tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77189390087889631142024-03-04T22:37:10.252-08:00Psychotherapist's JournalMinjun (Christine) Wang, LPCC 2970 Psychotherapist; Hypnotherapisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15425941913996031540noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718939008788963114.post-22251806441884888892017-02-28T23:41:00.001-08:002017-02-28T23:41:06.894-08:00<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Pros and
Cons of psychotherapy<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">As the value of
mental/emotional well-being increasingly resonates with the general public,
more people are considering using therapy to work on relationship issues, resolve
grief/losses/trauma, obtain emotional / inner growth, achieve ownership in
important decisions, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Like many of my
previous clients reported, <b><i><u>they found THEIR answer</u></i></b> to
the long-held questions that posed challenges in their lives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Yes, they found the
answer that truly belongs to them, even though it may sound like someone else’s
choice or resemble one of the many options available. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">For those who have
experienced therapy in one way or another, they know the above list of benefits
is not at all exhausted. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Hmm……Sounds good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Well, many
intelligent prospective clients may ask, “What is the catch?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">A million-dollar
question, isn’t it? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Anyway, no one can
get something good for nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Nowadays, many
therapists, however diverse their clinical training is, agree that
psychotherapy / counseling is an investment into yourself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Why? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Let’s start from <b><i><u>financial
commitment</u></i></b>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Fees for therapy
ranges vary greatly. Copay, co-insurance, deductible and self-pay are not
foreign to many who had used medical services to certain extend. Payment is expected
when service is rendered. This holds true in both medical clinics and therapy
offices. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Second is your <b><i><u>time
commitment</u></i></b>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">In order to reap
the optimal benefits from psychotherapy services, weekly sessions should be
held and fit into your schedule. For some cases, more than once a week may be
warranted to expedite stabilization or uproot some deeply held issues/
concerns. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The last but not
the least, is <b><i><u>investment of emotional energy</u></i></b>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">For whatever
issues you are about to confront, with therapists using various approaches,
emotional energy had to be gathered to sit with vulnerable feelings associated
with something that had been swept under the rug. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Sadness, anger,
depression, helplessness, hopelessness, jealousy, hurt, shame, guilt……the surge
of these feelings can be very overwhelming at times especially certain topics
were touched upon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Without dedication
to treatment on the part of clients, there is no way for even the most
well-trained therapist to help create miracles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">In a sense, it is the
client’s willingness to sit with discomfort in the face of emotions that makes
treatment success possible. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Given the above
mentioned pros and cons of therapy services, therapy is quite a bumpy ride for
the client and the therapist. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">So, are <b>YOU, </b>my client<b>,</b> ready for
your journey in treatment?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">2017©Minjun Wang,
LPCC 2970 All rights reserved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Minjun (Christine) Wang, LPCC 2970 Psychotherapist; Hypnotherapisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15425941913996031540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718939008788963114.post-23911357529355726992017-01-31T23:42:00.001-08:002017-01-31T23:42:34.746-08:00<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">3 Reasons
Why You Shouldn’t Befriend Your Therapist(s)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Turning your therapist into a personal friend…..<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Being listened to sincerely and respectfully when you feel
confessional ……<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Uh, we are all intrigued by such a picture, right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Many clients, especially those with little exposure to
positive interpersonal interaction outside therapy, are likely to express such
an invitation to their therapists due to a sense of loss brought up by upcoming
termination. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Nothing can be further exemplary of this dynamic than a
comment I heard, “Christine, I hope that I can go out with my counselor for
coffee from time to time when I am done here.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s understandable and natural. Anyway, who wants to let go
of warmth, respect and patience from therapists?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So, what’s wrong with befriending your therapist? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Because it is unfair for YOU, the client. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Why????<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">First, there is imbalance between you and your therapist as to
the amount of personal information shared and exchanged. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s true that therapists are (should be) as supportive, warm,
accepting and respectful as your best friends. However, your therapist(s) DON’T
reciprocate vulnerable information with you or if they did, they did it far
less than your friend. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ever wondered why? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Because countless seasoned therapists believe that their self-disclosure
tends to shift the focus from clients to themselves. It is ok ONLY when it
helps YOU achieve breakthrough in treatment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><u><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></u></i></b></div>
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<b><i><u><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Simply
