My First Acupuncture Session “How do you feel?” Oh brother! After twenty years of asking that question to my psychotherapy patients, I guess I had it coming to me. My situation is a little precarious. At the moment, I’m lying face down on an acupuncture table with more than a dozen needles poking out my […]
Zoe, a shaggy-haired thirteen-year-old with sad eyes, glares at me, arms folded, and jaw set; a therapy hostage if I ever saw one, deposited into my office by her parents against her will. Parents exert their executive power when it comes to therapy, so I don’t expect Zoe to cooperate, especially during our first tumultuous […]
The Ultimate Couples Guide Years ago, I worked with a married couple who never tired of yelling at each other. In fact, their full-throated shouting matches became legendary at the psychotherapy institute I worked at and earned me many complaints from my neighbors. Week after week, they tore into each other with such ferocity that […]
Self-critical people suffer from depression Have you ever wanted to try something new and a voice inside you says, “Who do you think you are? You can’t do that.” So you give up without even trying? Self-critical voices are a major driving force behind all types of mood problems; those annoying inner detractors condemn and […]
Therapy and the Secret Life of Therapists Every day in therapy offices, therapists are bombarded with feelings from their patients: love, hate, rage, yearning, despair. Session after session, people in therapy share their secrets, dreams, and fantasies; they confess disappointments, expose painful memories, unearth fears, ambitions, and passions; all while their therapist sits and listens. […]
Understanding Yoga Here’s a secret that none of my patients know: in the past, I sat through sessions with an ice-pack or heating pad strapped to my lower back, discreetly tucked under my suit jacket. A back injury had made it difficult for me to sit for any length of time. As a psychotherapist, I […]
Why lay on a couch in therapy? Isn’t talking face-to-face more natural? In the beginning, lying on the couch does feel odd; there’s nothing natural about it. Yet it serves a very important function: it gives you greater access to your internal life. For example, when you isolate certain senses, other senses become amplified. The […]
March 21, 2012 Dear Sean, On behalf of LMC, I would like to thank you for visiting our PTA. The parents left raving about the session. It was such a great experience listening to other parents concerns and hearing your realistic advice. I completely understand why teens would be comfortable talking to you! We would […]
Parenting is a doozy of an emotional workout, chock-full of highs and lows, joys and despairs. One moment you’re elated, and the next you’re dejected or frustrated. One morning, you wake up feeling inexplicably euphoric, only to go to bed that evening feeling utterly heartbroken. Children add rocket fuel to your emotional life; your […]
March 5, 2012 Dear Sean, I want to thank you for taking the time to come to our Parent Expo and speaking to our parents. The parents who attended were singing your praises. You were a huge hit. I know a few plan to reach out to you directly for additional guidance, including me. : ) Our […]