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In order for psychotherapy to be truly effective, establishing a strong sense of trust within the therapeutic relationship is crucial. This trust hinges on the presence we embody, characterized by sensitivity, acceptance, and empathic attunement. With this kind of presence, clients can have a felt sense of being seen, accepted, and supported, but it is…

How often do we adjust our attention so that we can listen deeply to our clients, rather than focusing on getting our agenda across? How often do we resist the urge to close ourselves off to new information or ideas that would disrupt our preconceived notions? And how often do we challenge our conditioning to…

As clinicians, we know that building trust in the therapeutic relationship is an absolutely essential thing to consider and cultivate. Because of the variety of people we serve and the nuances that each relationship brings, we can at times, unknowingly inhibit or disrupt trust. I will describe what I feel are some likely contributing factors. …

One of the most challenging aspects of our work shows up when there are impasses, ruptures, and enactments. These are moments or periods in therapy when there is a strain or breakdown in the therapeutic alliance. Nevertheless, when we compassionately face these difficulties, we access one of the most impactful vehicles of change. Why? Because…

I woke up one morning thinking of the phrase I am not a robot, a phrase we see on the computer screen many times a day. As common as battery-powered scooters across urban landscapes, I am not a robot, is our new normal. Ironically, we are told to prove our humanness to a technological algorithm…

There are countless reasons why it is important to emphasize self-awareness for those providing mental health treatment. In this article, I am going to focus on what I feel are a few of the most essential ones, but before I do, let’s make sure we are on the same page when we talk about self-awareness…