refrigerator in an old man?s yard. It was the perfect size so I quickly hopped inside and shut the door (which had lost all of it?s suction) behind me and waited out the hunt smiling with eager anticipation. I emerged from that old icebox the victor that day. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/dsm-v-language-disorders/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/dsm-v-language-disorders/ Thu, 26 May 2011 06:00:04 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/growing-joy-healing-connection/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/growing-joy-healing-connection/ Wed, 25 May 2011 22:30:14 GMT So often, people talk about the struggles they experience, and how they?ve grown from the pain in their lives. It?s true, but the sentiment is often that it takes pain to grow. What?s not often discussed is how human beings grow from joy, from being in connection; that is, how we heal and grow stronger from the joyous moments in our lives. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/premarital-counseling-decrease-conflict/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/premarital-counseling-decrease-conflict/ Tue, 24 May 2011 20:52:46 GMT I'm a big proponent for pre-marital counseling, although I don't market myself specifically as a premarital counselor, (and there are some therapists who do specify their work as towards this) I definitely believe that taking the time to plan and discuss things, particularly goals and expectations, is absolutely necessary for long term relationships, whether it involves marriage or just cohabitating together. It's important to know what we are getting into, who we are getting into it with, what their expectations are for the short term and the long term, whether they want children, parenting styles, who will work, who will stay home, do they want a career, and so on and so forth.. And it also helps to get to know ourselves. What do we want and expect from the relationship, and what do we expect from ourselves within a relationship? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/jung-poetry/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/jung-poetry/ Tue, 24 May 2011 20:39:41 GMT We are the only species on Earth capable of preventing our own flowering http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/perintal-mental-health-awareness-2011/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/perintal-mental-health-awareness-2011/ Mon, 23 May 2011 15:54:42 GMT Yes, May is Perinatal Mental Health Awareness Month in the U.S.! That sure sounds like a mouthful, doesn't it? And what is ?perinatal? anyhow? Well, I will happily explain... http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/adult-play-philosophy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/adult-play-philosophy/ Tue, 17 May 2011 21:51:54 GMT Play is serious business! http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/major-mental-illness-family-relationships/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/major-mental-illness-family-relationships/ Mon, 16 May 2011 19:42:58 GMT For all the research that has been done in the last twenty years attempting to understand the brain, the organ at the top of our spine retains its essential mystery. We know more now than ever how the brain works, how it has developed over the centuries to do the miraculous things it does, and what is happening to it when it gets injured. Doctors, parents, coaches and professional athletes are more alert to the dangers of brain concussion. Neurologists study to become adept at repairing the brain with surgery, cellular transplant, or electrical stimulus. Every one of us has a stake in the health of our minds. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/art-therapy-image-association/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/art-therapy-image-association/ Mon, 16 May 2011 18:02:53 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mental-illness-root-healing/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mental-illness-root-healing/ Fri, 13 May 2011 19:44:12 GMT Oh no! Not another media medical correspondent saying what Catherine Zeta-Jones is dealing with ? bipolar two ? is not curable, but can only be managed and controlled. Not only did one more medical editor say this about Zeta-Jones, but he said it about mental illness in general: ?When it comes to mental illness, you talk about it more as controlled and managed*?? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/negative-effects-alcohol-anxiety/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/negative-effects-alcohol-anxiety/ Wed, 11 May 2011 22:16:14 GMT Many people curb their nervousness with a nice glass of wine or other alcohol beverage. Whether you?re gathering the courage to socialize with people you barely know, fly on an airplane, or even if you?re just feeling worried about the future, alcohol can help loosen inhibitions and dampen self doubt and fears.  While you may feel more relaxed temporarily, using alcohol to tame your anxiety can backfire in the long run. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mother-daughter-relationship-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mother-daughter-relationship-therapy/ Wed, 11 May 2011 22:04:16 GMT Last night I dreamt that a woman with long octopus arms was breaking into my house by slipping through the cracks in the door, which I kept shutting, and she kept opening. When I woke up I heard the phone ringing- it was my daughter, who had been out late celebrating her birthday with her boyfriend. She forgot her keys and was locked out, and I was too deep asleep to hear her ring the door bell. The bell sounds had gotten tangled in my dream life, but the phone sounds broke in. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/relatives-addiction-alanon/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/relatives-addiction-alanon/ Wed, 11 May 2011 01:18:54 GMT Many of the partners or loved ones (POLOs) of those struggling with addiction often seem reluctant to get help for themselves. I?m not sure why that is, but I?m hoping this article provides some answers. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/60-second-stress-relaxation/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/60-second-stress-relaxation/ Mon, 9 May 2011 18:43:39 GMT We see a number of clients in our practice who struggle with feelings of anxiety. Working with mental and emotional responses to stress is helpful for these clients. We also take time to learn about where the person feels his/her anxiety in the body. Some common physical manifestations of anxiety include: http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/undeveloped-self-relationship-problems/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/undeveloped-self-relationship-problems/ Mon, 9 May 2011 18:24:08 GMT When we describe the relationship between mother and infant, we understand that baby and mother are one. In that symbiotic relationship, there is merger. There are not two separate selves with their own subjectivities who are relating to one another. (One?s subjectivity is the unique way in which we perceive our self and the world.) Our selves and subjectivities develop as we grow from infant to child to adolescent to adult.  When two people come together with their subjectivities, they are relating as two different people. When the processes of separation and individuation have been problematic, the development of one?s unique subjectivity is impaired. The ability to consider someone else?s subjectivity is also not developed. This makes relationship difficult. When a self is undeveloped in a relationship, there is no ?other? to connect to. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapists-in-therapy-self-growth/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapists-in-therapy-self-growth/ Fri, 6 May 2011 19:59:25 GMT Is psychotherapy purely a medical treatment warranted only for treating specific mental health disorders? Can psychotherapy also be used to address the multitude of emotional, cognitive, and physiological ways in which people suffer, ways that do not meet the diagnostic criteria for categorically-based syndromes? Additionally, is psychotherapy of any use to those seeking self-growth, wisdom, clarity, compassion, self-esteem, and consciousness? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/feedback-challenges/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/feedback-challenges/ Fri, 6 May 2011 19:49:39 GMT I enjoy reading the responses to my articles. Responses to the most recent one of Feedback: The Single Most Important Skill, focused on the complexity of giving and receiving feedback. I want to now add a few comments to those responses. Here are some challenges I have named related to using feedback. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/heart-rate-monitor-relationship/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/heart-rate-monitor-relationship/ Fri, 6 May 2011 16:35:30 GMT With all of the technical gadgets available for monitoring information pertaining to running and exercise, one can get very ?scientific? about training and performance. But despite the ability to concisely measure what is happening with your body, equipment can malfunction, and sometimes people perform better when not paying attention to the equipment. For these reasons, it can be helpful to your performance to rely on how you feel in your body, in your heart- ?heart rate.? This applies to relationships as well. How does your heart rate the relationship? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychology-perception-reality/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychology-perception-reality/ Thu, 5 May 2011 22:47:45 GMT 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, has a way of impeding growth in relationships and, consequently, our work together. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/creative-block-approaches-unstuck/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/creative-block-approaches-unstuck/ Mon, 2 May 2011 19:30:45 GMT I love springtime because of its association with new life, which immediately brings to mind thoughts about creativity. For those with creative blocks, however - whether artists or just ordinary folks like most of us, there are times when the ?stuckness? of creative inability colors the world gray; we tell ourselves we?re not special or good enough; that no one is interested in our creative efforts; our creations look, feel and sound ordinary, as though anyone could have made them. Whether we?re simply uninspired to create, having a bout of the ?blahs?, or feeling depressed, anxious, stressed or preoccupied with the mundane problems of everyday living or with particularly difficult or traumatic life transitions, our minds seem to have been cut off temporarily from the ability to make the creative connections that lead to works or outlooks that are fresh, new, and innovative. Despite assurances from those close to us that we can still ?do it?, that we haven?t really lost our touch or our spark, the disconcerting thought that we might never recover our creativity may occur, either setting off panic or dissolving us into heaps of lethargic apathy. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/national-mental-health-month-2011/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/national-mental-health-month-2011/ Fri, 29 Apr 2011 06:00:41 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/paramita-patience/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/paramita-patience/ Thu, 28 Apr 2011 22:44:57 GMT This month our Paramita, or practice on the path towards happiness, is Patience. The practice of patience involves a shift in our perspective. Buddhist teacher Sylvia Boorstein says patience ??remains present as long as the mind remembers that things end?when their conditioning causes end...? Conditioning causes are the elements that are coming together in this particular place and time that are causing us stress. In other words, have patience, this too shall pass. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/hypnosis-chronic-pain/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/hypnosis-chronic-pain/ Thu, 28 Apr 2011 22:33:16 GMT There are many treatments for chronic pain, including those that fall under the heading of ?complementary and alternative? (CAM). This article discusses hypnosis as a CAM pain management tool that can be used within the context of psychotherapy. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/wife-post-partum-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/wife-post-partum-depression/ Fri, 22 Apr 2011 13:00:57 GMT If you are the significant other/partner/support person/spouse of a woman who is experiencing perinatal challenges, you are not alone. Over 20% of all childbearing women develop postpartum depression/anxiety (clinical term). And a significant percentage of those women also have depression/anxiety while pregnant. It can feel very overwhelming as her primary support, and you may be wondering how to help her. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/body-image-transgender/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/body-image-transgender/ Thu, 21 Apr 2011 22:29:58 GMT I decided to dedicate myself to investigating and writing about the experience of body in transgendered people. Though I am by no means ?expert? in working with this population, I have learned significantly from clients I have worked with who identified themselves as transgendered. I set out to organize my observations and insights by grounding them in current research, to offer something of use to the reader that was legitimized by work in the field. It struck me that in looking at body appearance satisfaction we could learn a lot from people who experience being born with, and living with, a body that they experience as opposite of what they were suppose to have. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/vulnerability-eating-disorders-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/vulnerability-eating-disorders-therapy/ Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:33:29 GMT Vulnerability is an emotion that affects individuals suffering from eating disorders in a multitude of ways. It is the opposite of being in control and a state of mind not particularly comfortable for people suffering from this mental health issue. Feeling vulnerable is an uncomfortable feeling for many of us, but even more so for individuals suffering from an eating disorder. Not feeling in control often acts as a trigger that begins the destructive cycle of disordered eating. A trigger is any input that a person receives; either from their environmental or an internal thought that creates an uncomfortable feeling. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-boredom/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-boredom/ Fri, 15 Apr 2011 18:59:37 GMT Lois has five minutes left to her fifth session and is now having a flash of insight; ?I'm bored to death with therapy,? she thinks. ?This is getting me nowhere.? She feels close to her therapist and decides that he deserves more than a false excuse. ?Look?, she says, ?I think we can both agree that we're nearing the end here.? Unsure about how to respond to his neutral facial reactions, Lois plunges forward. ?Believe me, I'm as bored by myself as you probably are. But there's no reason to pretend that we're making progress here when I'm just going over the same issues, again and again. You've been trying. I know you have. But I've got nothing else to discover about myself. I'm done. That's all there is. I'm just done.? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/alcohol-bottom-out/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/alcohol-bottom-out/ Thu, 14 Apr 2011 22:09:02 GMT It has been said in AA, "An addict needs to bottom out twice to get better. First from alcohol, and later emotionally." http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/positive-client-therapist-relationship/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/positive-client-therapist-relationship/ Thu, 14 Apr 2011 19:00:22 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/art-psychotherapy-adults/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/art-psychotherapy-adults/ Wed, 13 Apr 2011 20:27:23 GMT Whenever I am asked what I do for a living I start by saying that I am a Psychotherapist, an Art Psychotherapist. The person will often make attempts to qualify my answer by asking??Are you a psychiatrist?? ?No,? I answer. ?I don?t prescribe medication and I am not an MD.? Sometimes they go on in their inquiry ??Are you an Analysist?? ?No.? I reply, ?I am an Art Psychotherapist.? ?Oh,? they invariably say, ?I?ve heard of that. You work with children.? ?No,? I reply. ?All my clients are adults. Mostly young adults, middle aged adults and older adults. I help people with emotional problems like a talk therapist does but I use the creative processes in my work.? ?Oh, your clients are artists? They make paintings and drawings?? The answer I give is that ?Yes, often my clients are artists and they do make paintings and drawings. They may either bring in their artwork into session or they may make a painting/drawing with watercolor, acrylics, inks, and/or pencils in session. They may work quickly in one session or they may work on the same piece over the course of several weeks. Some of my clients consider themselves artists, designers, or writers. Some of them come from the applied arts like: design, fashion, jewelry, theater, and some from the fine arts of painting, drawing, sculpture and/or the electronic arts, such as photography, video and film. Many people who are not in the arts are creative and open to discussing their dreams or creatively expressing themselves. For example, many people in the military have captured images, videos and sounds of their experiences. These can be very powerful to work with in Art Psychotherapy. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/dsm-substance-abuse-classification/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/dsm-substance-abuse-classification/ Mon, 11 Apr 2011 14:48:04 GMT Over the ages, there has been a vast array of different understandings and explanations for the phenomenon now known as addiction. Prior to the mid 1950?s, addiction was looked upon by most as either a moral failure or a mental disorder. Reactionary, inappropriate responses to those exhibiting symptoms of alcoholism or addiction include persecution, imprisonment and commitment to institutions for the mentally ill. Even still, many believe addiction to be a matter of will. If this is indeed the case, who in their right mind would, based upon your understanding and knowledge of the pain and misery which comes from being an addict, will to be an addict? As a therapist whose daily challenge is blindness, I have told many addicts and their families that I would much prefer my blindness over their addiction, hands down! http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/self-attack-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/self-attack-depression/ Mon, 11 Apr 2011 14:15:26 GMT I want to continue to talk about the clusters of depression symptoms that cause people to suffer in very different ways. Last time I talked about the low ambition cluster; this time I want to talk about the self-attack cluster. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/trauma-rapid-resolution-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/trauma-rapid-resolution-therapy/ Tue, 5 Apr 2011 22:03:55 GMT For the past two decades, science has been uncovering some important features of traumatized clients. There is mounting evidence that traumatized individuals vary widely in their ability to adapt to trauma, in part due to underlying physical factors. For instance, some see the presence of chronic emotional trauma as having the potential to cause permanent physical damage in at least the hippocampus (Sapolsky, in Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers (1994) argues that chronic stress is a significant cause of aging in several species). This might mean that some individuals who have gone through multiple traumas or what in the DSM V will likely be called Disorders of Extreme Stress NOS, because of a changed hippocampus, might have diminished abilities to perceive or recover from subsequent stressors. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-workaholism-superwoman-stress/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-workaholism-superwoman-stress/ Tue, 5 Apr 2011 21:36:54 GMT ?Mindfulness is a tool to get underneath our defenses. When we can observe ourselves closely, experiencing our feelings but not reacting to them, we don?t have to pretend that we don?t feel.? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/alcoholism-label-disease-treatment/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/alcoholism-label-disease-treatment/ Mon, 4 Apr 2011 15:10:31 GMT Well, once again it?s my readers who are instructing me just as much as (if not more than) the other way around. Thanks to all who take the time to read and comment on my blog articles. Your feedback is much appreciated. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/human-relationship-good-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/human-relationship-good-psychotherapy/ Fri, 1 Apr 2011 20:12:06 GMT May (1983) wrote that the most fundamental aspect of therapy is being and that, therefore, the value of the human encounter in therapy far outweighs complex understandings about a person?s psychological makeup or the technical skill of a guru. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/jungian-psychotherapy-dreams-online-resources/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/jungian-psychotherapy-dreams-online-resources/ Sat, 26 Mar 2011 14:00:30 GMT ... the content of the collective unconscious http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mental-physical-health-shared-symptoms/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mental-physical-health-shared-symptoms/ Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:00:51 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/issues-treat-before-family-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/issues-treat-before-family-therapy/ Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:32:22 GMT Families are amazingly resilient relationship groups. While many of us have enduring trouble with some aspect of our families, past or present, all of us are part of some form of family all our lives. Most of us organize our lives, day in, day out, year in, year out, around the needs, priorities, goals and problems of our chosen family. Whatever differences and conflicts we may have with other nations and peoples around the world, the human family is the way all of us organize. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/family-support-mental-illness/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/family-support-mental-illness/ Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:00:04 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/aromatherapy-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/aromatherapy-psychotherapy/ Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:08:08 GMT Scents, Memories, and Emotions http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/animal-therapy-children/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/animal-therapy-children/ Thu, 17 Mar 2011 06:00:41 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/importance-outdoor-play/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/importance-outdoor-play/ Wed, 16 Mar 2011 20:38:50 GMT Play is our human birthright and yet we see a devaluing of play in our culture. We are seeing the erosion of the value of play [http://usplaycoalition.clemson.edu] and play outdoors manifesting in nature-deficit disorder, a term coined by Richard Louv. When children and parents could be outdoors playing they are tied to a computer or television screen. Children and adults are experiencing greater incidences of obesity and other physical and emotional disorders due to the lack of physical activity, play outdoors, and connection with nature. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/overcome-sex-pornography-addiction/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/overcome-sex-pornography-addiction/ Mon, 14 Mar 2011 16:41:17 GMT ?I?ve tried so many times and so many different ways, what is the point of trying anymore?? ?I am too ashamed, what will others think if I admit this?? ?Is there really a way to overcome this, it feels like too much?? These are just a few of the statements I repeatedly hear from individuals who struggle with sex addiction and truly believing that there is no hope, or at least it feels that way to them. Have you wondered if sex addiction is really an addiction? Well, consider these statistics: http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/naked-therapist/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/naked-therapist/ Mon, 14 Mar 2011 15:56:36 GMT As I say in the prologue to my book, Power, Abused, Power Healed: Every form of power can be used well or misused... Sexuality has been used as a weapon to rape and dominate, as a substitute for unmet childhood bonding and physical touch, and as an exquisite sacred expression of love and union.* http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/low-risk-lifestyle-long-life/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/low-risk-lifestyle-long-life/ Mon, 14 Mar 2011 14:57:32 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/video-art-therapy-jimmy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/video-art-therapy-jimmy/ Fri, 11 Mar 2011 23:06:45 GMT Full permission has been given by the client to tell this story on GoodTherapy.org. All identifying information has been changed. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/authority-family-origin-power/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/authority-family-origin-power/ Fri, 11 Mar 2011 22:25:56 GMT What is happening in the Middle East right now is a very complex subject. It?s very difficult to look at more than one perspective at a time, much like the blind folks in the room with an elephant, each thinking he or she knows what an elephant is from feeling it, while only describing one part of the elephant ? the tail, the trunk, the foot, the ear, the belly. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/bipolar-highest-rate-united-states/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/bipolar-highest-rate-united-states/ Thu, 10 Mar 2011 15:00:02 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/common-trauma-therapy-approaches/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/common-trauma-therapy-approaches/ Wed, 9 Mar 2011 16:39:45 GMT Learning about the stages of healing can be distressing, motivating, upsetting or uplifting. None of these emotions is the right one to feel, meaning that no matter how you feel, you do not have a wrong reaction. Acknowledging your emotional response to the stages of healing can allow you to harness the emotion?s energy and reach out to a trained psychotherapist. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/celebrity-breakdowns-media-exposure/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/celebrity-breakdowns-media-exposure/ Wed, 9 Mar 2011 15:00:36 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/yoga-eating-disorders/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/yoga-eating-disorders/ Wed, 9 Mar 2011 04:25:13 GMT In addition to being a psychotherapist, I am a certified Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy practitioner and a yoga instructor. I?ve long been interested not only in movement but in the role of body-oriented techniques in the process of psychological healing. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/exercise-decrease-marijuana-cravings/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/exercise-decrease-marijuana-cravings/ Tue, 8 Mar 2011 15:00:06 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/relationship-complaints-resentment-communication/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/relationship-complaints-resentment-communication/ Mon, 7 Mar 2011 17:59:07 GMT This article will make it all sound so easy. And, practically speaking, it is. The act of making requests is an extremely straightforward process. Similar to the choice to forgive someone, offering a sincere request can immediately and radically alter the landscape of your long held grievances. Suddenly with a courageous wave of your hand, the chances of getting what you want from others can be tipped in your favor. It takes practice. But it's not rocket science. There are four recommended steps to follow ? described a few paragraphs down. (Go ahead and glance at them but then come back.) http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/positivity-longer-lifespan/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/positivity-longer-lifespan/ Mon, 7 Mar 2011 17:04:10 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/body-awareness-physical-fitness/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/body-awareness-physical-fitness/ Mon, 7 Mar 2011 16:59:31 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mental-illness-grief-creativity/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mental-illness-grief-creativity/ Fri, 4 Mar 2011 21:19:11 GMT During my career, I had the privilege of working with adults living with severe and persistent mental illness in an outpatient program at a local behavioral health center.  Although frequently grouped together and labeled as ?crazy? or ?nuts? ? as well as ?dangerous? - in popular parlance, this was hardly a homogeneous population. There were people in their late teens, adults and senior citizens from many different cultural backgrounds, living with varying symptoms and in various stages of the ?disease? process: from newly diagnosed to chronic. Among those I counseled were people with ? according to the DSM-IV-TR, the so-called ?Bible of mental illness? - severe depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, personality disorders, schizophrenia and dissociative identity disorder; some had mixed symptoms of a number of different disorders. Few were employable; many had little if any family support; more than half lived in adult congregate living facilities; most survived on Social Security and Medicaid, and many had done so for years. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/peer-support-addiction-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/peer-support-addiction-depression/ Fri, 4 Mar 2011 20:18:32 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/ethical-discipline-paramitas-buddhism/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/ethical-discipline-paramitas-buddhism/ Thu, 3 Mar 2011 20:45:48 GMT To continue with the theme of the Paramitas from last month, when we began with Generosity, we will look at the practice of Ethics or Morality (Shila in Pali), sometimes referred to as Discipline. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/national-eating-disorders-awareness-week-2011/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/national-eating-disorders-awareness-week-2011/ Thu, 3 Mar 2011 20:19:48 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/baby-toddler-mental-health-problems/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/baby-toddler-mental-health-problems/ Thu, 3 Mar 2011 20:14:18 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapist-few-clients-self-care/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapist-few-clients-self-care/ Wed, 2 Mar 2011 20:29:37 GMT I?ve got two clients right now. Granted, the most I can fit into my part-time private practice is six per week, but right now I?m averaging less than one per week. Very low.  According to colleagues who work in private practice and mental health agencies, it seems that the early months of the year tend to be slow for new referrals across many branches of the field. I had the double-whammy of terminating with several clients before the holiday season, which brought my client count crashing down. For those who rely on a steady stream of clients in order to pay the bills, times like these can be very stressful and concerning. And they don?t just happen according to set calendar dates. Things can be moving along swimmingly and then suddenly the client load shifts inexplicably and you find yourself with more free time than you might prefer. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/adolescent-alcohol-use-alcoholism/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/adolescent-alcohol-use-alcoholism/ Wed, 2 Mar 2011 19:40:20 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/state-finances-affecting-low-income-mental-health-care/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/state-finances-affecting-low-income-mental-health-care/ Tue, 1 Mar 2011 21:23:46 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/adhd-coaches-adult-clients/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/adhd-coaches-adult-clients/ Tue, 1 Mar 2011 21:15:18 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/benefit-psychotherapy-good-life/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/benefit-psychotherapy-good-life/ Mon, 28 Feb 2011 16:03:39 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/detect-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/detect-depression/ Mon, 28 Feb 2011 15:52:24 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mens-support-group-sarcasm-male-bonding/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mens-support-group-sarcasm-male-bonding/ Fri, 25 Feb 2011 21:57:00 GMT This is the second entry in a series of blog articles about a men?s therapy group that I conduct on a weekly basis. For background information on the group see my first blog entry, ?Notes From A Men?s Group?, dated January 4, 2011. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/beat-british-eating-disorder-charit/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/beat-british-eating-disorder-charit/ Fri, 25 Feb 2011 21:27:34 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/multicultural-mental-health-outreach/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/multicultural-mental-health-outreach/ Fri, 25 Feb 2011 21:16:41 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mental-health-obesity-sleep/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mental-health-obesity-sleep/ Thu, 24 Feb 2011 15:54:15 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-administer-nurses-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-administer-nurses-depression/ Wed, 23 Feb 2011 07:00:22 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/grief-depression-or-both/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/grief-depression-or-both/ Tue, 22 Feb 2011 20:57:17 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/post-traumatic-stress-virtual-reality-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/post-traumatic-stress-virtual-reality-therapy/ Tue, 22 Feb 2011 20:00:19 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/jung-writing-personal-myth/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/jung-writing-personal-myth/ Fri, 18 Feb 2011 19:19:39 GMT Without playing with fantasy, no creative work has ever yet come to birth. The debt we owe to the play of imagination if incalculable. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/play-therapy-workplace/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/play-therapy-workplace/ Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:48:08 GMT I love this quote; I have to work so hard to play. For many of us play does not come easily. Try wrapping your arms around the idea that you are not your work. What makes you successful? What do you consider achievements? If your list of successes and achievements are all on the highly difficult side of things then I would like to suggest a slight adjustment. Are you successful when things come easily or when you feel good about what you achieved? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/voice-dialogue-transpersonal-perspective/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/voice-dialogue-transpersonal-perspective/ Wed, 16 Feb 2011 20:22:32 GMT This is the fourth in a series of articles on the Scapegoat and how Voice Dialogue can help heal this ancient phenomenon that continues to occur within all human communities and within certain sensitive and susceptible individuals. The first two articles explored the Shadow, the phenomenon called projection, and the history of the Scapegoat in human communities. The third article begins the sorting and healing process through Voice Dialogue sessions with a composite client named Helen. See the first three articles here. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/eating-disorder-self-portrait-test/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/eating-disorder-self-portrait-test/ Wed, 16 Feb 2011 20:00:58 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/body-psychotherapy-promote-health/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/body-psychotherapy-promote-health/ Wed, 16 Feb 2011 19:46:13 GMT In the last couple of weeks I have had two different people come in that I hadn?t seen for a while and in whom I sensed a recognizable shift. The first thing I noticed with each of them was a gentle radiance around their body, the coloring in their faces was different, not the skin itself, but there was just more color, more light around them. They both also appeared calm, contained. I discovered that both of these women had been undergoing a cleansing diet under the supervision of their Naturopathic doctors. They had both cut out meat and fish and many other foods for a short period of time. One was using special supplements and smoothies to aid the cleanse process. Both were meant to add back foods slowly to test the effect on their systems but one has already decided to remain vegetarian because three weeks into the cleanse and after years of a heavy meat diet recommended by a different health practitioner she felt so much better. I had the sense that the dietary change was positively augmenting their therapeutic work. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/appropriate-conversations-counseling-spirituality/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/appropriate-conversations-counseling-spirituality/ Tue, 15 Feb 2011 23:50:32 GMT 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 develop his spiritual self once we got past some very major issues). It was also ironic that he really had no one else in his life to talk about spirituality but me and that as an Ordained Yoruba Priest I was also uniquely qualified. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/alcoholic-relapse-one-drink/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/alcoholic-relapse-one-drink/ Mon, 14 Feb 2011 19:26:47 GMT I had a client we'll call Steven who recently "went out," as twelve step so poetically describes relapsing. He walked away from fifteen years of sobriety, his career, his wife and his teenage son to go on a six months binge that left him in the hospital recovering from a hypertensive episode his doctor told him was "not conducive to survival." He described being called to task that fateful day by his boss. He phoned his wife on the way home and received more criticism instead of sympathy. The Bluetooth connection dropped just as Steven passed a bar. He thought to himself, "Screw it, I'll have one drink." The rest, as they say, is history. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/effective-relationship-conflict-habits/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/effective-relationship-conflict-habits/ Mon, 14 Feb 2011 16:25:37 GMT There?s a distinct set of habits that are shared by almost all people who know how to get their partners to be open-minded and receptive, and thanks to decades of painstaking relationship research, we now know exactly what these habits are. If you want to succeed in love, you simply must have specific interpersonal abilities. If you have them, chances are very good that over the long haul your partner will be responsive to your wants and needs. If you don?t have them, the evidence suggests that your relationship future is likely quite dim. A detailed description of each of these habits can be found in the articles, Habits of People Who Know How to Get Their Partners to Treat Them Well --Parts I & II, and Reacting Effectively When Your Partner Says or Does Something You Don?t Like or Agree With (www.thecouplesclinic.com/resources). In the present article, I summarize five lessons we?ve learned through years of helping people develop the habits through our counseling and educational programs at the Couples Clinic and Research Institute. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/trauma-images-art-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/trauma-images-art-therapy/ Fri, 11 Feb 2011 17:50:26 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/personal-feedback-survey-addiction-intervention/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/personal-feedback-survey-addiction-intervention/ Fri, 11 Feb 2011 07:00:17 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/spending-trends-mental-health/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/spending-trends-mental-health/ Thu, 10 Feb 2011 07:00:11 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/panic-attack-perceived-danger/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/panic-attack-perceived-danger/ Wed, 9 Feb 2011 18:50:26 GMT Since many survivors of a traumatic life event(s) experience the grip of panic attacks, I want to focus on demystifying these sometimes painful and often frightening experiences. While it may seem that there is no benefit from a panic attack, in its essence, a panic attack is an attempt by your body and mind to protect you from a perceived danger. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/kings-speech-therapy-healing/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/kings-speech-therapy-healing/ Wed, 9 Feb 2011 18:01:42 GMT Recently, I saw the movie The King?s Speech. A touching, powerful example of how politics and psychology are woven together! It?s also a beautiful portrayal of the hard work and the full commitment it takes in a healing venture ? on both sides, that of the therapist and that of the client. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/emotional-literacy-freedom-eating-issues/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/emotional-literacy-freedom-eating-issues/ Tue, 8 Feb 2011 20:11:01 GMT Feelings, nothing more than feelings, so goes the song.  Feelings can be painful. If we don?t have a good set of tools and skills for managing painful emotional states, it makes sense to resort to unhealthful tactics, such as misusing food. Disordered eating provides anesthesia of sorts, to protect us from painful emotions. Overeating stuffs feelings down, and offsets painful emotions with sensory pleasure. Bingeing and then inducing vomiting both stuffs feelings down and then gets rid of them. Restricting food intake is a way to avoid feeling in the first place, as being empty of food metaphorically equals being empty of feeling. One of the effects of this avoidance of feeling emotions is emotional illiteracy. Another is a lack of what I like to call emotional fitness. