A Trauma Specialist Shares Her Most Therapeutic Moment
Mary Jo Barrett • No Comments
By Mary Jo Barrett - My very first case was the Byford family. The father was serving a six-month sentence for domestic abuse. During a home visit several months into treatment, the daughter, Laura, announced, “Dad is getting out of jail today! And he’s coming here!” My mind went blank. Her mother looked at me. Suddenly, it was as though I passed whatever strength I had to her, and she then passed it back to me.
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Five Clinicians Give Their Take on What to Do Now
Chris Lyford • No Comments
By Chris Lyford - Asha recently gave her therapist a homemade necklace, which he accepted, thinking it innocuous enough. Now, she brings it up almost every session, asking why he's not wearing it and if he still likes it. Asha has a history of attachment issues, and her therapist worries his response might offend her or cause her to quit therapy. Here's how five therapists say they'd respond.
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A Stumped Therapist's Attempt to Help Two Parents Set Boundaries Has a Surprising Result
Ron Taffel • 1 Comment
By Ron Taffel - At 15, Jenny regularly breaks her curfew, flirts with drugs, and is getting close to being suspended from her Manhattan public school. Today, she and her parents are in my office discussing the latest issue: New Year’s Eve is coming up, and Jenny and her posse have plans.
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The Three Things Successful Mental Health Podcasts Have in Common
Chris Lyford • No Comments
By Chris Lyford - The last 15 years has witnessed the meteoric rise of podcasts as a new means of educating, entertaining, and marketing. But while the podcast may be over a decade old, it shows no sign of slowing down, and experts say there’s a piece of the pie for everyone.
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Staying Remembered in an Age of Fast-Talking and Fast-Forgetting
Ron Taffel • No Comments
By Ron Taffel - Millennials are asking that therapists offer a therapeutic version of the responsive immediacy and role-fluidity they expect at home and experience online. If the world is in the room, how does it change the therapy relationship? Given the constant noise and stimulation of contemporary life, we might begin by learning how to stay remembered between sessions.
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Five Clinicians Give Their Take
Chris Lyford • 1 Comment
By Chris Lyford - Carla has been seeing her therapist for almost six months. She’s been good about paying for sessions in the past, but she recently lost her job, is short on cash, and has missed her last five payments. She still wants to see her therapist weekly, but says she’s unsure when she’ll be able to pay in full. This isn't sustainable for him. Here's how five therapists say they'd respond.
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...And Why They Need Ongoing Connection Now More Than Ever
Lynn Lyons • No Comments
When therapists work with anxious kids and their families, they’re often solving immediate problems, not envisioning a clinical relationship that could last for decades. But that’s what happened for brief therapist Lynn Lyons. Here, she talks about the unexpected pleasures of being there for her youngest clients as they grow into teens and young adults.
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When Worried Clients Swing Back, What's Your Role?
Lynn Lyons • No Comments
By Lynn Lyons - Lately, I’ve become aware of just how much of my practice is made up of young adults who return to therapy after leaving the nest. This pattern is also indicative of a generation of young people stuck in the transition between childhood and adulthood. Here's what I do with "long-term" clients who swing back.
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The Highs, Lows, and New Realities of Starting a Therapy Career Today
Rachel Zar • No Comments
By Rachel Zar - I'm a millennial. And despite the negative connotation often imposed upon this generation by the media and by the generations that came before us, I don’t think it’s such a bad thing after all—especially for a therapist.
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Reevaluating What's Appropriate to Discuss in Therapy
William Doherty • 4 Comments
It's no surprise that, with all the political infighting going on, many people are anxious about the direction of our country. But is there room to discuss political matters with clients, or does this constitute an ethical breach? According to therapist Bill Doherty, clinicians are not only well-equipped to discuss politics, but sometimes have a duty to do so. In the following video clip from his 2017 Networker Symposium Keynote address, Doherty explains how to get the ball rolling.
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