30 January 2014
Therapy Myth: The All-Wise Therapist
On this blog, I would like to briefly and intermittently explore misconceptions about psychotherapy. Talk therapy – to use a blanket term encompassing everything from old-school Freudian psychoanalysis to newer approaches, like relational psychotherapy (which I practice) – view clients’ issues from different psychological, philosophical, and scientific angles. Because it has been around since the turn of the 20th century and has undergone so many changes, and because the way talk therapy as depicted in mainstream media sometimes stands in contrast to reality, I feel it necessary to address some general problems with perception. These “myths”, as I like to put it, are presented in no particular order.
The All-Wise Therapist: It goes without saying that we should aim to find a therapist who has undergone accredited training, who is a member of a recognized governing body or society, and who has done their own therapeutic work (sometimes referred-to under the generic moniker of “self-care”) and supervision. And yet there is a perception, not helped by some film and TV stereotypes, that all the client has to do is lay down and talk and the therapist – by virtue of her intelligence and analytical acumen alone – will solve all the riddles and guide the client towards necessary realizations. In other words, it’s a Sherlock Holmes episode where progress is predicated on the therapist’s insight.
Progressive approaches to therapy understand that the client is just as capable of guiding the therapeutic process as the therapist. Better still the therapeutic alliance – what we call the connection between the therapist and client during their work together – is capable of more empathetic and substantial discoveries than under the traditional (and outmoded) “you associate/I interpret” approach. (more…)
If you are interested in learning more about my services, about me, or perhaps booking an appointment, please call me at 416-873-7828 or email me at info@downtowntherapy.ca for more information.
filed under: choice• general info• modality• myth• psychotherapy
22 January 2014
Looking for a therapist? Are you a couple or individual who would like to “work something out”? I’m here to help and I’m happy to work with your needs. Feel free to visit my website at http://downtowntherapy.ca for more information about myself and my services. My rates are reasonable and I offer an initial consultation that is free of charge.
If you are interested in learning more about my services, about me, or perhaps booking an appointment, please call me at 416-873-7828 or email me at info@downtowntherapy.ca for more information.
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