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/adult-children-alcohol-addiction/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/adult-children-alcohol-addiction/ Sun, 6 Feb 2011 18:53:46 GMT Alcoholism, known as ?alcohol dependence syndrome? is a disease that is characterized by craving, loss of control and physical dependence.  Those with alcohol addiction, as well as being victims themselves, can have negative impacts on those with whom they associate.  Research has shown that children of people with alcohol addiction develop some personalities traits that may impact their lives as an adult. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/substance-abuse-recognize-facial-expressions/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/substance-abuse-recognize-facial-expressions/ Sat, 5 Feb 2011 07:00:39 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/meditation-juvenile-delinquent-counseling/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/meditation-juvenile-delinquent-counseling/ Fri, 4 Feb 2011 00:32:09 GMT Stress Management group came around once every 3 months in the adolescent court diversion program at which I spent a number of years as a counselor. Although life skills training was strongly emphasized throughout the program, much repetition was required, and on this day I and my co-facilitator had less than 2 hours to impart some useful information connecting concepts of healthy stress management practices, personal wellbeing and sobriety for a group of boisterous, uproarious and occasionally obnoxiously behaving teens. Dutifully copying much-used handouts and anticipating leading questions to get the group going once check-ins were completed and latecomers seated, I wondered what could be done to arouse interest in a discussion of this topic beyond the level of interest we?d seen from clients in past groups: interest in enumerating all of the things that others ? parents, teachers, counselors, peers, law enforcement and the judge ? were doing to stress them out! Reluctant to take responsibility for whatever behavior might have precipitated their being arrested, charged and referred to the program, many of the kids laid the blame for their woes at others? feet. As might be expected, many were quite reactive to having their views challenged, regardless of how respectfully and therapeutically this was done. And, when it came to talking about antidotes to stress, group members often tried to steer the discussion back to one of their favorite stress relief methods - using alcohol and other illicit substances - turning the group into a forum for debate rather than self-reflection and learning. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/paramitas-generosity/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/paramitas-generosity/ Fri, 4 Feb 2011 00:07:48 GMT My meditation class is exploring the six Paramitas, or perfections, the path of the Bodhisattva (one who vows to liberate all beings from suffering). It is simpler than it sounds. In truth, it is the path to happiness, and any one of us can follow it. In the months to come I will write posts about each of the Paramitas and explain how we can make use of them in our lives. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychopathy-sociopathy-frontal-lobe-brain-damage-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychopathy-sociopathy-frontal-lobe-brain-damage-therapy/ Wed, 2 Feb 2011 20:00:08 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/memory-training-addiction-counseling/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/memory-training-addiction-counseling/ Wed, 2 Feb 2011 15:00:11 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-breathing-meditation-stress/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-breathing-meditation-stress/ Wed, 2 Feb 2011 00:47:03 GMT What do you do when you?re feeling anxious, depressed or stressed out? How do you treat yourself? Are you able to be compassionate towards your own emotional pain or do you engage in self criticism, judgment or blame? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/what-is-cognitive-behavioral-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/what-is-cognitive-behavioral-therapy/ Tue, 1 Feb 2011 16:03:45 GMT As a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist (CBT), my goal is to teach people that a life free of depression, anxiety and other ?negative emotions? is within their reach. I believe that most people are apprehensive about beginning therapy either because of something they saw on television, portraying therapists as unethical buffoons, or due to a bad experience with a therapist that wasn?t a good fit for them. When someone tells me that therapy was ?ineffective? for them, I am distraught; as a CBT therapist, I often hear clients telling me that they did little more than ?vent? to their therapist, and never actually found ways to ?change? the problems that they were seeking help for in the first place. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/two-pillars-mindfulness-therapy-observation-compassion/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/two-pillars-mindfulness-therapy-observation-compassion/ Tue, 1 Feb 2011 05:08:06 GMT Mindfulness-Based Therapy is an approach in which the principles of mindfulness are applied for therapeutic purposes. What does it practically mean? In my article ?Mindfulness and Knowledge", I pointed out to the 5 basic elements of mindfulness: http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/empathy-physical-mental-health-care/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/empathy-physical-mental-health-care/ Sat, 29 Jan 2011 15:00:48 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/vfw-bartender-training-program/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/vfw-bartender-training-program/ Sat, 29 Jan 2011 07:00:55 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/eating-disorder-bad-relationships-food/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/eating-disorder-bad-relationships-food/ Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:04:31 GMT Beginning in infancy, relationships, food and feeding become intertwined. Think about it: Baby cries and baby gets fed. Someone has to do that feeding, and that someone is usually holding the baby and relating to him or her. So, from our earliest memories, food and being fed is one of our first ways of connecting to one another. As we grow and develop, social events often revolve around mealtimes; whether it is family dinner or a social gathering with friends, we are enjoying the nurturing that food and company can provide. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mapping-power-differential/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mapping-power-differential/ Mon, 24 Jan 2011 17:32:11 GMT NOT power OVER, but power WITH! How often have you heard this phrase, almost a chant, seeming to clarify, simplify, and resolve issues about power with just these six words. I?d like to invite you to look deeper. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotropic-medication-decreased-libido/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotropic-medication-decreased-libido/ Sat, 22 Jan 2011 00:36:47 GMT I often see people who are in despair because they no longer have much interest in sex ? what a current client calls her ?disappearing libido?. Is she depressed about this? You bet! Did she become more depressed when her medical doctor put her on an anti-depressant to alleviate the depressive symptoms? Quite possibly. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/first-impression-coping-phobia/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/first-impression-coping-phobia/ Fri, 21 Jan 2011 15:00:12 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/social-factors-overweight-media/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/social-factors-overweight-media/ Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:00:48 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/spiritual-bankruptcy-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/spiritual-bankruptcy-depression/ Tue, 18 Jan 2011 19:55:55 GMT The term ?spiritual bankruptcy? is a word used in the rooms of 12 step programs to characterize addicts who have lost their connection to ?higher power.? One dictionary definition describes spiritual bankruptcy as ?a state of complete lack of some abstract property.? As we begin the year, I?ve been pondering what I believe ?spiritual bankruptcy? means and how it appears in the people I know personally and treat in my practice. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-awareness-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-awareness-depression/ Sun, 16 Jan 2011 15:00:15 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/antipsychotic-medication-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/antipsychotic-medication-therapy/ Fri, 14 Jan 2011 15:00:46 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/art-music-calm-brain-stress/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/art-music-calm-brain-stress/ Wed, 12 Jan 2011 20:00:47 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/samhsa-grant-youth-suicide-prevention/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/samhsa-grant-youth-suicide-prevention/ Tue, 11 Jan 2011 20:00:01 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-eating-obesity/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-eating-obesity/ Tue, 11 Jan 2011 15:52:40 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/steps-to-success-anti-bullying-program-seattle/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/steps-to-success-anti-bullying-program-seattle/ Tue, 11 Jan 2011 07:00:56 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/dying-regrets-self-kindness/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/dying-regrets-self-kindness/ Mon, 10 Jan 2011 17:30:49 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/couples-therapy-relational-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/couples-therapy-relational-psychotherapy/ Mon, 10 Jan 2011 16:51:11 GMT A couple walks into an office for the first time. They take their seats at opposite ends of a couch. After a short flurry of legalisms, a small contract is passed out and the two steal an anxious look at one another, ?What is it we're getting ourselves into here??. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/resolution-change-winter-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/resolution-change-winter-psychotherapy/ Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:58:33 GMT As we enter a new year, we cannot help but gather a new resolve to make changes in our lives. It is a phenomenon of our culture. It is also an expression of natural rhythms of life.  Perhaps, even further, it is an indication of hope?if not faith?in something more. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/light-therapy-antidepressant-older-adults/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/light-therapy-antidepressant-older-adults/ Mon, 10 Jan 2011 07:00:05 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/substance-abuse-detox-rehab-maintaining-sobriety/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/substance-abuse-detox-rehab-maintaining-sobriety/ Sun, 9 Jan 2011 15:00:11 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/art-therapy-creativity-new-york-blizzard/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/art-therapy-creativity-new-york-blizzard/ Fri, 7 Jan 2011 17:21:37 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/neonatal-intensive-care-parenting-reading-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/neonatal-intensive-care-parenting-reading-depression/ Fri, 7 Jan 2011 15:00:39 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/dsm-bipolar-aspbergers-prescription-medication/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/dsm-bipolar-aspbergers-prescription-medication/ Thu, 6 Jan 2011 15:00:16 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/men-support-group-loving-relationships/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/men-support-group-loving-relationships/ Tue, 4 Jan 2011 16:39:32 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/senior-pet-ownership-depression-loneliness/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/senior-pet-ownership-depression-loneliness/ Thu, 30 Dec 2010 20:00:44 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/california-prison-therapy-modules/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/california-prison-therapy-modules/ Thu, 30 Dec 2010 07:00:42 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/health-diagnosis-identity-resources/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/health-diagnosis-identity-resources/ Mon, 27 Dec 2010 21:25:18 GMT Cancer. HIV. Diabetes. Heart Disease.  Just a few of the words no one wants to hear from their doctor. You may have had nagging symptoms for months and come prepared for difficult news. Or you may feel just fine, with no idea that your lab results or physical examination may show worrisome results. Either way, being on the receiving end of a serious medical diagnosis brings a myriad of feelings and concerns. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-anxiety-albert-ellis/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-anxiety-albert-ellis/ Mon, 27 Dec 2010 20:48:13 GMT This co-dependency article is the last chapter on managing anxiety. We will manage anxiety by learning cognitive behavioral strategies. To review, the other strategies include physical exercise to burn off adrenaline and relaxation breathing. We are learning to manage anxiety, because when we let go of co-dependent behaviors and beliefs, we often feel some anxiety. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapist-professional-personal-role-hugs-gifts/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapist-professional-personal-role-hugs-gifts/ Fri, 24 Dec 2010 15:00:26 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sex-men-intimacy-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sex-men-intimacy-therapy/ Thu, 23 Dec 2010 18:47:53 GMT What does a sex therapist do? People often ask me what type of problems show up most often in my office. As most readers of my blog already know, I don?t like to put lots of focus on ?disorders? like ?erectile dysfunction?; and in fact most people don?t call up saying ?I have e.d.?  Most people call because they are experiencing sex addiction in some form, or because they?re having difficulties with desire or lack of desire. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/ptsd-diagnostic-criteria-where%e2%80%99s-the-human-factor/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/ptsd-diagnostic-criteria-where%e2%80%99s-the-human-factor/ Tue, 21 Dec 2010 15:00:54 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/holiday-relationship-trauma-self-care/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/holiday-relationship-trauma-self-care/ Mon, 20 Dec 2010 20:51:41 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/inner-imaginal-conversations-jungian-dream-analysis/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/inner-imaginal-conversations-jungian-dream-analysis/ Mon, 20 Dec 2010 18:10:08 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/conflict-with-care/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/conflict-with-care/ Thu, 16 Dec 2010 15:54:24 GMT When we find ourselves embattled, either viscerally aggressive or frozen, there is always an underlying process of anxiety occurring in our neural and limbic systems. The ?fight or flight? mechanism that often spirals us beyond the limit of reason and self-control has immediate effects in our neurochemical and hormonal processes. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/self-care-holidays-eating-disorder-womens-issues-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/self-care-holidays-eating-disorder-womens-issues-psychotherapy/ Tue, 14 Dec 2010 20:11:56 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/relationships-self-esteem-object-relations-parenting-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/relationships-self-esteem-object-relations-parenting-psychotherapy/ Mon, 13 Dec 2010 19:07:45 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/winter-play-therapy-family-children-psychology/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/winter-play-therapy-family-children-psychology/ Mon, 13 Dec 2010 18:39:11 GMT Both children and adults learn through play. This of course is not news to those of us in the field of play. What is news is the fact that we need to improve the quality of play for everyone. Many parents and educators are no longer in touch with the need for play for children in our driven, achievement-oriented culture. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-rates-psychotropic-medication-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-rates-psychotropic-medication-psychotherapy/ Mon, 13 Dec 2010 15:00:32 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/dr-phil-television-psychotherapy-process-oriented/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/dr-phil-television-psychotherapy-process-oriented/ Sat, 11 Dec 2010 20:00:18 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/holiday-season-mindfulness-less-is-more-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/holiday-season-mindfulness-less-is-more-psychotherapy/ Thu, 9 Dec 2010 20:00:04 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/cost-eating-disorder-treatment-psychotherapy-maudsley-method/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/cost-eating-disorder-treatment-psychotherapy-maudsley-method/ Thu, 9 Dec 2010 07:00:00 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/meditation-calm-mind-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/meditation-calm-mind-psychotherapy/ Tue, 7 Dec 2010 20:00:08 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/menopause-depression-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/menopause-depression-psychotherapy/ Tue, 7 Dec 2010 15:00:42 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapeutic-play-sandplay-therapy-attachment/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapeutic-play-sandplay-therapy-attachment/ Mon, 6 Dec 2010 21:56:25 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/final-phase-healing-trauma-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/final-phase-healing-trauma-psychotherapy/ Mon, 6 Dec 2010 18:44:36 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/success-love-now-gratitude-purpose-surrender-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/success-love-now-gratitude-purpose-surrender-psychotherapy/ Fri, 3 Dec 2010 16:04:28 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-guided-imagery-creativity-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-guided-imagery-creativity-psychotherapy/ Fri, 3 Dec 2010 15:42:07 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-antidepressants-effectiveness-psychotherapy-treatment/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-antidepressants-effectiveness-psychotherapy-treatment/ Fri, 3 Dec 2010 15:00:45 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/relational-psychotherapy-intersubjective-psychotherapy-relationship/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/relational-psychotherapy-intersubjective-psychotherapy-relationship/ Thu, 2 Dec 2010 22:20:39 GMT A good place to begin a discussion of Relational Psychology might well be with the all too familiar experience of the ?awkward silence?. At some point in the therapeutic process a moment occurs that seems out of context. A Kleenex box is dropped. An offhand comment gets drowned out by the wail of an ambulance siren. The squeaky chair makes another embarrassing sound. It is during such everyday gaffes as these that the two people in a room are reminded of their shared humanity. Nothing too dramatic has occurred yet, in this moment of meeting, the roles between that of helper and client may appear temporarily confused. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-thought-choice-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-thought-choice-psychotherapy/ Thu, 2 Dec 2010 15:11:33 GMT Being mindful means being aware of inner and outer processes as they present themselves in the moment. The main inner observations are the observations of thoughts, emotions and body sensations. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/dsm-v-narcissitic-personality-disorder-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/dsm-v-narcissitic-personality-disorder-psychotherapy/ Thu, 2 Dec 2010 15:00:36 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mental-health-professionals-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mental-health-professionals-depression/ Wed, 1 Dec 2010 07:00:59 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/primary-care-behavioral-health-psychotropic-medication/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/primary-care-behavioral-health-psychotropic-medication/ Tue, 30 Nov 2010 20:00:14 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-chronic-pain-cbt-psychotropic-medication/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-chronic-pain-cbt-psychotropic-medication/ Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:54:02 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/attitude-through-body-baby-caregiver-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/attitude-through-body-baby-caregiver-psychotherapy/ Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:21:04 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/chronic-illness-family-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/chronic-illness-family-psychotherapy/ Mon, 29 Nov 2010 18:13:47 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/awareness-mindfulness-body-mind-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/awareness-mindfulness-body-mind-psychotherapy/ Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:59:04 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/somatic-experiencing-psychotherapy-personal-history/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/somatic-experiencing-psychotherapy-personal-history/ Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:59:14 GMT ?I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.? -  Louisa May Alcott http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/inconsistent-prescription-psychotropic-medication-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/inconsistent-prescription-psychotropic-medication-psychotherapy/ Tue, 23 Nov 2010 07:00:01 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/managing-anxiety-relaxation-technique-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/managing-anxiety-relaxation-technique-psychotherapy/ Mon, 22 Nov 2010 14:47:05 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mike-owen-war-mental-illness-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mike-owen-war-mental-illness-psychotherapy/ Sat, 20 Nov 2010 07:00:43 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/child-anxiety-psychotherapy-response-emotion-brain-scan/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/child-anxiety-psychotherapy-response-emotion-brain-scan/ Wed, 17 Nov 2010 20:00:17 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/classical-music-therapy-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/classical-music-therapy-depression/ Sat, 13 Nov 2010 07:00:42 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/jungian-therapy-dream-spirituality/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/jungian-therapy-dream-spirituality/ Fri, 12 Nov 2010 19:43:14 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/senior-depression-psychotherapy-identifying-treatment/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/senior-depression-psychotherapy-identifying-treatment/ Fri, 12 Nov 2010 15:00:05 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/eleventh-step-twelve-step-program-spirituality-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/eleventh-step-twelve-step-program-spirituality-psychotherapy/ Wed, 10 Nov 2010 22:25:17 GMT The Eleventh Step: We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood God, praying only for knowledge of God?s will for us and the power to carry that out. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/stress-awareness-workplace-mental-health/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/stress-awareness-workplace-mental-health/ Mon, 8 Nov 2010 20:00:25 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/divorce-marriage-communication-internal-family-systems/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/divorce-marriage-communication-internal-family-systems/ Mon, 8 Nov 2010 18:11:30 GMT Oh no ? another couple you know is getting a divorce. Do you think it?s contagious? Are you worried that break-ups are like a virus you could catch? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/healing-post-traumatic-stress-psychotherapy-life-history/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/healing-post-traumatic-stress-psychotherapy-life-history/ Mon, 8 Nov 2010 17:18:14 GMT Exiting the first phase of healing may lead to you feeling as though you have a new lease on life and may make you want to step out of your healing journey. While you have more than every right to do this, know that ultimately the first phase is not sufficient to bring whole and complete healing. In fact the sense of, as well as actual, safety within yourself, with the people in your life and in your physical environment, that you established within the first phase of healing, becomes the foundation which allows you to grow into the second phase of healing. It is in this second phase of healing that the actual traumatic experience is grappled with through remembering and mourning. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-sleep-learning-knowledge-memory/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-sleep-learning-knowledge-memory/ Mon, 8 Nov 2010 07:00:22 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-exercise-leisure-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-exercise-leisure-psychotherapy/ Sat, 6 Nov 2010 06:00:15 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/adulthood-parenting-psychotherapy-emdr-self-care/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/adulthood-parenting-psychotherapy-emdr-self-care/ Fri, 5 Nov 2010 14:59:42 GMT I believe the task of childhood is to learn to be a good parent to ourselves, and the task of parenthood is to teach our children to become good parents to themselves. When this doesn?t happen, it becomes the goal of therapy. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/childhood-sexual-abuse-trauma-art-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/childhood-sexual-abuse-trauma-art-therapy/ Fri, 5 Nov 2010 14:34:41 GMT When November arrives, depression is not far behind. Something about the turn of the season, less daylight, less outdoor activities, the holiday bustle nudging its way back into consciousness can make some people turn inward and find deep dissatisfaction in their lives. Deep dissatisfaction can show up as a persistent weight pulling you down. Sometimes it is hard to get out of bed, to do anything. Most people are able to cope with these feelings by ?pushing through? or ?acting as if? they are feeling alright.  Enrolling in new classes, filling calendars with arts, sports, theater, shopping and exercise routines can help lift depression. ?Crafting? marketed by Martha Stewart has hit the culture in a big way. She was featured on Oprah in October, 2010. Her crafting ideas are well thought out and planned to provide hours of pleasure that some people find in making things. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychology-myths-teeko-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychology-myths-teeko-psychotherapy/ Sun, 31 Oct 2010 14:00:06 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/treating-depression-counselor-primary-care-doctor/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/treating-depression-counselor-primary-care-doctor/ Fri, 29 Oct 2010 19:00:40 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/voice-dialogue-psychotherapy-inner-scapegoat/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/voice-dialogue-psychotherapy-inner-scapegoat/ Fri, 29 Oct 2010 14:17:56 GMT This is the third in a series of articles on the Scapegoat and how Voice Dialogue can help heal this ancient phenomenon that continues to occur within all human communities and within certain sensitive and susceptible individuals. The first two articles explored the Shadow, the phenomenon called projection, and the history of the Scapegoat in human communities. See the first two articles at: http://www.goodtherapy.org/voice-dialogue-article.html. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/parenting-children-cancer-psst-stress-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/parenting-children-cancer-psst-stress-psychotherapy/ Thu, 28 Oct 2010 14:00:49 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-based-stress-reduction-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-based-stress-reduction-psychotherapy/ Mon, 25 Oct 2010 14:12:03 GMT What is ?mindfulness?? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychological-resilience-trauma-workshops-emotional-intelligence/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychological-resilience-trauma-workshops-emotional-intelligence/ Sat, 23 Oct 2010 06:00:12 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/pollyanna-mindfulness-meditation-buddhist-psychology/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/pollyanna-mindfulness-meditation-buddhist-psychology/ Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:45:09 GMT Often, in the context of cultivating mindfulness, I heard people emphasize ? ?I don?t want to become a Pollyanna?. As someone who grew up loving Pollyanna ? a child heroine of U.S. novelist Eleanor Hodgman Porter1 - I want to clear her name and claim that there is a lot to learn from her character in our efforts to be mindful. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/maudsley-method-family-therapy-eating-issues-anorexia/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/maudsley-method-family-therapy-eating-issues-anorexia/ Fri, 22 Oct 2010 14:00:06 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/compassion-mindfulness-stress-minimizing-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/compassion-mindfulness-stress-minimizing-psychotherapy/ Thu, 21 Oct 2010 19:00:45 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/antidepressant-medication-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/antidepressant-medication-psychotherapy/ Thu, 21 Oct 2010 14:00:48 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/recover-codependency-anxiety-exercise-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/recover-codependency-anxiety-exercise-therapy/ Tue, 19 Oct 2010 16:56:53 GMT Okay, so now you understand co-dependency, where it comes from and how it affects you. You want to heal and recover. So where do you start? It can feel so overwhelming that you may feel paralyzed. Remember, you don?t have to do it perfectly. (Or anything else for that matter). http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/late-man-adult-angry-identity-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/late-man-adult-angry-identity-psychotherapy/ Tue, 19 Oct 2010 16:43:14 GMT * This blog is a follow-to Richard's previous article, "Who's in Charge - Understanding Men Today" http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/disaster-survivors-ptsd-psychological-recovery/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/disaster-survivors-ptsd-psychological-recovery/ Sun, 17 Oct 2010 14:00:49 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychiatric-nurses-compassion-patients-care/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychiatric-nurses-compassion-patients-care/ Sat, 16 Oct 2010 19:00:46 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/person-centered-rogerian-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/person-centered-rogerian-therapy/ Fri, 15 Oct 2010 18:15:09 GMT Have you ever been in a relationship that challenged your assumptions and beliefs about yourself and the world around you? If so, then you know how powerful and life changing some relationships can be. Imagine then, forming a relationship with a professional who is trained to develop relationships that encourage self-exploration, insight and positive change. Carl Rogers, founder of Person Centered Psychotherapy, outlined three essential ingredients of a just such a successful therapeutic relationship? unconditional positive regard, genuineness and empathy. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/emdr-training-certification-therapists/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/emdr-training-certification-therapists/ Wed, 13 Oct 2010 20:04:59 GMT Like we talked about last month, the alphabet soup of degrees, licenses, and various organizations related to all things EMDR. But, while that information is important, as you look for your therapist, it is imperative that you review your therapist?s level of training. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/nature-scene-physical-pain-serenity-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/nature-scene-physical-pain-serenity-psychotherapy/ Wed, 13 Oct 2010 19:00:17 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/schizophrenia-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-stigma/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/schizophrenia-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-stigma/ Tue, 12 Oct 2010 14:00:45 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/women-girls-math-anxiety-gender-psychology/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/women-girls-math-anxiety-gender-psychology/ Mon, 11 Oct 2010 15:52:40 GMT The new school year has started, and many girls face an uphill battle when it comes to insecurity about math. Math anxiety can make itself known through nervousness when tackling a math problem, panic attacks that strike during a test, or even avoidance of math subjects completely. Although not exclusively a woman?s problem, men are less likely to experience anxiety about math. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/play-therapy-stress-work-enjoy-life/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/play-therapy-stress-work-enjoy-life/ Mon, 11 Oct 2010 14:04:27 GMT Sally does not stop for breakfast and instead goes straight from her bed to her desk. She begins typing on the computer while unknowingly holding her breath. Jumping from one website to the next she feels busy. Her muscles tense. She pushes herself to continue working. By the end of the day, she is exhausted and restless. Feeling very tired and wired she takes a sleeping pill to go to sleep. This daily work pattern continues until she finds herself sick in bed with the flu. Illness brings on a needed a period of rest. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/animal-assisted-therapy-psychological-issues/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/animal-assisted-therapy-psychological-issues/ Sun, 10 Oct 2010 14:00:46 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/healing-phases-safety/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/healing-phases-safety/ Thu, 7 Oct 2010 13:05:06 GMT Experiencing a traumatic life event is, by definition, horrific and terrifying; however this experience does not need to become your defining moment. Growing through such an event(s) is plausible and such growth follows a semi-structured pattern of healing. For a moment stop and reflect on the fact that experts have identified a semi-structured pattern of healing; the existence of such a pattern means that just as you are not alone in having been victimized, you are also not alone in the healing journey. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/art-therapy-stress-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/art-therapy-stress-psychotherapy/ Wed, 6 Oct 2010 19:50:47 GMT The news media is filled with negative stories depicting despicable people who were put into powerful positions either by election (politicians) or by talent (sports/entertainment). Newspapers often read like cheap tabloids. We?re bombarded by images online of politicians who are bilking taxpayers of billions of dollars and sports/entertainment heroes whose lives are out-of-control. We are lured to click onto seductive headlines by wiggling bodies vying for our attention. Crime on the streets and in neighborhoods is rising at alarming rates. Promises of health care reform have not trickled down into ordinary people?s lives. In fact, insurance companies more than medical professionals are dictating the treatment people choose and with whom they trust their care. Insurance concerns are in a sense representative of the ?lucky ones? who have health care, access to computers to research their treatment plans and a place to call home. Many, many more people these days are living without access. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mental-health-awareness-week-depression-ptsd-2010/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mental-health-awareness-week-depression-ptsd-2010/ Wed, 6 Oct 2010 14:00:15 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/marriage-couples-counseling-expectations-tolerance-communication/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/marriage-couples-counseling-expectations-tolerance-communication/ Tue, 5 Oct 2010 15:25:11 GMT Many couples come into marriage counseling or couples counseling with numerous uncertainties, however they all have one common theme: an expectation. An expectation, an unrealistic expectation, a hope that their partner will change and thus the relationship will be satisfying. The partners are consumed with the desire for change, although each of the counterparts, seem to be unaware that in order for the relationship to become modified, the change begins with self. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/cancer-body-mind-psychotherapy-chronic-stress/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/cancer-body-mind-psychotherapy-chronic-stress/ Mon, 4 Oct 2010 15:26:46 GMT Should Elijah be concerned about his mole? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/is-depression-over-diagnosed-are-people-simply-unhappy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/is-depression-over-diagnosed-are-people-simply-unhappy/ Mon, 4 Oct 2010 13:32:24 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-impulses-eating-adhd-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-impulses-eating-adhd-psychotherapy/ Tue, 28 Sep 2010 06:00:36 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/body-psychotherapy-catharsis-healing/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/body-psychotherapy-catharsis-healing/ Mon, 27 Sep 2010 17:47:34 GMT Oddly enough, a recent ant bite has got me thinking about human behavior and psychotherapy! The little guy lived in the dessert where survival skills are paramount and he got me a good one, it hurt like the dickens for about 5 minutes. Then I forgot about it. But days later the site around the bite was swollen in a circle nearly 3 inches across. It was hard, and hot and itched- itched- itched- itched- itched. Scratching made it itch even more. Scratching also tore up the skin that was stretched tight over the inflamed tissue which could cause problems of a different nature. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/client-growth-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/client-growth-therapy/ Mon, 27 Sep 2010 16:46:11 GMT So, you made it through the hardest part? you made the decision to seek therapy. You asked for recommendations, sorted through therapist profiles and websites, maybe even spoke to a few. Finally, you selected a therapist who you believe can help you, and you are ready to get started. You think you're on your way to feeling better, but then a strange thing starts to happen; you find yourself feeling worse. How can this be? You're seeing a therapist and working hard to get through things. How can you be feeling worse, rather than better? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/family-therapy-psychotherapy-children-teens-divorce-parenting/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/family-therapy-psychotherapy-children-teens-divorce-parenting/ Wed, 22 Sep 2010 14:48:10 GMT It?s not uncommon for a parent to bring a child to therapy and say, ?Fix it!? Of course, they don?t typically say ?it?; rather, they say, ?Fix Larry!? I can imagine my mother taking me to a therapist when I was in my teens because I needed (as we say down South) ?fixin.? At these moments I intentionally look at the adolescent or child to see their reaction. Sadly, most of them display no reactions at all ? they hear this statement on a regular basis. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/antidepressant-medication-over-prescribed-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/antidepressant-medication-over-prescribed-psychotherapy/ Tue, 21 Sep 2010 14:00:23 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/parenting-technology-family-therapy-social-network/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/parenting-technology-family-therapy-social-network/ Mon, 20 Sep 2010 13:27:56 GMT The human experience of parenting has changed some over the years. Biologically, having a child still involves all the relevant body parts, but these parts don?t necessarily have to belong to the parent in question; a mother?s body, a man?s sperm, can now all be borrowed, rented or purchased. All the wonders of the laboratory and operating suite of modern medicine that have been refined for assisting pregnancy just confirm the overwhelmingly shared human drive to procreate and have a family. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-adhd-treatment-children-adults/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-adhd-treatment-children-adults/ Fri, 17 Sep 2010 14:00:41 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/teen-depression-suicide-self-help-technology-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/teen-depression-suicide-self-help-technology-psychotherapy/ Fri, 10 Sep 2010 14:00:53 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/jung-psychotherapy-dream-analysis-play/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/jung-psychotherapy-dream-analysis-play/ Tue, 7 Sep 2010 19:15:46 GMT The dream shows the inner truth and reality of the patient as it really is: not as I conjecture it to be, and not as he would like it to be, but as it is. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/contemplative-meditation-peace-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/contemplative-meditation-peace-psychotherapy/ Fri, 3 Sep 2010 18:26:51 GMT Just Bow http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/cultural-sensitive-psychotherapy-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/cultural-sensitive-psychotherapy-depression/ Fri, 3 Sep 2010 10:00:09 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/ambivalence-relationships-psychological-health-emotional-intelligence/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/ambivalence-relationships-psychological-health-emotional-intelligence/ Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:43:31 GMT This phrase is relevant to so many situations in life: work that we?re not that happy with at the moment but that pays the bills, a relationship that used to be great and now not so much. In more subtle ways this feeling of ambivalence can apply to how we feel about our children (?I love you but I really need a break from you right now?), friendships and even therapy. