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Through the Looking Glass: How Therapy Has Made Me a Better Therapist
Childhood: Early Signs of Anxiety When I was a child, I think my parents saw me as quirky, needy, and overly dramatic. Looking back, I now see that I was anxious. I was traumatized at an ... Read More
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5 Daily Habits That Can Help You Stay Out of ‘Autopilot Mode’
Do the sluggish days of winter have you feeling like you’re in “autopilot mode”? Perhaps you catch yourself living for the weekends, keeping them jam-packed and exciting—something ... Read More
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Do I Want a Diagnosis from My Therapist?
It is often assumed by the general public that psychological diagnosis is a normal part of therapy that always occurs. Some people who have been in therapy may be unaware they have received ... Read More
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Over-the-Counter Pain Medicine May Affect Emotions
Over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications may change how people’s brains process their experiences. This can affect emotions and behavior, according to a study published in Policy Insights ... Read More
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Lasting Change Requires Change, Not Just Insight
“My therapist was great! I learned a lot, but I’m not sure much changed.” Does the above statement describe your experience with therapy? Maybe you’ve uttered a similar phrase ... Read More
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Theory of Well-Being: Elements and Interventions
Some of the founding fathers of psychology, including Sigmund Freud, believed human motivation was based on a person’s need to avoid anxiety. In the last few decades, a therapist, psychologist, ... Read More
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Can a Poem Be Healing? Writing Poetry Through the Pain
Through my years as a therapist, I have been amazed at how frequently people who come to see me for therapy write poetry. Yet, this should not be surprising. As Hoffman and Granger (2015) ... Read More
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7 Strategies to Jump-Start Your Motivation
We all have things we’d like to accomplish. However, many of us struggle at times in the pursuit of our goals. We lack motivation, have no energy to get started, or don’t know where ... Read More
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How Therapists Can Grow Beyond Cultural Competence
Cultural competence is the standard set for the mental health profession that deems a person able to effectively work with individuals from diverse backgrounds. However, cultural competence, ... Read More
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Supporting People with Service Animals: A Guide to Etiquette
In recent years, we may have witnessed service animals assisting humans more than ever before. Traditionally, we may be accustomed to observing someone who is blind or has a visibly noticeable ... Read More
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Desire in Psychotherapy: Whose Therapy Is It, Anyway?
Ever wonder why your therapist doesn’t tell you what to talk about in your sessions? Or, alternately, have you ever been irritated by the apparent agenda your therapist seems to have? ... Read More
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Let Me Tell You the Story I Heard You Tell: Fairy Tales in Therapy
In psychotherapy, it can be useful to work from a model. It gives both participants—person in therapy and therapist—a common language and system of references. Naturally, different ... Read More