Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is rational and accessible. It is not some esoteric,
undefinable, mystical process. It is a logical process which anyone can
understand and follow. There is no reason for anything in a session to be
unreasonable or mysterious. On the contrary, in good psychotherapy every
step should make complete sense to you. You may end up in strange
territory, but it should be entirely clear to you how you got there.
This notion that facts and logic drive the psychotherapy process goes a long
way in countering the flood of abstract hypotheses that can clutter and
confuse us when we try to think about what makes us tick. You may have
heard yourself or others wondering "Maybe I sabotage myself", "Maybe I
resent my wife", "Maybe I don't want to be the boss", "Maybe I'm afraid of
commitment", "Maybe I need a vacation", "Maybe I'm the type of person
who ...", "Maybe I'm a compulsive, an addict, a depressive, a type A, a
type B, a ..." One can only answer, "maybe the sky turns green every time
you stop looking at it"; the only way to know is to back up and look at the
facts. Facts are not only external, but include your feelings, your reactions,
your perceptions. In sessions, it will be important for you to take an active
role in trying on your and your therapist’s ideas. The most important proof
that an interpretation or suggestion from either side of the room is correct is
your reaction to it.
Psychotherapy is a dialog. It is not a teaching session. You present data, the
therapist offers ideas about that data, as well as her own data -- her feelings,
her past experience, her own theories -- then you pick up the ball, and so
on. Has the therapist helped you discover truth about yourself, your life,
your feelings -- and is this material helping you make the changes you want
-- or is he up a tree? If the latter, you must speak up. No therapist will be
right all the time. You have to sort this out together. But the final word is
yours.
Psychotherapy is rational and accessible. It is not some esoteric,
undefinable, mystical process. It is a logical process which anyone can
understand and follow. There is no reason for anything in a session to be
unreasonable or mysterious. On the contrary, in good psychotherapy every
step should make complete sense to you. You may end up in strange
territory, but it should be entirely clear to you how you got there.
This notion that facts and logic drive the psychotherapy process goes a long
way in countering the flood of abstract hypotheses that can clutter and
confuse us when we try to think about what makes us tick. You may have
heard yourself or others wondering "Maybe I sabotage myself", "Maybe I
resent my wife", "Maybe I don't want to be the boss", "Maybe I'm afraid of
commitment", "Maybe I need a vacation", "Maybe I'm the type of person
who ...", "Maybe I'm a compulsive, an addict, a depressive, a type A, a
type B, a ..." One can only answer, "maybe the sky turns green every time
you stop looking at it"; the only way to know is to back up and look at the
facts. Facts are not only external, but include your feelings, your reactions,
your perceptions. In sessions, it will be important for you to take an active
role in trying on your and your therapist’s ideas. The most important proof
that an interpretation or suggestion from either side of the room is correct is
your reaction to it.
Psychotherapy is a dialog. It is not a teaching session. You present data, the
therapist offers ideas about that data, as well as her own data -- her feelings,
her past experience, her own theories -- then you pick up the ball, and so
on. Has the therapist helped you discover truth about yourself, your life,
your feelings -- and is this material helping you make the changes you want
-- or is he up a tree? If the latter, you must speak up. No therapist will be
right all the time. You have to sort this out together. But the final word is
yours.
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
Information provided by
aboutpsychotherapy.com
aboutpsychotherapy.com
Dr. Pamela Mark
Licensed Psychologist
Licensed Psychologist