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/apa-mindfulness-meditation-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/apa-mindfulness-meditation-psychotherapy/ Sun, 29 Aug 2010 14:00:02 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/military-post-traumatic-psychological-health/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/military-post-traumatic-psychological-health/ Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:00:40 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/exclusively-women-psychotherapy-counseling/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/exclusively-women-psychotherapy-counseling/ Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:00:38 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychedelic-drugs-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychedelic-drugs-therapy/ Sat, 21 Aug 2010 06:00:34 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/india-holistic-healing-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/india-holistic-healing-psychotherapy/ Fri, 20 Aug 2010 19:00:50 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-psychological-health-effectiveness-debate/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-psychological-health-effectiveness-debate/ Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:00:02 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/smoking-addiction-psychotherapy-suppression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/smoking-addiction-psychotherapy-suppression/ Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:00:45 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/caregiver-depression-therapy-psychological-health/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/caregiver-depression-therapy-psychological-health/ Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:00:11 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/faith-therapy-spirituality/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/faith-therapy-spirituality/ Wed, 11 Aug 2010 18:08:06 GMT At times during the past decade in my Spiritual Psychotherapy practice, I?ve advised a skeptical patient to have faith in the process. This is usually in response to a question about how and when he/she will know whether or not the therapy is working. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-depression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-depression/ Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:19:52 GMT Joseph, the beloved son of Jacob was famous for his ability to interpret dreams. The biblical story tells us that when he was in Egypt the Pharaoh had two dreams. In the first he saw a field with seven healthy and ripe sheafs (bundles) of grains and seven thin sheafs of grain consumed them. In the second dream there were 7 healthy, fat cows coming up from the Nile and after them, 7 lean, bad looking cows came up and ate the healthy ones. No one knew the meaning of the dreams until Joseph was called to the palace. His interpretation of the dreams was that there are going to be 7 good years for Egypt but after that, 7 years of drought will hit and bring famine. Joseph suggested taking advantage of the good years to store wheat in the barns so that when the 7 bad years arrive there will be food to feed the people. When the years of famine arrived, people from all over the region, not just Egypt, came to find food ? including Joseph?s family ? but this is another story. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/eye-movement-desensitization-process/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/eye-movement-desensitization-process/ Mon, 9 Aug 2010 16:03:40 GMT He called me, as most new clients would, needing to know the usual questions about me, my practice, and my approach to helping. Of course he would; he is supposed to. The catch is that on this call, I found myself having to educate him about EMDR, not because he didn?t know, but because what he had ?heard about it? from his current therapist, was inaccurate. Unfortunately, and with therapy especially, this happens a lot. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-self-destruction/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-self-destruction/ Thu, 5 Aug 2010 18:37:16 GMT Lots of depressed people tell me they want to stop their "self-destructive behavior,? because it is causing them to be depressed. Sometimes they are referring to an addiction, other times they mean cutting, burning or hurting their bodies. Most of the time it is about choices they regret, such as occasional (not addictive) overeating, over-committing themselves to projects, or getting involved in relationships with partners who hurt them or disappoint them. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/trauma-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/trauma-therapy/ Thu, 5 Aug 2010 15:45:55 GMT Just as the experience of a traumatic event impacts and alters the relationship you have with yourself, such an experience also impacts your relationships with others. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-deactivating-shame/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-deactivating-shame/ Wed, 4 Aug 2010 14:25:58 GMT How to De-activate the Shame State, Part III of Series is edited from Right Use of Power: The Heart of Ethics* by Cedar Barstow http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/equine-assisted-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/equine-assisted-psychotherapy/ Wed, 4 Aug 2010 14:22:24 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/body-shame-eating-disorders/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/body-shame-eating-disorders/ Mon, 2 Aug 2010 15:50:49 GMT It?s summer in North Carolina, and, as is the case with the rest of the country, an unseasonably hot one. My office is on the second floor, and by mid-afternoon the sun has moved over to my side of the building and even with the AC blasting away, it gets very hot. I wear sleeveless tops and skirts or capris, and sandals. The thought of sleeves covering my shoulders and arms or denim on my legs feels stifling. I like hot weather and I like dressing this way. I move with a sense of lightness and ease, carefree, with no worries about dressing for the weather except the possibility of entering a place?some cruel supermarket or restaurant where the air conditioning is cranked too high and I need that jacket that?s been smushed up in the back seat of my car forever. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/communication-relationship-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/communication-relationship-therapy/ Mon, 2 Aug 2010 14:15:52 GMT In my practice, I see so many couples who say they are seeking help for improving their communication skills. They work so hard adding to their communication tool belt, but typically feel disappointed that their relationships don't seem to improve consistent with the number of communication techniques they've acquired. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/rheumatoid-arthritis/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/rheumatoid-arthritis/ Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:44:28 GMT Rheumatoid arthritis disrupts Anika's career early in life. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/love/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/love/ Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:22:26 GMT I?m pondering on what the meaning of love is - and how we think of it as a society. This past week, I watched two movies that were designed to get us thinking about love, from two different generations. Moonstruck and Valentine?s Day were created more than twenty years apart, yet still have the same message - your life is simply better when you are in a meaningful, passionate love relationship with a partner. True Love is the goal - all consuming, never ending, absolute in its context. In both movies, the viewer is left with the idea that without love, life is a series of grays in a world of rainbow spectrums. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-meditation/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-meditation/ Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:30:31 GMT I don?t know exactly what a prayer is. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/masochistic-anger-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/masochistic-anger-therapy/ Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:06:50 GMT Anger overwhelmed Conrad when he couldn't hang on to a relaxing day. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/what-is-co-dependency/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/what-is-co-dependency/ Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:04:51 GMT Co-dependency is a pattern of behaviors and beliefs that are learned by children of dysfunctional families while they are growing up. These behaviors and beliefs can be helpful to the family unit, because they enable it to survive. The child learns to depend on them to manage in the family system. Unfortunately, in the long run they are very harmful to the child, whom we will call the ?family hero?. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/procrastination/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/procrastination/ Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:44:47 GMT A central aspect in working from a Somatic Experiencing perspective is awareness of sensation. Awareness is key? deepening awareness into the ways that unresolved overwhelm and trauma show up when the intellectual brain quiets and attention is brought inward to sensations. As I?ve mentioned previously, sensation is the language of the reptilian brain, a critical part of what we are working to access in Somatic Experiencing. Pounding or racing heart. Constricted muscles. Nausea. Burning. Clammy. Butterflies. These are examples of what can be noticed when awareness is brought inward to the signals that identify incomplete physiological responses to previous events or circumstances. Noticing these cues can provide a map to helping the nervous system finish what was initiated but not resolved during these earlier experiences. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/marriage-counseling/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/marriage-counseling/ Fri, 23 Jul 2010 12:48:05 GMT What can you do to improve the chances that couples therapy is worth the time and money you put into it? In other words, what makes marriage counseling work? Of course you need the help of a skilled marriage therapist, but there are several things you can do to help make your marriage counseling a success. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/pets-improve-mental-health/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/pets-improve-mental-health/ Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:25:14 GMT Mazey was three months old when I got her from the Humane Society. She and her three feral siblings were found in the snowy Rocky Mountains and needed a home. I took them all in and became their temporary mother while they learned to trust and even love humans. Like many animals, Mazey was special. She was attentive, affectionate, and friendly. She loved to meet new people and loves to give hugs, often at just the right time. Now at just over a year old Mazey is my therapy cat. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/attitude-body-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/attitude-body-psychotherapy/ Mon, 19 Jul 2010 15:51:41 GMT My last article discussed the physiological reaction of a young infant to external stress. As this infant grows and develops coordination and strength he will have new and different ways to meet the world. But if he had prolonged reactions to external stimuli, the early reaction pattern may stay buried in his system only to be triggered in the future; it creates a vulnerability and sets him up for perceiving the world in a certain way where trust is a big issue. Stress on a newborn can lead to particular psychological stressors later in life. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/parenting/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/parenting/ Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:56:05 GMT Social scientists love to study trends. These trends, whether short or long term, get written up into articles or lectures, and add to the general knowledge base of human beings and the world. Families, marriage, children and parenting are among those things most frequently written about and studied. That?s a very good thing. The problem comes when writers translate those carefully crafted statistics, trends or curves into newspaper, magazine, radio stories or full-length books. Trends become truth; small differences become the latest evidence of irreversible change. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/effective-communication/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/effective-communication/ Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:59:02 GMT Although communication plays the most crucial part in our relationships with those in our lives, the average person does not communicate well. Problems communicating lead to loneliness and distance from family and friends as well as difficulties at work. Much of the work we do with our clients directly or indirectly involves improving their communication skills. In this article I would like to share with you what I have found in my practice as well as from experts to be helpful in this task. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/self-esteem-vs-self-criticism/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/self-esteem-vs-self-criticism/ Fri, 16 Jul 2010 15:54:32 GMT People often speak as if self-esteem were based on a self-evaluation of your skills and talents. We?re encouraged to think about the things we?re good at, in order to improve our reputation with ourselves. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/self-love-parenting/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/self-love-parenting/ Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:52:09 GMT At what point did you make the decision to become a parent? Did you grow up with the intention that you wanted children? Was it something that you always knew and took for granted? Did you first consider it during an important romantic relationship? Or did you know for a fact that you didn?t want to be a parent with all of the joys and struggles that the job entails? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/anger/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/anger/ Wed, 14 Jul 2010 18:30:43 GMT It is almost cute when I hear the words, "I never get angry." Why? Because I know we all get angry... sometimes. Anger is a normal feeling. It is not bad to be angry as some will tell me; it is just what we do what our anger that can be positive or problematic. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/cancer-sexuality/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/cancer-sexuality/ Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:05:58 GMT ?Alice? is a long-term cancer survivor. She has beaten the odds of dying from stage four breast cancer many times over the years. She came into therapy because she was feeling ?stuck,? and was wondering if she might be depressed. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapist-versus-friends/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapist-versus-friends/ Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:28:05 GMT Sometimes people ask me why they should bother seeing a therapist when they can just talk to their friends. Friends know your history, you?re comfortable together, and you trust and care for each other. Friends don?t expect to get paid, either, and you can meet socially instead of making an office appointment. All that?s true and wonderful. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/spirituality-natural-world/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/spirituality-natural-world/ Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:16:25 GMT A very spiritually oriented colleague recently asked me what I love to do. She had shared that she loved her work particularly as it related to being the container which held other peoples? emotions. I replied that while I derived satisfaction from my work, the things I LOVED to do were: singing and dancing to the Orishas (the divinities we worship in the Yoruba faith), hiking along the river with my dog; gardening; and listening to the birds sing at my little retreat in Upstate New York. She pointed out that the things I loved to do involved nature in some way to which I replied: that is the way we Yoruba connect to the divine. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/relationship-reciprocity/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/relationship-reciprocity/ Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:28:55 GMT Most of us do not consciously think about reciprocity in our intimate relationships and when we do, we might say, "of course it is important." And as we think about the Golden Rule, we recognize it as a valuable principle to live by. Reciprocity is not something that can be exact, because what one person can do, another person cannot. The most obvious example of this dichotomy is that most women do not have the strength men have to lift and carry heavy items. On the other hand men cannot have babies and many have difficulty threading a needle. These are general and physical examples, of course, but they can help us begin thinking about reciprocity in intimate relationships. Reciprocity and cooperation are so valuable, precisely because we do have various strengths and weaknesses. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/preschoolers-mental-health/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/preschoolers-mental-health/ Sun, 11 Jul 2010 12:35:57 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-upsides/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-upsides/ Wed, 7 Jul 2010 18:07:21 GMT We all likely have our favorite personal qualities that we secretly (or publicly) admire about ourselves. While many of these characteristics are probably universally positive, it possible that something we love about ourselves -- for example, assertiveness -- might be perceived as someone else as bossy or overly forward. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychology-health/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychology-health/ Wed, 7 Jul 2010 17:58:05 GMT The Buddha is purported to have said ?What we think, we become.? If your thoughts could change your life for the better, wouldn?t you do it? Of course! But, what thoughts do you change? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/trauma-self-image/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/trauma-self-image/ Wed, 7 Jul 2010 17:26:11 GMT As discussed in an earlier article, "How Trauma Impacts My Sense of 'Me-Ness'?, surviving a traumatic event often results in your beliefs about yourself becoming altered in a negative, harsher direction. Another reason that your sense of ?me-ness? changes, due to a traumatic life experience, is that a traumatic event impacts your sense of worth, meaning, and trust. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/polyamory/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/polyamory/ Tue, 6 Jul 2010 15:06:36 GMT Most of the couples who walk into my office are monogamous, or at least aspire to have a one-on-one relationship. But some people believe that wedding vows or other exclusive agreements heap a host of unrealistic expectations on marriage. ?Open marriage? has become a term of the past - now such people usually refer to their preference for ?polyamory,? meaning ?many loves.? Coined in the early 1990?s, ?polyamory?, or ?poly? for short, provides a way for those who choose to have more than one lover to identify their life-style. This may seem a long way from most people?s lives, but my local book-store owner confirms that Catherine Liszt?s book on polys Ethical Slut: A Guide to Infinite Sexual Possibilities continues to sell even in my relatively conservative neck of the woods! http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/compulsive-shopping/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/compulsive-shopping/ Fri, 2 Jul 2010 14:37:16 GMT The idea of compulsive shopping being a ?real? disorder has become more palatable recently since people are looking at their economic situations and trying to understand the dynamics behind credit card debt and over spending while at the same time people are ?coming out? like Avis Cardella, author of the book Spent, where she depicts her life long addiction to shopping and spending. As compulsive spending is taken more seriously understanding it?s healing purposes will be an important part in aiding those who struggle with what has been coined satirically, ?retail therapy.? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-body-image/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-body-image/ Thu, 1 Jul 2010 15:10:11 GMT How many of the people that you know are truly happy with their bodies? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/divorce-holidays-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/divorce-holidays-therapy/ Thu, 1 Jul 2010 14:10:47 GMT Parent #1: It?s already December. We need to decide about Christmas and you had Johnny last year. Why do you think you should have him again this year? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/heart-of-forgiveness/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/heart-of-forgiveness/ Tue, 29 Jun 2010 17:36:20 GMT Give up contention: http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-exercises/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-exercises/ Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:45:54 GMT Distressing, intrusive and overwhelming experiences/symptoms are an all too common for an anxious or traumatized mind. My clients often report feeling that they do not feel in control of their thoughts. As our thoughts and emotions are reliant upon one another, it makes sense that overwhelming or disturbing thoughts may result in a downward spiral of one?s mood. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/disability-integrating-identity/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/disability-integrating-identity/ Fri, 25 Jun 2010 15:18:29 GMT Media accounts of individuals with disabilities who have achieved something will often refer to such people as having ?overcome? their disabilities in order to become successful. Sometimes such people will also be referred to as ?brave,? as if they had another alternative to living with their disabilities. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/somatic-experiencing-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/somatic-experiencing-therapy/ Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:41:44 GMT I would like to begin this, my second entry, with a statement that I believe is an important one for me to make. I don?t consider myself an expert on Somatic Experiencing. Perhaps Peter Levine is the only pure expert. The sense in which I intend this is the following. I was a Body-centered Psychotherapist for twenty-six years prior to beginning my training in Somatic Experiencing. I had many years of learning both from other teachers as well as hands-on in my own practice. I am the separate and unique individual that I am, as we all are, and I bring my uniqueness to my work. This statement, really, is unnecessary because it is merely fact that no matter whose theory we study we never become a clone. It is a literal impossibility. Our brain?s unique process of interpreting and integrating new teachings will always be the background fabric into which the new threads are woven. I am a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, Certified by the Foundation for Human Enrichment. I bring the expertise I have acquired from both my years on the planet and on the job. I cannot truthfully claim to be an expert on Somatic Experiencing. I believe this is an important distinction to make. I am writing from the wisdom I have, how I have integrated the body of knowledge of Somatic Experiencing as it was taught to me, and from my heart and Soul. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/marriage-separation/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/marriage-separation/ Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:35:50 GMT Are you tired of intense and destructive marital arguing and want it to stop? Do you need some space to think about things more clearly? Are you thinking about a separation but are not sure how to pull it off without making things worse? Do you feel like you just need a break from all the tension? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/tools-for-anger-management/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/tools-for-anger-management/ Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:42:37 GMT As more anger tools have been requested, I wanted to add more to the potential list to choose from when developing your own anger plan -- meaning some of the tools you practice and can use when finding yourself angry. Please know that there is no perfect list for all -- what we want is the perfect list for you. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/hoarding/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/hoarding/ Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:15:11 GMT If you?ve done any channel surfing at all in the last year or so, you might have come across a couple of documentary shows (?Hoarders? on A&E; ?Hoarding, Buried Alive? on TLC) featuring people who are living with/in massive amounts of clutter and/or trash in their homes. The piles of ?stuff? often reach nearly to the ceilings and there is barely space to stand in much less walk across a room. The programs show professional organizers and psychotherapists working with these people to clean out their homes. If you?ve seen either of these shows, then you know what I mean when I say it?s something you don?t forget easily. Although the people being featured on the show are treated with respect and compassion, the images are shocking and disturbing. How does this happen? Why do these people do this? Can they be helped? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/gender-identity-gay-families/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/gender-identity-gay-families/ Fri, 18 Jun 2010 17:36:47 GMT For years in our culture, most of us have defined family in a particular way. We assume that when we say ?family? we mean a group of people who are related by birth, adoption, and marriage. And when we say marriage, we have pictured the promised relationships between men and women. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-for-body-image/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-for-body-image/ Fri, 18 Jun 2010 17:18:26 GMT Clients often tell me that they hate their bodies. Sometimes I reply, ?Really? You hate your spleen and your liver and your kidneys?? And they look baffled and say, ?I never thought about that.? Because when a client says that she hates her body, she means, ?I can?t stand the way my body looks, and I can?t distinguish between my physical appearance and my body it self. I?ve reduced my body to a one-dimensional object. I?m repelled by what I see, and I consider my body to be only what I see, no more than that.? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-for-low-self-esteem/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-for-low-self-esteem/ Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:34:07 GMT In the previous three "Signs of Low Self-Esteem" articles, we've looked at a total of ten potential signs of low self-esteem. In this article, we examine two more possible signs of low self-esteem, and what to do about them. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/addictive-families/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/addictive-families/ Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:14:15 GMT Often the parent of a teenager or young adult in recovery will tell me that their son or daughter is ?like an extension of myself?. They might describe their offspring as being ?like one of my own limbs? or ?so close, it?s like we?re one person?. Inwardly, when I hear this, I often cringe. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/nonverbal-communication/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/nonverbal-communication/ Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:37:22 GMT I have been realizing of late how much nonverbal cues effect us at work and socially. We therapists don?t really focus on this. I think it is a good idea to pay more attention not only to what our clients communicate verbally but also what they communicate nonverbally. In sessions, we can help them become more aware and coach them in making better choices. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/there-is-no-way-for-everyone-to-win/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/there-is-no-way-for-everyone-to-win/ Tue, 8 Jun 2010 15:05:00 GMT And if you believe ?there is a way for everyone to win? ? Read this! http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/luck-solution-focused-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/luck-solution-focused-therapy/ Mon, 7 Jun 2010 17:31:55 GMT Have you ever wondered at the difference between those who seem blessed with luck and those who seem perpetually unlucky? I?m talking about circumstances that run deeper than just rain on a wedding day or missing the bus by 30 seconds. It turns out that the most essential quality that lucky people possess is a state of mind. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/child-therapy-cancer/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/child-therapy-cancer/ Mon, 7 Jun 2010 17:17:50 GMT Christa, 35, initially presented to therapy because she wanted a place where her ten year old daughter, Nina, could share her feelings about Christa?s breast cancer. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/anger-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/anger-therapy/ Wed, 2 Jun 2010 16:38:30 GMT Continuing with tools to use when we get angry, I want to go deeper into explaining just one here -- a powerful one! http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/grief-disability/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/grief-disability/ Wed, 26 May 2010 18:45:54 GMT Physical or sensory impairment or the onset of disabling illness often entails multiple concurrent losses which can lead to complicated grief processes, including depression and post traumatic stress disorder. Most obviously, people who acquire a disability or disabling disease lose a part of their bodies and/or the functionality of parts of their bodies. Additionally, they may lose physical comfort, vigor, mobility, spontaneity, the ability to engage in certain activities, aspects of their previous lifestyles, privacy, a sense of dignity, a sense of control, a sense of efficacy/agency, a degree of independence, actual or perceived life roles, friends and other social supports, the ability to work, financial stability, their previous sense of identity and purpose, the ability to pursue previously established dreams, previous assumptions about themselves and the world, their previous body-image, and, all in all, their previous sense of self as a whole. Therapists should be attuned to what a newly disabled person may have lost, or may perceive himself to have lost, beyond the obvious loss of physical or sensory functionality. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sit-and-simmer/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sit-and-simmer/ Wed, 26 May 2010 18:31:39 GMT As a food lover, I tend to connect life situations to food related actions and things. It comes quite naturally to me and inadvertently has become part of my therapy style. "Sit and simmer" is one of my favorite life-food connections: http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/imago-therapy-passion/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/imago-therapy-passion/ Tue, 25 May 2010 19:38:47 GMT For those of you in relationship, think back to the time when you first met your partner. You see him/her across the room, and something inside you says, she/he is the one. There is a sense of excitement and passion in you. You eventually meet and start dating. You just cannot get enough of this person and you find yourself thinking about him/her all the time. Eventually you start having sex and its passionate and really hot. Eventually you become a committed couple (for some couples it may even lead to engagement and marriage). Two years pass and one day you roll over, look at your partner and say, where did the passion go? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/somatic-experiencing/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/somatic-experiencing/ Mon, 24 May 2010 17:21:02 GMT ?Traumatic symptoms are not caused by the event itself. They arise when residual energy from the experience is not discharged from the body. This energy remains trapped in the nervous system where it can wreak havoc on our bodies and minds.? - Peter Levine http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-art-of-letting-go/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-art-of-letting-go/ Wed, 19 May 2010 19:25:07 GMT ?Do everything with a mind that lets go. Do not expect any praise or reward. If you let go a little, you will have a little peace. If you let go a lot, you will have a lot of peace. If you let go completely, you will know complete peace and freedom. Your struggles with the world will have come to an end.? ~ Still Forest Pool - Achaan Cha http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-treating-eating-disorders/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-treating-eating-disorders/ Tue, 18 May 2010 16:41:01 GMT Eating disorders are complex animals whose treatment requires a variety of approaches. After 20 years in the field, I continue to be amazed by the creativity of health care professionals who work with eating disorders. Last week I had the opportunity to sample some of the wonderful work that?s being done when I traveled to the Chicago area to present a workshop at an eating disorders conference. It was titled, ?Replenishing Our Toolbox: Innovative Therapies for eating Disordered Clients,? a joint venture of Castlewood, a residential eating disorders treatment center in St. Louis, MO, The Awakening Center, an outpatient eating disorders treatment center in Chicago, and the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD). At this one-day conference, there were two keynote speakers and 14 one-hour workshops, broken up into three sessions. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-compromise/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-compromise/ Tue, 18 May 2010 15:14:16 GMT An Internal Family Systems Perspective http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/low-self-esteem-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/low-self-esteem-therapy/ Tue, 18 May 2010 14:22:51 GMT So far, in previous articles, we've looked at a total of eight potential signs of low self-esteem. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-anger-tools/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-anger-tools/ Mon, 17 May 2010 16:17:39 GMT I would like to take these next few little articles to focus on some of the wonderful tools and techniques that we as therapist use to help clients with their anger. Please bear in mind that these are indeed just some of the many, many different ways that therapists can help when you struggle here. As you will see, some of these are common ideas that you may have heard of and even used yourself. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-adoption-resentment/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-adoption-resentment/ Mon, 17 May 2010 15:05:56 GMT The dreams we have for our families and for our children are full of deep expectations, some stated and many unspoken. This is true for families that have biological children and also true for families who choose to foster and adopt. You want to make a difference in the world and love a child that needs you. You want to offer your support and guidance and give a child the opportunity that he/she may have never had. The most frequent thing I hear from parents is ?I just want to help?. The best foster and adoptive parents know that helping a child involves not only a desire, but also the ability to stick in there when times get rough. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/neurobiology-changing-criticism/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/neurobiology-changing-criticism/ Wed, 12 May 2010 17:11:45 GMT A client just recently told me of how he very often hears things as criticism when they are not meant to be critical. For instance he and his wife had a disagreement about buying snack bars. When at the store he had agreed that he would eat the raisin filled bars since she and son did not like them. And when it came time to fill lunch bags he also wanted one of the other variety and she said," Oh no, you wanted the raisin ones, you cannot have these." This innocent interaction between two people who love each other became a "big deal" and they both left the house in a fowl mood, holding animosity toward the other. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/couples-therapy-communication/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/couples-therapy-communication/ Wed, 12 May 2010 15:16:59 GMT Do you have issues with your partner or do you have trouble getting your partner to listen to your concerns? If you feel like you are spending a lot of time nagging, you might consider this question: Do I have an issue with my partner or do I have an unmet need? The first part of this question has to do with what your partner is doing; the second part has to do with you. In my work as a couple?s therapist over the last 20 years, this question has become important in helping couples understand each other and resolve issues. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-self-criticism/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-self-criticism/ Tue, 11 May 2010 18:56:54 GMT Self-attack or destructive self-criticism is a cornerstone of depression. Confusingly, it can cause depression and it can be caused by depression, but it is always damaging. Often, people don?t even realize they do it, because it?s so automatic. In that case, the first step is to listen for it. It may or may not be in words, but its messages are about worthlessness, failure, inadequacy, disgustingness, unlovability, incompetence, and more. Other people know they do it, but believe it is appropriate?either because they deserve it, or because they need it as a motivator. I?ll get to that in other articles, but if you are not aware of attacking yourself, or saying mean things to yourself, do some research: http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/global-psychology/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/global-psychology/ Tue, 11 May 2010 18:01:32 GMT Two weeks ago I went to Antalya, Turkey, to attend the World Conference on Psychology, Counseling and Guidance, and to give a paper called ?Two in a room together: yoga breathing and psychotherapy alleviate anxiety.? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-intrapersonal-conversations/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-intrapersonal-conversations/ Tue, 11 May 2010 17:04:20 GMT ?Understand that communication begins on the inside and determines the outside.? ~ P.S. Perkins http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/lgbt-therapist/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/lgbt-therapist/ Mon, 10 May 2010 16:32:39 GMT The question often comes up among LGBT people as to whether or not they should see a gay therapist or if they would be comfortable with a gay friendly therapist. This is a personal decision that each person needs to make for themselves, but as in choosing any therapist, it is important to find a professional who has the education, the empathy, and the understanding of your individual needs. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-unconditional-presence/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-unconditional-presence/ Tue, 4 May 2010 18:57:47 GMT If I spent enough time with the tiniest creature? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/springtime-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/springtime-therapy/ Mon, 3 May 2010 17:37:05 GMT The thought manifests as the word; http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/art-of-communication/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/art-of-communication/ Fri, 30 Apr 2010 16:58:52 GMT The single most consistent cause that brings couples into my office for counseling is that their communication has broken down and they are caught in a cycle of arguing and bitterness that is steadily wearing away the stability of their connection. In this article, I want to look at the dynamics of healthy communication and offer some guidelines for finding your way to mutual understanding. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/counseling-anger/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/counseling-anger/ Thu, 29 Apr 2010 18:20:37 GMT The first in a series of articles dedicated to understanding, appreciating, and coping with our anger. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-relationship-fighting/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-relationship-fighting/ Thu, 29 Apr 2010 16:07:17 GMT Fighting verbally is an integral part of any relationship. You put at least two people together in the same place for a long period of time, and they'll fight eventually. If someone tells you that they "never" fight with their partner (especially with a big Stepford wife-like smile), mark my words they are hiding something big and oppressive underneath. "Rarely" fighting can happen, but "never" just doesn't exist. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/solution-focused-therapy-communication/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/solution-focused-therapy-communication/ Thu, 29 Apr 2010 15:07:27 GMT One of the most powerful advantages of solution-focused therapy is its ability to give the client control of his or her therapy. A client learns to see himself through his strengths, and not weaknesses; he learns to apply useful tools he already uses in an area he might never thought he would need them. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/eye-movement-desensitization-reprocessing/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/eye-movement-desensitization-reprocessing/ Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:28:46 GMT They always say its weird. In fact, I expect it. Ten years into being trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing), I am still amazed by its ability to transform a life filled with trauma, anxiety, hypervigilance, and triggers, into a state of presence, mindfulness, and relief. But, it?s still a ?weird looking therapy,? despite it being supported by research. And, clients and clinicians often find themselves confused about EMDR. This blog, and many in the future, will address the many aspects of EMDR. Today, we are going to address that what we mean by it being a ?symptom based? and ?eight phased? trauma treatment. