Psychotherapy may be defined as a process by which one individual aligns himself with another individual or family in order to enhance the functioning, the well-being, and the emotional and spiritual growth of the latter. The practice of psychotherapy requires a knowledge base on the part of the practitioner in terms of personality theory, functional […]
Marcia & Steve had celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary in style, renting a hall, hiring a caterer, and being generous with the guest list. They were toasted as the “ideal couple” and complimented on their parenting of 8 year-old Luke and 5 year old Emily. For Marcia, the party was a welcome relief from her […]
Chrissy’s admission to an Ivy League college was no surprise to anyone who knew her, as she had known only academic and social success from kindergarten. Her parents and younger brothers were not surprised when reports of her freshman year indicated an easy transition to college life that was filled with new accomplishments. Which is […]
Trauma lives below the neck. This makes it difficult for our thinking brains to access it. That is why trauma can overwhelm us, overtake us, sabotage us, and we don’t know why. That is why trauma survivors can say and do things that don’t make sense, even to them. For example, a veteran can be […]
I hate lousy therapist stories. Just like accountants hate lousy accountant stories. An accountant can mess with someone’s finances, perhaps their financial future. But a psychotherapist can mess with someone’s well-being, their self-confidence, and their ability to trust. I’ve heard stories of therapists who fall asleep during sessions. Or a therapist who said to a […]
A great many people go to great lengths to avoid the reality of evil. This is especially true when it comes to evil deeds committed by people, rather than governments or corporate entities. In my experience, there are two exceptions to this tendency. One is for African Americans, who cannot avoid the evil reality of […]
To be sure, psychotherapy is a relationship. Personal and relational growth and healing takes place within the context of a relationship. Apps for anxiety, PTSD and other emotional struggles can be quite helpful. But they rarely take the place of a relationship, nor does research indicate that they have the same efficacy. It is relationships, […]
Most psychotherapy in the U.S. is done by LCSWs (Licensed Clinical Social Workers) and Clinical Psychologists. Training is similar, although LCSWs learn more about the person in the context of family & society and community resources; and psychologists learn how to administer psychological tests. I refer to both disciplines equally, depending on clinical skill and […]
Psychotherapy has traditionally been solidly secular, and along the way garnered a reputation for actually being dismissive and scornful of religious belief. Sigmund Freud considered religion to be an illusion, akin to Marx’s opinion of religion as an opiate. Interestingly enough, Freud’s followers are still frequently called his “disciples” as often as they are called […]
To be sure, psychotherapy is a relationship. Personal and relational growth and healing takes place within the context of a relationship. Apps for anxiety, PTSD and other emotional struggles can be quite helpful. But they rarely take the place of a relationship, nor does research indicate that they have the same efficacy. It is relationships, […]