For a second post in 24 hours (!) I decided to put together two general truths I have been encountering in sessions lately. Honestly, taken together, they cover a lot of ground. 1. Awareness sucks (at first). This is behind the old therapy adage, "You (might) feel worse before you feel and get better." #1 is one reason we have...[ read more ]
To continue my series on this issue by referring to the previous post, what is the predicament that humans tend to deny and ignore, but with which only other humans can truly identify and empathize? Well…first some baseline things about how we come to the feeling that our situation is a predicament: First - We have innate physical and attachment...[ read more ]
No, I'm not referring to telepathy, precognition, and the like. Instead, to break up my streak of my own commentary about therapy, I thought I'd call attention to a piece I have found valuable and intriguing. A brief introduction to the work of Jean Laplanche by Dominique Scarfone. The article is copyrighted, and I had to purchase it to read....[ read more ]
Leading up to some aspects of the human predicament... Many times, I’ve asked someone, “what would it be like for you inside / what would it mean / what would happen…if ______?”. The first response is often an externally oriented fact, a plan of action to neutralize or deal with the ‘if’, or some statement or solution that ‘makes [rational]...[ read more ]
So, what is better therapy—better than preplanned, mechanically precise, and, eventually, algorithmic? Better therapy involves, under relatively controlled conditions, being deeply and actively understood—known—by another being who is also in the human predicament, like you. They can therefore truly identify with you, at least to a sufficient degree. Identification is a root of empathy. Identification can go awry, but that’s...[ read more ]
Psychotherapy and counseling are not like auto mechanics, rocket science, or computer programming. Or, at least, those disciplines are not sufficient metaphors. Our mind-brains don’t work that way, either. For my money, they will not respond as therapeutically well to an approach that treats them like machines, nor to an approach involving being treated by one. A bench press is...[ read more ]
While in practice I often integrate theories to come to a best understanding of how to work with each patient / client and method of doing so, I identify as predominantly a 'psychodynamic' psychotherapist / counselor. I think the quote below does a good job of explaining one aspect of that. It comes from a short piece I found very...[ read more ]
I discovered some little writings I had on my desktop about sleep I thought I might share them as a part of me returning to posting here. The sleep state, and particularly the dream state, are an opportunity for an almost entirely unaware status to dominate, a status that is not anchored in the normal viewpoint of 'cause and effect'....[ read more ]
I had to disable comments due to the persistent spamming of my blog. I hope any readers can continue to enjoy this material even though they currently cannot comment. Thank you! -Dr. Michael
I've been thinking of a concise, cohesive message for my practice to add to the website and elsewhere... I help sensitive, conflicted achievers near Claremont, CA get unstuck, unlost, unafraid, and unashamed, by compassionately decoding, accepting, and caring for their discarded hearts’ desires. I counsel and foster thoughtful people who feel something is lacking or missing but can’t quite put...[ read more ]