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychology-dieting-national-obsession/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychology-dieting-national-obsession/ Mon, 19 Apr 2010 20:00:17 GMT A few days ago, I headed into the locker room at my gym after a workout. A TV set there was tuned to a morning talk show hosted by a couple of women, who were talking to their guest, a dietician, about yo-yo dieting. The hosts peppered their guest with questions, speaking so quickly it was giving me a headache. ?What?s the best way to lose weight?? ?What should you do if you want to lose weight really fast?? The poor dietician was attempting to explain the effects on the body of losing and re-gaining weight, the functions of ghrelin and leptin, hormones that are involved in appetite regulation, and the importance of eating sufficient amounts of healthful food throughout the day to maintain blood sugar levels and provide adequate nourishment. Her responses were being trampled by the hosts? enthusiastic comments and inquiries. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-mindfulness/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-mindfulness/ Fri, 16 Apr 2010 17:16:55 GMT In my previous posting ?Mindfulness and Knowledge,? I wrote about the gift of connecting with our inner knowledge that we gain through the practice of mindfulness. This time I want to point out the quality of Not-Knowing that one can develop through mindfulness practice and the benefits of acquiring such quality and approach to life. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-adoption-child-behavior/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-adoption-child-behavior/ Thu, 15 Apr 2010 18:56:38 GMT It is common for children and adolescents in foster care/adoptive situations to exhibit challenging behaviors, some of which can be severe. It is equally common for parents providing care to these children to become upset and overwhelmed by what they see. Before parents are reaching the point where they themselves may have a behavioral episode, I always remind them to remember the environment that their child came from. By remembering what this child was experiencing during their formative years, we can better understand the behaviors we are seeing now. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-women/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-women/ Wed, 14 Apr 2010 20:07:31 GMT The topic for this month?s article came to me as I was stressing about how I was going to get the taxes finished, while managing to find the time for my daughter?s softball games, my own exercise class, two full days of clients, grocery shopping, laundry, paying bills, and figuring out what to make for dinner. And that was just the next 48 hours. In addition, my bedroom is half painted, I have a huge sewing project to finish (roman shades, which I have never made before), and my garden looks as neglected as it is. I realized that such is the life of today?s women. I know for a fact that I?m not alone. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/journal-therapy-colors-imagery/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/journal-therapy-colors-imagery/ Wed, 14 Apr 2010 19:03:52 GMT Journaling is a wonderful way to explore, embrace and accept your inner world. However, colors and pictures further enhance your understanding of the deep, mysterious world that abides within. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-experiencing-emotions/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-experiencing-emotions/ Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:12:13 GMT Experiencing emotion is a normal part of healthy development. But for those who were traumatized as children, they may have learned to ?numb out? so as to protect themselves from their painful emotions. Although working through past abuse issues in therapy are scary, and often cause unpleasant emotions to resurface, it?s worth the effort. Doing so allows you to continue in your emotional growth which had been stunted by the trauma ? allowing you to then make growth in all areas of your life. Feelings, or the lack thereof, can allow you to either grow, or to stay where you are ? no matter how unhealthy that place may be. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-difficult-conversations/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-difficult-conversations/ Mon, 12 Apr 2010 18:44:46 GMT Much of our work with clients is encouraging them and coaching them on how to communicate difficult feelings and thoughts to others. What I mean by ?difficult? are a range of verbal expressions of feelings or thoughts that expose vulnerability, disappointment, and anger. Why is it so hard to communicate to others that we are hurt, scared, disappointed, upset, mad? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/interpersonal-neurobiology/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/interpersonal-neurobiology/ Wed, 7 Apr 2010 16:34:23 GMT It has only been in the past 10+ years that researchers have discovered "experience" changes the way neurons fire in our bodies. Just in the past few months, it has been revealed that the genes of infants are altered by trauma. This leads to the possibility that if trauma experience can change our neurons and genes, then why not "positive" experiences can restore our bodies to emotional and physical health. I know as an Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) therapist that my clients, as a result of new emotional experiences, often make substantial changes in their feelings, moods, and behaviors. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/couple-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/couple-therapy/ Tue, 6 Apr 2010 19:01:43 GMT The Textbook of Family and Couples Therapy (at pp. 421-423) describes the three ?most common types of couples therapy?: http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-body/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-body/ Fri, 2 Apr 2010 17:42:27 GMT Last month?s article noted that ?as the body reacts to external situations we have internal reactions. The degree to which we can allow the ?charge? from the external stimulus to be expressed, to ?discharge?, determines the degree that the experience stays with us.? This month let?s look at this physiological response in more detail. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychodrama-family-sculpting/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychodrama-family-sculpting/ Thu, 1 Apr 2010 18:47:29 GMT An example of one type of psychodrama that can be done in a group setting is a family sculpting. The first step involves determining who has a sense of readiness to do their family sculpting at this time. I generally ask this question to the group and then wait to see who is interested in doing work. If more than one person is interested, then I encourage each person to talk about how important it is for them to do work now versus considering a later date. Whoever has the most pressing need is then afforded the opportunity to do the sculpting. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-self-compassion/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-self-compassion/ Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:37:59 GMT OK, so people who come to therapy are not ready to take it easy. They are interested in problem-solving and usually frustrated by what they perceive to be their own failures in remedying their situation on their own. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/components-of-dyadic-development-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/components-of-dyadic-development-psychotherapy/ Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:40:55 GMT There are a number of ways to think about Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy. One way is to consider what are the essential components of this evidence-based, effective, and empirically validated treatment, which was developed by Dr. Daniel Hughes. The following list is a listing of what are some of these essential components. Future articles will describe these elements in more detail. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/holistic-psychotherapy-defined/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/holistic-psychotherapy-defined/ Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:23:17 GMT I am thinking that a good place to start with my initial article on Holistic Psychotherapy is to define this term or label. Just what does ?Holistic Psychotherapy? mean? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-caring-treatment-ipnb/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-caring-treatment-ipnb/ Mon, 8 Mar 2010 20:15:08 GMT In my first IPNB article two months ago, I went into detail about the significance of starting the therapy with our advertising and our first phone contact, email, or voicemail. Our intentions need to be clear and of the upmost integrity as these greatly influence the client even if they do not attend a session. Our kindness and helpfulness also beneficially impact ourselves. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychodrama/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychodrama/ Tue, 2 Mar 2010 20:27:29 GMT I have been incorporating psychodrama into my therapy sessions for the past 21 years. I utilize it primarily in group sessions but there are some helpful applications in individual sessions as well. Psychodrama can be defined as follows: a method of group psychotherapy in which participants take roles in improvisational dramatizations of emotionally charged life situations. The extemporized dramatization is designed to afford catharsis and social relearning for one or more of the participants from whose life history the plot is abstracted. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/counseling-parenting-frustration/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/counseling-parenting-frustration/ Tue, 2 Mar 2010 19:53:18 GMT Frustration. Most parents are very familiar with this emotional state! For some parents, frustration is an occasional and fleeting emotion. Some parents, however, live in a chronic state of frustration. Frustration is the feeling that you experience when there is a discrepancy between how you think things should be and how they actually are. Many parents suffer from a case of the ?should?s?. For example, you think your baby should sleep happily in her crib, but she cries every time you try to put her down. Or you think your toddler isn?t showing any interest in using the potty and you think he should be potty trained by now. Or your school age child is shy and you think she should be more outgoing and make more friends. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-voice-dialogue/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-voice-dialogue/ Mon, 1 Mar 2010 18:56:11 GMT Why did I choose Voice Dialogue as the cornerstone of my counseling and coaching practice? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/solution-focused-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/solution-focused-therapy/ Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:59:45 GMT Solution-focused therapy is a new type of therapy to many people, including psychology professionals. It is considered a form of brief therapy, much like Cognitive-Behavioral therapy, though it doesn?t necessarily have to be practiced in the short-term. I consider these kinds of therapies to be ?strength-based? as opposed to ?insight-oriented.? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/contemplative-psychotherapy-meditation-mental-health/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/contemplative-psychotherapy-meditation-mental-health/ Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:59:12 GMT "Hold fast to the Great Form within http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/core-energetics/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/core-energetics/ Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:21:34 GMT Core Energetics (CE) was created by John C. Pierrakos in the 1970s. Pierrakos was a student of Wilhelm Reich and worked closely with Alexander Lowen. After jointly creating Bioenergetics, Pierrakos split with Lowen to create his own unique way of working with his patients. Influenced by the work of Carl Jung and his wife, Eva Pierrakos, CE evolved to include not only the roots or Reichian theory, but also an eclectic mix of energy and consciousness theory. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/narrative-therapy-reauthoring/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/narrative-therapy-reauthoring/ Tue, 2 Feb 2010 19:36:52 GMT ** The following article is a continuation from last month?s GoodTherapy.org submission, ?The Use of Scaffolding Map in Narrative Therapy? ** http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-sacred/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-sacred/ Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:04:47 GMT There is nothing more satisfying for me than hearing, "I have been in therapy for years talking about this and today with you is the first time I felt like someone really believed me." The client comes to this relief when she senses my intention and ability to hear her story, be emotionally present, and be impacted emotionally by her. Possibly for the first time, she is "seen" without judgment. And I let her know that I appreciate that she is willing to let me in on something that is so personal and sacred. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-domestic-violence/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapy-domestic-violence/ Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:06:16 GMT I had been seeing ?Nicole? for almost a year. She had made remarkable progress in her efforts to overcome the abuse and neglect of her childhood and wanted to draw on her new-found insights to improve her relationship with her husband. Gradually, she was making connections between the attachment deficits from her family of origin and the ?disconnects? within her marriage. But then some things started surfacing: how her husband ?Jeff? controlled all the finances and made her ask for money; how he would get sullen and sulky for days when she made plans that didn?t include him; how he would start an argument with her just before she was leaving to go out with her friends, usually ending up with Nicole giving up and staying home; how he made light of her pursuit of a college degree and insisted she take out student loans in her name rather than use his income to pay for her books and tuition. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-scared-stiff/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-scared-stiff/ Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:58:17 GMT As David Frawley wrote in Yoga: the Greater Tradition, ?Breath and Mind are connected like the two wings of a bird. The breath reflects our thoughts and emotions. . . .fear makes us forget to breathe." http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapist-spirituality-prayer/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapist-spirituality-prayer/ Thu, 7 Jan 2010 15:29:16 GMT Over the past decade, as I began to practice spiritual psychotherapy as well as more traditional psychotherapy, I have worked with a number of clients who have expressed difficulties with prayer. Some don?t know whom to pray to; others don?t know how; and others report that they have tried it and their prayers were rarely if ever answered. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/holistic-pyschotherapy-therapist/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/holistic-pyschotherapy-therapist/ Wed, 6 Jan 2010 20:18:53 GMT Holistic psychotherapists use techniques from many disciplines, not just psychology, to mobilize people?s innate abilities to heal themselves. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapeutic-relationship-therapist/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapeutic-relationship-therapist/ Mon, 4 Jan 2010 23:27:50 GMT Before we go further into the theory underlying Core Energetics, Core Evolution and other body-psychotherapies, I want to discuss the therapeutic relationship. This is a subject I feel very passionate about! http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/narrative-therapy-new-years-resolutions/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/narrative-therapy-new-years-resolutions/ Mon, 4 Jan 2010 23:11:53 GMT Michael White (2000) describes the "absent but implicit" as "associated with the idea that in order to express one's experience of life, one must distinguish this experience from what it is not." Thus, White proposes that our descriptions of our lived experience are always relational rather than direct representations. If a therapist engages in an act of "double listening," they can discern and explore significant meaning in what is implied or left unspoken. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/interpersonal-neurobiology-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/interpersonal-neurobiology-therapy/ Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:18:37 GMT The most important question concerning Psychotherapy is, "What has to happen in therapy for it to work, for it to be effective and really help the client?" The simple answer is "the client has to experience positive changes in the brain, in the neurological system". When we are in distress, anxious, depressed, or just plain unhappy, our neurons are firing in a certain way. In "fight, flight or freeze" mode, the limbic brain is engaged, and the body is producing hormones, cortisol and adrenaline, in order to prepare the body to deal with the stressful situation. Sometimes we have these hormones pumping away for long periods of time and don't stop even during sleep. Effective therapy helps the client reduce the arousal levels, and get to a place of relaxation where we are no longer reacting as if in danger. This means that cortisol and adrenaline have ceased or greatly diminished, and oxytocin and dopamine are being released into the body. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/narrative-therapy-scaffolding-map/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/narrative-therapy-scaffolding-map/ Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:36:29 GMT Recently in my private practice I had the pleasure of meeting with an 11 year old boy named Peter. His father referred him to me because Peter was showing signs of ?melancholy?, anger, and seemed to be lacking in his ability to experience happiness and/or high levels of positive emotion. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/language-of-disordered-eating/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/language-of-disordered-eating/ Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:33:22 GMT Disordered eating is a metaphorical expression of an internal condition. Think about food: you may be a ?foodie,? who appreciates well-prepared, high quality food and relishes a lengthy meal with good companionship and conversation. You may be more utilitarian, viewing food simply as something necessary to your health and wellbeing. Or perhaps you relish the sensory pleasures of warm, savory, fragrant, filling foods and aren?t interested in much fanfare around the eating of them. Your eating habits may reflect your values when it comes to the consumption of animals, of refined and processed foods, and/or of foods produced locally v. shipped from afar. Regardless of your personal preferences when it comes to food, a relaxed yet conscious relationship with food is healthy; a conflicted one is not. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/the-spirituality-of-forgiveness/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/the-spirituality-of-forgiveness/ Wed, 9 Dec 2009 23:17:25 GMT One of the unique features of my practice is my ability to assist patients who are comfortable using a range of religious and spiritual practices to achieve closure on unresolved conflicts and trauma. These include individuals who may have spent years uncovering the root causes of their suffering but who still are not at peace with an individual, a situation or an event that has traumatized them, particularly if it involves someone who is deceased. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/moment-that-took-my-breath-away/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/moment-that-took-my-breath-away/ Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:15:53 GMT I work part time in a Geri-Psychiatric ward where my title is Recreational Therapist. What that means is that when elders are committed to this hospital ward, usually involuntarily, anywhere from 72 hours to one month they are termed ?gravely disabled and in dire harm to themselves and/or others?. Along with individuals that are in a psychotic phase of their schizophrenia and those suffering from bipolar episodes, a large percentage of those admitted to our facility have dementia. When the dementia patients are admitted to the facility, they usually arrive in a stupor of confusion. The confusion is often exasperated because they have not been eating or have been unable to sleep for days. It is tragic to see elders who I imagine once had interesting lives be reduced to corpses that society does not have the capacity to handle, heal, or fully understand. