The Therapy Beat

In the last few weeks, as the specter of contagion has rapidly grown more ominous with each news cycle, an unthinkable professional reality has emerged for... Read more

As a therapist, I've always liked to work a certain way, in person, face to face in my cozy office. But when the coronavirus hit and I repurposed a guest... Read more

I particularly like the suggestion to use the time we spend washing our hands during this pandemic to build up mindful compassion in ourselves. So, rather than... Read more

When a loved one dies, it’s easy to get stuck in your pain. But if you can find meaning in even the most senseless loss, you can do more than just get... Read more

Research shows that confidence isn’t always tied to skills, ability, capacity, or even higher intelligence. So what does make us feel self-assured in our... Read more

Spearheaded by high school students and supported by some influential adults, a movement is underway to mandate a limited number of mental health days as part... Read more

Something’s afoot in the therapy world, and some clinicians will surely wrinkle their brows at it. Although it comes in various forms, the catchiest term for... Read more

The push in popular culture to raise awareness about mental health means more and more people are seeking help. With resources limited, often where they’re... Read more

In a country where one in five primary care patients has a diagnosable behavioral health issue, setting up doctors and therapists to work hand in hand may be... Read more

Are teen clients entitled to confidentiality? How should therapists discuss confidentiality with their teen clients? What’s the therapist’s role... Read more

Mindfulness specialist Chris Willard explains the difference between mindfulness work with kids and adults, and shares two techniques you can use today with... Read more

Americans have a history of valuing quick-fix solutions to difficult problems. But the simplistic psychopharmacological approach to depressive disorders... Read more

Our brain has hundreds of strategies for resisting emotional pain. But according to psychologist and renowned Buddhist Tara Brach, resisting pain... Read more

Is the sex addiction model doing more harm than good? What's the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity? And what are the most common... Read more

It’s simply a way of talking about our internal sense of self, our inner strength and wisdom. It can help young clients down-regulate, guide them to inhabit... Read more

During my internship after graduate school, I worked as therapist at an intensive out-patient eating disorder (ED) clinic. One of the patients, Amber, was a... Read more

By Christina Emanuel - Ryan’s reputation arrived before he did: brilliant, oppositional, angry, a general pain in the butt, and autistic. Over the years, he... Read more

Providing familiarity and predictability is one of our greatest tools in therapy, and can provide much-needed comfort to clients who aren't used to it... Read more

An urban school psychologist discovers the power of her own story of childhood trauma to inspire the kids she serves. Read more

After an unusual break from practice, a burnt-out young clinician learns to finally feel at home in the therapist’s chair. Read more

Each therapist who becomes seriously ill faces a weighty choice between silence and disclosure with clients. Read more

A bold new TV series captures the raw reality of couples therapy—for both clients and therapists. Read more

The pace of our daily schedules can make it hard to look up from our appointment apps and ponder the bigger picture: Why are we doing this thing called... Read more

A therapist reflects on a key lesson from his long career: clients don’t necessarily need new answers to their questions—they need new questions. Read more

As therapists, our job is to do our best for our clients. But even our best efforts can’t always ensure that therapy will help, or even that we don’t do... Read more

It’s important to honor all of your client’s inner parts in therapy. But accessing them to fully engage in healing work isn’t always easy. Here, trauma... Read more

My young client, Brian, can reduce even confident mid-life adults to an infantile puddle, one provocative comment at a time. He's a therapist's nightmare... Read more

Let's say your client lets a microaggression slip during a session. Do you bring it up? Therapist and author Anatasia Kim shares her eight-step process for... Read more

In the sea of trauma that surrounds us in our daily lives and in our offices, self-care is a life jacket. But collective trauma needs a collective... Read more

An anthropologist’s daughter, I came of age on Upolu, Samoa, living by a turquoise lagoon in an indigenous village and kinship group that formally adopted my... Read more