Stop Making Other People Feel Better!
When a friend has a problem, we often try to comfort them or help them fix it. Sometimes that’s exactly the wrong thing to do.
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Therapy, Personality and Chaos Theory
When therapists try to explain or fix psychological problems, a little humility is in order.
The Trouble With Specialists
If you’ve got a medical problem, definitely go see a specialist. For a psychological problem, not so much.
Magic and the Practice of Psychotherapy
Sometimes, psychotherapy can change a person’s life so much that it seems more like magic than anything else.
Judge, Jury and Executioner: The Pitfalls of Couples Counselling
Couples therapists too often buy into the narrative our clients offer to explain their troubles. When that happens, therapy doesn’t end well
Psychology, Medicine and Pathology
The field of psychotherapy pretends to be as scientific as medicine. That’s as bad for the field as it is for clients.
The Emptiness of Diagnostic Labels
Psychologists will happily give you a label for your emotional problems. Do labels help? And are they even accurate?
“That Was A Lousy Therapy Session”: The Importance of Hearing Client Feedback
Therapists are no better than anyone else when it comes to asking for feedback. But consistent, structured feedback can work wonders.
Acceptance or Change: Hamlet’s Dilemma Is Still With Us
Psychotherapy is all about changing our lives. But sometimes, change isn’t the answer: acceptance is.
Optimism and Hope: Creating the Magic of Psychotherapy
Finding the hopeful and optimistic way of framing a client’s behavior is key to the magic of psychotherapy
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