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/principles-of-hakomi-body-centered-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/principles-of-hakomi-body-centered-therapy/ Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:06:46 GMT Prospective clients often ask what first drew me to study Hakomi therapy. My answer: the principles. (And a touch of fate or providence.) http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/healing-from-trauma-safety/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/healing-from-trauma-safety/ Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:26:31 GMT Many individuals who have survived a traumatic life event wish to simply forget about the experience and hope that forgetting will be synonymous with overcoming. However, it is not possible to erase out pivotal life experiences or to truly forget about them. The human mind, body and/or soul remember and clamor for healing. Healing from the wounds inflicted by a traumatic experience takes time, perseverance and faith ? faith that one will heal, that life will not always be so painful and that the trauma will not always define one?s sense of self. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/non-directive-play-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/non-directive-play-therapy/ Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:06:12 GMT Play therapy is a counseling method used to help children communicate their inner experiences through the use of toys. Non-directive play therapy, also called child-centered play therapy is a non-pathologizing technique based on the belief that children have the internal drive to wellness. Non-directive play therapists are trained to trust that children are capable to direct their own process rather than the therapist imposing their own ideas of what the child needs to do in therapy to work through any challenges they may be facing. This requires the therapist to enter the emotional world of the child rather then expecting the child to understand the therapist?s world, which is beyond their capability. Play therapy is based on the theory that play is a child?s language, the toys in the play room considered the ?words? that a child uses to express their inner experiences and how they perceive and experience the world. The toys in the play room are then used by the child to ?speak? to the therapist and communicate their inner thoughts and feelings. Within a play session and over the course of sessions, themes emerge in the child?s play, giving the therapist insight into the child?s experiences, thoughts, feelings and interpretations of their world. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/elements-of-dyadic-developmental-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/elements-of-dyadic-developmental-psychotherapy/ Tue, 3 Nov 2009 22:47:23 GMT Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, which is an evidence-based, effective, and empirically validated treatment is composed of a variety of elements and based on a number of principles that have strong empirical support. Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy is, in some respects, an amalgam of effective principles of treatment. This article will describe the elements of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy and a few of its underlying principles. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/gestalt-therapy-cycle-of-experience/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/gestalt-therapy-cycle-of-experience/ Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:24:55 GMT When I tell colleagues that I am a Gestalt therapist, I generally hear ?so you hit pillows? or ?so you just talk to an empty chair.? The general lack of understanding of basic underlying theory and guiding philosophy is surprising given the approach's popularity and influence over that last 60 years. In this article I would like to describe and discuss a concept that is at the heart of Gestalt therapy. This concept is the Gestalt ?cycle of experience.? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/hakomi-body-centered-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/hakomi-body-centered-psychotherapy/ Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:07:24 GMT Hi, my name is Jaffy Phillips. I am a certified Hakomi therapist, and I have studied a number of other body-centered approaches to therapy as well. I volunteered to be the topic expert for Hakomi therapy here at Goodtherapy.org because I feel that Hakomi makes such an important contribution to the larger field of psychotherapy, and because it is really the foundation of my own practice. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/decision-making-in-relationships/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/decision-making-in-relationships/ Fri, 2 Oct 2009 15:20:24 GMT Jonathan and Michelle came to my consulting office looking for someone to help them make a decision about the upcoming holidays?especially Thanksgiving with parents. Jonathan said Thanksgiving was his mother?s favorite holiday. After dinner, she would drive the men out of ?her? kitchen. They would watch the game and she would clean up. When Jonathan and Michelle were married two years ago, Michelle was brought into the family fold and treated by his parents as one of the children. Michelle loved Jonathan?s parents but was taken aback when his mother expected her to participate in the preparation and clean up while ?the boys? watched football. Michelle wanted to relax and watch the game too. Michelle decided to go along with Jonathan?s family tradition in the first two years but began to feel resentful towards Jonathan and his family. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/take-the-attachment-challenge/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/take-the-attachment-challenge/ Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:29:29 GMT Attachment is the foundation upon which all human relationships are built, and touted by many as the most powerful predictor of all life successes. It is a wonder that something this integral to human existence is also so often overlooked and misunderstood by therapists who are considered relationship experts. When examining social work and counseling graduate degree programs, I am not surprised to find the typical program to have one obligatory course entitled ?Development throughout the Life Span? and in atypical graduate schools there might be one additional course entitled ?Child Development.? Unless the school is known for its focus on attachment theory, very little is taught to potential therapists across the country about attachment processes, attachment issues, attachment interventions, attachment treatment, or attachment healing. Unfortunately, we relationship experts often turn out to be humble students of the myriad of people in our offices struggling to heal the slings and arrows of attachment wounding. Being ?as a student? can be a sensitive and wise way to approach another?s life lessons. However, in issues of attachment there is wisdom in becoming a scholar and knowledgeable practitioner in the theory and science of love. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/exploring-the-unconscious/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/exploring-the-unconscious/ Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:13:45 GMT ?Man's task is to become conscious of the contents that press upward from the unconscious.? -- Carl Gustav Jung http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-and-meditation-sitting-with-what-is/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-and-meditation-sitting-with-what-is/ Fri, 11 Sep 2009 20:39:24 GMT Sitting in meditation means sitting with what is. The challenge, of course, is that a lot of what is doesn?t feel very good: we experience fear, restlessness, grief, anxiety, shame. For many of us, these experiences are enough to send us fleeing from the cushion, convinced that meditation isn?t for us or that we?re doing it wrong. Others convince themselves they?re meditating when they?re actually engaging in spiritual bypassing, a term coined by John Welwood¹ that refers to the use of spiritual practices to avoid facing pain. When these things happen, a therapist can help us return to the present moment and stay present with what we find there. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/children-admitted-to-adult-psych-facilities-ireland-grapples-with-rise/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/children-admitted-to-adult-psych-facilities-ireland-grapples-with-rise/ Tue, 1 Sep 2009 14:50:25 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/kenya-holds-conference-to-expand-mental-health-services/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/kenya-holds-conference-to-expand-mental-health-services/ Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:45:10 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Summary http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/walking-gains-recognition-as-depression-helper/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/walking-gains-recognition-as-depression-helper/ Sun, 23 Aug 2009 18:01:35 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/lying-in-therap/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/lying-in-therap/ Fri, 3 Jul 2009 14:07:32 GMT It's a familiar scenario for therapy clients the world over: after a particularly intense session in which it seems that a lot of positive work has been done, it emerges that some lie has been told (or that an important piece of information has been withheld), and the course of treatment, as a result, is less effective. In general therapists and other mental health professionals are aware that complete and total honesty, while certainly ideal, is not really the norm, nor can it be reasonably demanded from each and every client. In the past couple of years, the buzz about lying in therapy has been picking up, with publications from major journals and reviews to individual blogs and other online mediums sounding off about the phenomenon. The verdict? It's best to encourage an honest exchange, accept any moments of coming clean with grace, and to ask adequate questions to ensure treatment is as personalized as possible. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapist-compassio/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapist-compassio/ Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:25:33 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Update http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-in-psychotherapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/mindfulness-in-psychotherapy/ Thu, 21 May 2009 13:49:01 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapist-success-story/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapist-success-story/ Sat, 16 May 2009 09:48:52 GMT A GoodTherapy.org News Update http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/deep-change/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/deep-change/ Thu, 14 May 2009 05:01:12 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/deep-change-healing-your-relationship-with-power/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/deep-change-healing-your-relationship-with-power/ Thu, 7 May 2009 20:39:13 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-consciousness/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-consciousness/ Thu, 2 Apr 2009 19:02:25 GMT Many machines with rotating parts contain flywheels. Almost all automobile engines have them. A flywheel is a heavy wheel which rotates when the machine of which it is a part is running. Because it is heavy the flywheel absorbs surges of energy, thereby causing the machine to run more smoothly. The flywheel also stores kinetic energy when it is rotating and can keep a machine running for a period of time even if the usual source of energy (e.g. gasoline motor, water wheel, windmill) stops providing input. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/neglect/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/neglect/ Thu, 26 Mar 2009 05:01:18 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/adapting-therapy-amish/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/adapting-therapy-amish/ Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:01:48 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/election-reflection/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/election-reflection/ Wed, 25 Feb 2009 06:01:36 GMT When I was a little girl, http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapists-are-human-too/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/therapists-are-human-too/ Tue, 17 Feb 2009 06:01:34 GMT At times I can be didactic and preachy with clients. I fall into believing that I have some special knowledge about life. I believe that I?m expected to pass along little gems of wisdom in sessions as if I know what life is really about. My client and I collude in forgetting that this is my first life too, what do I know? Outside the consulting room I am not always so wise. I can lose my soft-spoken reflective stance and be as reactive and unreasonable as the next person. I would say it?s worse for therapists when this happens - we have the extra layer of shame that comes from feeling we should know better. What if a client saw me arguing with the bank teller, pushing my way onto a crowded train... http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/recession-regression/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/recession-regression/ Tue, 10 Feb 2009 06:18:19 GMT I, like you, am witnessing the events in our country and our world. I see the crises we are facing, among them the financial crisis. And like you, I have seen in clients the effects of ancient feelings and wounds on their attitudes, emotional states, and behaviors in relation to the present economic situation. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sexual-boundaries/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sexual-boundaries/ Fri, 16 Jan 2009 06:00:26 GMT It is customary for a therapist to facilitate a client's thinking and feeling "outside the box", to "wake up and smell the coffee". Therapists want to assist clients to release the constraints of what is "customary" or "normal" for them and explore the world of thoughts and feelings that have been taboo or off limits. The other end of the spectrum is also, sometimes, the therapeutic focus i.e. learning to self regulate and develop the skills for expressing feelings such as anger in socially appropriate, non-abusive ways. Certainly there are clients who need such therapeutic assistance. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-test/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/depression-test/ Mon, 8 Dec 2008 22:47:40 GMT A tool with good potential for predicting depression, called predictD, is now on-line for use by anyone who has a computer and an Internet connection. Although there are many depression assessments on the Internet, this is the only one based on empirical research of a depression assessment algorithm for predicting the disorder. Participating researchers believe the tool can become a tool for use by medical practitioners. The research study included 5,216 study participants in the UK, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Estonia, and another 1,732 in Chile (King, Walker, Levy, et et al., 2008). http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/good-and-bad-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/good-and-bad-therapy/ Wed, 2 Jul 2008 02:39:55 GMT We named our organization GoodTherapy.org for a handful of reasons. First among them, good therapy is what most therapists are striving to provide. Regardless of orientation, nearly all therapists can be included in the group of dedicated and caring folks who strive to ?do no harm? in the healing process. Secondly, we want to express, in the title of our organization, the importance we place on quality in the psychotherapy process. Thirdly, ?good therapy? is catchy. The expression, ?I (or he or she) could use some good therapy,? has been around a long time. And finally, GoodTherapy.org sounds better than www.JustOkayTherapy.org. :) http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/the-art-of-soul-transformation-self-psychology-and-creativity/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/the-art-of-soul-transformation-self-psychology-and-creativity/ Tue, 20 May 2008 01:12:44 GMT So many of us understand counseling to be an art, a marriage of knowledge and a certain ability to use that knowledge elegantly, incorporating intuition and spirituality. In my experience as a minister offering counseling and as a chaplain in a hospital, I have found that there is another dimension to the ?art? of counseling: the intentional creative process coupled with the understandings of self-psychology provide a transformational template that has love and compassion at its center. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/history-taking-in-therapy-whats-your-approach/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/history-taking-in-therapy-whats-your-approach/ Wed, 2 Apr 2008 01:51:06 GMT The GoodTherapy.org Team received a question today from Brit, a visitor to GT, in response to the featured article, ?50 Warning Signs of Questionable Therapy & Counseling.? http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/life-by-any-other-name-is-life/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/life-by-any-other-name-is-life/ Tue, 4 Mar 2008 02:43:44 GMT Recently a client described an icy meltdown she and her husband had with one another. This is not an uncommon event in the lives of couples I see. I noticed I began to consider a variety of therapeutic frames I could utilize and directions I could take to facilitate the client?s self exploration and find a way to understand such a difficulty and find acceptable alternatives. Then something else happened. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/would-you-marry-yourself%e2%80%94-or-someone-like-you-2/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/would-you-marry-yourself%e2%80%94-or-someone-like-you-2/ Fri, 8 Feb 2008 02:53:21 GMT A glance at many magazines today will offer practical advice and ?how to? strategies for the pursuit of the man or woman of our dreams. Let?s face it?sexy tag lines and catchy subtitles make for good print copy but do little for building healthy and sound relationships. Projecting our wants, expectations or intentions onto our partners-to-be only serves to foreshadow the inevitable relational demise. It is as if we build in our own obsolescence from the very start. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/your-body%e2%80%99s-talking-are-you-listening/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/your-body%e2%80%99s-talking-are-you-listening/ Sun, 12 Aug 2007 23:59:16 GMT What do you do to relieve persistent physical discomfort, pain or illness? Do you reach for pills? Supplements? A trip to the chiropractor or massage therapist? Do a cleansing detox? Perhaps you meditate, do some yoga or take a walk? Maybe you?ve had the difficult choice of whether to undergo surgery -or even chemotherapy. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/do-you-believe-personality-disorder-diagnoses-are-pathologizing/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/do-you-believe-personality-disorder-diagnoses-are-pathologizing/ Mon, 11 Jun 2007 20:42:41 GMT Recently, someone asked GoodTherapy.org to include Personality Disorders within our list of Concerns Addressed (this is the list of concerns that people can select when searching for therapists and the list that all members select from when creating their listing). Our decision was a unanimous ?no? and we thought it would be fair to explain why and to give our members the chance to make an argument for the use of the ?Personality Disorder? diagnosis. I should say that we do support the inclusion of ?personality disorder? symptoms in our list of concerns and we are currently working on translating these to fit into our list?. Please feel free to add your comments to this discussion below by clicking on the comments link directly below this post. http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sometimes-we-can%e2%80%99t-help/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/sometimes-we-can%e2%80%99t-help/ Wed, 7 Mar 2007 14:43:13 GMT http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/solving-without-solving-good-therapy/ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/solving-without-solving-good-therapy/ Thu, 15 Feb 2007 20:48:03 GMT Have you ever felt upset about something and just wanted somebody to listen to you? I know my dear wife has asked me on a number of occasions to ?just listen.? Even I, as a therapist who helps and guides others to listen to each other day in and day out, can find it hard to relax the impulse to do something about it. Yes, part of it is because I care. But moreover it's because it can be hard to sit with how I feel to see another suffer?. And trust me, I intimately know the misunderstood feeling I have when someone?s anxiety gets triggered by my expression of some minor suffering I?m experiencing. I know the feeling of wishing my uncle could just listen to me or give me a hug when he, instead, tells me what I should do, or worse, tells me some universal truth like, ?It?ll get better.? I know he?s only trying to help me and trying to shield himself from his own discomfort at seeing his nephew not perfectly okay, and I love him for it regardless. I know this doesn?t sound like it has much to do with therapy, but I believe it does; and on a deeper level than just a therapist not solving their clients' problems. The realm of the intra-client relationship, the way one relates to his or her inner world/ego states/parts, is where I believe the truth that solving one?s problems with a little ?s? actually interferes with Solving one?s problems with a big ?S,? shows itself quite profoundly. Let me explain by telling a story: