Perspectives on Counseling & Psychological Therapy
Two important aspects of psychotherapy to me are developing insight or understanding about one's issues or problems, and designing a plan of action to change what no longer works for you. Often, by doing this, one can move closer to feeling good about oneself, and feeling more effective and connected to our friends, family and work.
A DIFFICULT VIEW OF ONESELF
My first professor in grad school, Dr. Charles Blaas, told us that it's our job as therapists to give our patients " a difficult perspective on themselves." What I take from that, some 30 years later, is that the things that make counseling and psychotherapy different from talking to a friend, spouse or relative have to do with the therapist's capacity to be objective. This does not mean uncaring -- after all, who would want to see a psychologist who didn't listen well or wasn't sympathetic? This means, to me, helping our patients step back cognitively and see themselves in a changed-up framework, from a different point of view.
Problem solving is also important; few of us want to be like the characters Woody Allen used to play in movies, going to therapy several times a week for years and years and never seeming to change. Psychological treatment should balance insight and self awareness with discovering the potential to change the things that are bringing you emotional pain, or to help you cope with events or illnesses or other life changes.
So I see my job as a psychologist as being one to help a patient gain insight and understanding, as well as cope more effectively with challenges (new and old) which have set you back in the past.
A COMPASSIONATE STORY TELLER WHO HAPPENS TO BE A PSYCHOLOGIST, TOO
On April 3rd, 2008, I had the privilege of meeting Dan Gottlieb, Ph.D., a psychologist from southern NJ and Philadelphia, who is a therapist, lecturer and author (see link below). Dr. Gottlieb gave a talk about a challenging topic: THE WOUNDING AND HEALING OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT. He was in a near fatal car accident soon after starting his practice about 20 years ago--he was left paralyzed from the chest down, and talks about his recovery and subsequent life events as examples of how we can overcome obstacles which seem daunting or even overwhelming.
Please visit his website, www.drdangottlieb.com, for information and insights. You can read the archive of articles he has published in a now semi-regular column in the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper. (www.philly.com)
I left his talk with a sense of balance and new ideas about how to approach my own challenges and help others with theirs. Let me know what you think if you visit. (Click here to send me an email.)
Feel free to send me ideas about information that would be useful to post on this site. Thanks.
written by Howard Mangel, EdD
added 4/9/08; revised 9/1/09
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