By Jo-Ann H. Bird, Ph.D., LMHC, NCC, Dip.ABS

Click here to contact Jo-Ann and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile

We know that relationships can be stressful in good economic times. Thanks to the economic problems facing our country today, many couples are experiencing even more stress. This added stress can weigh heavily on couples and create problems even in good relationships. Some couples react to stress by withdrawing while others, take their frustrations out on each other. What is important is how couples manage this stress instead of reacting to it. Here are some tips to help you “stress-proof” your relationship: Read the rest of this entry »

By Arthur Becker-Weidman, Ph.D.

Click here to contact Arthur and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile

DYADIC DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOTHERAPY is a treatment approach to trauma, neglect, loss, and/or other dysregulating experiences that is based on principles derived from Attachment Theory and Research.

DYADIC DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOTHERAPY involves creating a safe setting in which the client can begin to explore, resolve, and integrate a wide range of memories, emotions, and current experiences, that are frightening, stressful, avoided or denied. Safety is created by insuring that this exploration occurs with nonverbal attunement, reflectivenonjudgmentaldialogue, along with empathy and reassurance. As the process unfolds, the client is creating a coherent lifestoryor autobiographical narrativewhich is crucial for attachment security and is a strong protective factor against psychopathology. Therapeutic progress occurs within the joint activities of coregulating affect and coconstructing meaning. Read the rest of this entry »

By Dr. Noah H. Kersey, Ph.D.

Imagine a classified ad for parents. It might read:

“Wanted, parents to raise young children to adulthood. The only requirement for this position is the ability to procreate. No education, training or experience necessary. In addition, there’s no salary, no sick leave or vacation time”.

No other job in the world with such a description has so many of us lined up to take on such a difficult and demanding task as raising children.

They do not come with instructions, so it is on-the-job training and it is easy to think one is getting a failing grade, no matter how hard the parent attempts to do well. Read the rest of this entry »

By Edward W. Wilson, Ph.D., MAC

Click here to contact Edward and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile

It is difficult to make a decision to seek treatment for alcohol abuse, dependency, or addiction. But having made that choice it becomes even more confusing when seeking an appropriate type of program. Essentially the first decision comes down to opting for either Inpatient or Out-Patient.

First consider In-Patient, commonly referred to as “Residential.” Generally these programs run from 30 – 90 days at an average cost of $1000/day, though some may run three or four times that amount. Usually the client is confined to a facility, shielded from outside pressures, assessed, counseled, and released to aftercare which usually consists of weekly groups at a hospital, clinic, or other local facility and the mandate “don’t drink, attend AA, work your program.” Read the rest of this entry »

By: Allison Weliky, MA

Click here to contact Allison and/or see her GoodTherapy.org Profile

This paper begins an examination into the possible characteristics of a non-racist white therapeutic Counselor. To begin addressing this topic, many questions must be asked around the history of race in this country. Therefore, significant energy is put into understanding the origins of what we call “race” and “white” in the United States. The history of counseling is examined, in its beginnings as a predominantly white professional group and clientele, and its first attempts to deal with “multicultural concerns.” This discussion brings to light, that as with other aspects of “American” life, the counseling profession has been embedded in a racist system. The discourse suggests that as counselors come to terms with this reality, they must ask themselves what their agenda is in counseling people of any race and how willing they are to acknowledge their own racial privileges. Read the rest of this entry »

By: Jennifer Baxt, LMFT, LMHC, NCC, DCC

Online counseling for substance abuse <!– @page { size: 8.5in 11in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } –>

There are hundreds or even thousands of people throughout North America who suffer from substance abuse, either with prescription drugs, street drugs or alcohol. Many of these people are unaware that help is just a phone call, visit or click of a button away; others are aware of the help available but they don’t feel that it will do them any good. Most are aware of the live help lines or the crisis lines they can phone in order to talk to someone, but most don’t feel that these will help them. What they need is therapy or proper counseling, but most will do their best to avoid talking to a stranger in person about their problems. For people who want help, but are uncomfortable talking with a therapist or a counselor in person, there is online therapy or counseling. Read the rest of this entry »

By: Mitchell Milch, LCSW

Click here to contact Mitchell and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile

Anger is a lit match that can be blown on and cooled or thrown onto a pile of paper on which kerosene is poured. It’s an opportunity for friends and lovers to resolve conflicts to the benefit of both parties and bring these parties closer to each other or it can be an invitation to start a war and turn partners into enemies. The following recommendations approach anger as an opportunity to build bridges and meaningful connections. Read the rest of this entry »

By: Jennifer B Baxt, LMFT, LMHC

There are many situations or difficulties that can hurt a family unit. It could be that a parent or both parents are suffering from substance abuse problems, a member of the immediate family has passed away, or even poor communication. Families that do not spend much time together and where clear communication is lacking can have difficulty in remaining a strong family unit. Many do not realize it, but one of the first things needed to having a strong and happy family unit is communication. Without proper communication, there can be a lack of trust, an increased chance of misunderstanding and a good chance that the family could eventually fall apart; meaning that each member of the family will go their own separate way. Read the rest of this entry »

By: Greg Madison Ph.D.

Click here to contact Greg and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile

(Published in The Focusing Connection, 2003)
*Focusing is a natural way of being with our own experience, patiently, until it becomes
more clear. Information on Focusing can be found at www.focusing.org
Unbeknownst to most clients, psychotherapy remains governed by many theories and
boundary ‘rules’, the actual purpose of which may be to protect the therapist from his or
her own anxiety . In this short piece, an existential therapist uses Focusing to attempt to
remain open to the difficult experience of being with a dying client. Through this example
of his work in an acute hospital setting, Greg suggests that Focusing can be a crucial
aspect of redefining therapy as a human relationship rather than an expert one.
The medical and nursing team called me to meet Loyola, a patient who was refusing to
accept her terminal diagnosis and return home. Walking onto the ward I became aware of
a nervous feeling in my stomach. Although feeling nervous is not unusual for me, I
decided to focus on this particular ‘nervousness’ and it soon became clear that it was
about carrying the staff’s expectation that I would convince Loyola that she had to go
home. The nervousness was that she might see my ulterior motive and realise that she
could not trust me to hear her experience. But finding the meaning of my nervousness at
that moment felt exciting and it suddenly became easy to set aside the staff’s expectation.
I approached Loyola feeling open to her and much freer to really meet this new person.
When I entered her room, she was sitting up in bed and her short hair and slim figure
gave her the appearance of a young boy rather than the 54-year-old grandmother that she
was. She responded to my openness and with a broad smile indicated that she was happy
to talk with me. Read the rest of this entry »

By: Greg Madison Ph.D.

Click here to contact Greg and/or see his GoodTherapy.org Profile

Eugene Gendlin is an existential philosopher who wants to point us back to our lived
experience. He invites us to stand in our experience and then to ask from there, ‘What kind of
world is this?’ ‘What is a human being if this kind of experience is possible?’ He wants to
return the human being to a central place in our various ways of understanding life. Since the
1950s, Gendlin’s interests have lead him from the writings of Dilthey, Heidegger, Merleau-
Ponty, etc. into collaboration with imminent psychotherapists and psychological researchers. Gendlin saw therapy as a unique place where the process of symbolising experience could be explored. Read the rest of this entry »