put, how fair is it for you to know nothing about your friend? <o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Second, the power-differential is inherent in the
therapist-client relationship. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By this I mean, due to the nature of counseling relationship,
therapists reserve the right of conducting evaluation, assessment and treatment
as a professional. Clients are the ones on the receiving end when these
activities take place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Not agreed? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For those who went through residential treatment programs,
they know that receiving a write-up which leads to disciplinary actions imposed
on by staff can be most illustrative of this argument. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><u><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></u></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><u><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So,
how fair is it to befriend someone that has more power over you than you over
him/her? <o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Third, friendship with clients will compromise a therapist’s
capacity to maintain clinical objectivity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What clearly sets friendship and therapy apart is that
therapist will do their due diligence to prevent their emotional reaction from
interfering with course of treatment. They will seek clinical/peer supervision
or obtain necessary consultation when warranted. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Friendship, however, featured by emotional investment, easily clouds
the therapist’s judgment. </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;">When that happens, his/her ability to provide quality
care is questionable.</span></div>
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<b><i><u><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></u></i></b></div>
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<b><i><u><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Again,
how fair is it for you to settle for less when you deserve the best?<o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Of course, the list for the reasons can go on and on. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To sum up, turning your therapists to friends, no matter how tempting,
is highly discouraged given many potential harms it can cause you and your
treatment/recovery. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What can we do with this? Actually, I would like borrow
another therapist’s input, “The best gift I can give you as your therapist is
to stay as your therapist.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Yes, my client, YOU don’t have to lose me, your therapist, to
get a friend. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What do you think? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">2017</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;">©Minjun Wang, LPCC 2970 All rights reserved.</span></div>
Minjun (Christine) Wang, LPCC 2970 Psychotherapist; Hypnotherapisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15425941913996031540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718939008788963114.post-40850829287381180832016-12-23T16:04:00.003-08:002016-12-23T16:11:54.824-08:00<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What to Talk about in Therapy Sessions?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">For many people
who have wanted to benefit from counseling / psychotherapy, not knowing to
where to start or what to talk about is one of many concerns. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">Over the past few
years, I have come across such a question countless times with even patients
who had seen me for a while. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">T</span><span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">hey were either
worried that they didn’t provide relevant or adequate information for us to
work on together or feared judgment or rejection from the therapist if
volunteering the “wrong” information.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">Thus a lot of them
chosen to be “directed” to kick start the session. If you have been to therapy,
this probably sounds very similar. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">Given their
consideration, I usually invited them to give themselves permission to talk
about “anything that pops into their mind” and leave their hesitation and worry
out of the room. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">The result? ALL
patients ended up catching themselves “on the topic” by the end of session.
Important and urgent matters came up naturally. What’s more important, they
always shed light on something deeper to explore. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">It never failed.
Not even one single case. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">Why? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">Due to my clinical
training and background, I have strong belief in human potential for positive
self-direction that leads to self-actualization. (For those who are interested
in reading more, please click here for <a href="http://www.simplypsychology.org/humanistic.html">humanism</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Existential_therapy">existentialism</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">Simply put, we
human beings have an innate need for growth in all areas to life to strive for
becoming who we identified with. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">This holds true in
all of us. Luckily, we all have this yearning for genuine progress in various
areas of life. Still remember the pain when we “feel trapped” and realize that
we may not be able to become someone we want to be? How about the joy when you
finally have that I-Made-It moment? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">Second, our
subconscious mind carries way more information than the conscious mind. It is
the seat of our feelings, emotions and even patterns. When given permission in
a non-judgmental environment, people tend to be amazed by this non-directive
approach as to how much valuable but seemingly previously forgotten information
was revealed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">I have seen case
after case that the more clinical information available, the easier we draw
connection between current struggles and previous psycho-social conditioning. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">Therefore, with sophisticated skills to facilitate emotional clearance and solid clinical
training of your therapist, some deeply seated disturbing issues can be
uprooted. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">What does it feel
like? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">Please allow me to
borrow my clients’ comments---<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">“Christine, it
feels like something heavy was lifted off my chest/shoulder”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">“I feel light.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">“Finally I feel
like I can breathe.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">Or simply a smile
with relaxation……<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">Third, anything,
however major or minor in your eyes, can be of clinical importance in your
therapist’s ears. Never underestimate any bit of it. A well-trained therapist
knows not only how to listen to you but also what to attend to. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">Last but not the
least, a highly skilled and competent clinician will be comfortable with
listening to your feelings and thoughts toward him/her and session work and
even encourage you to use that materials (called “<a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transference">transference</a>”)
to enrich the counseling sessions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">For example, who
did he/she remind you of in your life? How did he/she come across due to
certain words/movements? What is it in the session that triggered certain
reaction inside of you? etc. Further exploration of these topics helps bring to
your attention some patterns that may otherwise remain hidden. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">So, next time, are
you ready to share “whatever pops into your mind”?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">(For those who had gone through this
situation, please feel free to share your experience with us. Thanks!) <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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Minjun (Christine) Wang, LPCC 2970 Psychotherapist; Hypnotherapisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15425941913996031540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718939008788963114.post-53719084785721083752016-11-30T22:13:00.000-08:002016-12-23T15:58:45.834-08:00<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">How To Choose A Therapist For Myself? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">As psychotherapy /
counseling services are becoming more and more accepted by our society, a lot
of people realized that they can reap many benefits in therapy like emotional
clearance, coming to terms with the past, gaining ownership in one’s major decision
or even improving relationship with loved ones, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">However, before
they start this growth-promoting journey, a significant question regarding
choice of a therapist concerns them. I forgot how many times people came up to
me, asking “Christine, how can I find the therapist that really fits me?”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">Well, as a matter
of fact, this is a million-dollar question. Today, let’s decode the matching
project step and step. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">First, knowledge
of your own preference about generic aspects helps narrow down your search. Therapists
differ in age, gender, racial/ethnic background, language capacity, religious
belief, fees, availability, location, and even physical appearance. It’s
no-brainer that a client with limited English proficiency would want a therapist
who is fluent in client’s home language in clinical setting. Or a therapist who
offers services out of your price range may not be your first choice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">Second, find out
if your therapist’s treating philosophy is consistent with yours. For example,
some people would love to move to short term solutions straight after
identifying unhelpful thinking patterns ( all-or-nothing thinking;
personalization, etc.) while others may be more drawn to sorting out thoughts
and feelings for deeper understanding of historic roots of their suffering. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">This is more like one person prefers mowing the lawn regularly while another
leans toward uprooting the weed in the garden. </span><span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">Which one is
better? Actually, it is fair to say that both approaches have their places and
beauty. What matters is that you and your therapist are on the same page about
this fundamental aspect of treatment. For more details about various schools of
treating philosophy, please refer to my posts in September and October – “What
Does Psychotherapy Look like, </span><a href="http://minjunwang.blogspot.com/2016/09/what-does-psychotherapy-look-like-part-i.html" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Part
I</a><span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"> & </span><a href="http://minjunwang.blogspot.com/2016/10/what-does-psychotherapy-look-like-part.html" style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Part
II</a><span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">?” </span><span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">Third, use your
gut feelings to determine if your therapist demonstrates professionalism
through their interaction with you as a client.
By professionalism we mean whether your therapist can respect your
treatment and have your best interest in mind. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">Simply put, there
are some criteria you can compare your prospective therapist against.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">---How punctual is
this person to start and end your sessions? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">---Is s/he capable
of unconditional acceptance without imposing his/her value/beliefs onto you? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">---Can s/he sit
with your experience, perspectives or even disagreement by encouraging honest
and respectful communication without being punitive?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">---Do you feel
heard? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">--- Is s/he
willing to put your treatment needs ahead of the need to secure your favor and
business? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">--- Does s/he
uphold professional boundary due to the power differential inherent in therapist-patient
relationship? For example, having a personal relationship with a current client
is indicative of unethical and unprofessional behaviors on the part of the
therapist. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">This list can go
on and on. For many first-time users of mental health services, this may sound
very cumbersome. Luckily, gut feelings can be our best guide at critical
moments as to inform us if someone truly hears and respects us as well as has
our best interest in mind. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";">All right, I think
this can give you some ideas about looking for a therapist of your choice. If
you have any ideas or comments, please feel free to share it. I see you next month.
</span><span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-ascii-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222;">© Minjun
(Christine) Wang 2016 Liberty Psychotherapy Professional Clinical Counselor,
Inc.</span><span style="font-family: "comic sans ms";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Minjun (Christine) Wang, LPCC 2970 Psychotherapist; Hypnotherapisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15425941913996031540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718939008788963114.post-72287410638676831782016-10-14T12:30:00.000-07:002016-10-21T16:53:03.448-07:00What Does Psychotherapy Look Like? (Part II) <br />
<br />
Welcome back, everybody. As I have mentioned in Part I, today we will cover the two approaches falling between behaviorism and psychoanalysis: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) & psychodanymics.<br />
<br />
Let's take a closer look at Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). As everybody can see, Actually, its name is quite self-explanatory by adding new components to Behaviorism. The picture on the<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVV_zmSYCbZBojP6I_dCoY8-T5KcGMxZaBZptpJAgwWJ3eN36p0wT08WDIOnzf4qpSLbIZP5bWKXTJNiyM30COM4rvD2wS6uEXaD2YfBI-r0riZ-21QQRGJtoQWKGtJT3FJ5URuJeR5Dk/s1600/CBT-image.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVV_zmSYCbZBojP6I_dCoY8-T5KcGMxZaBZptpJAgwWJ3eN36p0wT08WDIOnzf4qpSLbIZP5bWKXTJNiyM30COM4rvD2wS6uEXaD2YfBI-r0riZ-21QQRGJtoQWKGtJT3FJ5URuJeR5Dk/s200/CBT-image.png" width="200" /></a></div>
left well illustrates its essential parts : thought, feelings and behaviors. The students of this school of psychology believe that as long as thinking errors (eg. over-generalization, personalization) are identified and corrected and emotions are in alignment, problematic behavioral symptoms will be alleviated or eventually eradicated. This type of psychotherapy will be carried out in a highly structured manner.<br />
<br />
People who are more "symptom-focused" and "action-oriented" than "root-cause-digging" would usually be drawn to CBT. During brief course of CBT treatment, patients will come across activities like thinking errors identification, role playing, guided discovery, behavioral experiments, homework, etc. <br />
<br />
Last but not the least, psychodynamics is an equally important and interesting approach to work with mental and emotional conditions. The following chart may help visualize its relationship with the other three:<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDSQQYCsR5_4Kb_9yWAr3dHLoROo15IXrj-kHl9vvylU8WoATv3PI4LUL5oYdq3-kxCTuZ5kH2VC4eXRmZIzjab9O5QOMzhqMCDzAkq7Ltl6NpMn3x1TcKoDLA8Sx-d7RJHWiTjCpUc5U/s1600/comparision+of+four+major+schools+of+psychotherapies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDSQQYCsR5_4Kb_9yWAr3dHLoROo15IXrj-kHl9vvylU8WoATv3PI4LUL5oYdq3-kxCTuZ5kH2VC4eXRmZIzjab9O5QOMzhqMCDzAkq7Ltl6NpMn3x1TcKoDLA8Sx-d7RJHWiTjCpUc5U/s200/comparision+of+four+major+schools+of+psychotherapies.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Compared to Behaviorism and CBT, psychodanymics tend to be more insight-oriented, less structured without homework and longer in duration since like psychoanalysis, it deals with deeper layers of personality of the client.<br />
<br />
For those who are not a big fan of therapists taking the lead and setting the agenda for their treatment, or sense that they might respond to treatment better if allowed to "dig deep" with adequate amount of time and space, psychodanymics can create an non-judgmental setting for them to "spill their guts" without being pressed to conform to someone else' schedule to explore both here-and-now and personal history<br />
<br />
Please note that the above explanation of each school is merely bare-bones given the need to offer you, our reader, here a sketchy outline. Every one of them can easily expand to volumes for their inner richness and complexities, not to mention many new approaches that derive from them.<br />
<br />
As we can see, every single approach has legitimate arguments about their effectiveness, and naturally appeals to different clinicians and clients. I hope this post can bring to your attention which treatment philosophy is a better fit for you.<br />
<br />
For those who want to know how to pick a therapist that best meets your needs, please come back later for my next post. Have a good weekend and I "see" you later. :)<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">©
Minjun (Christine) Wang 2016 Liberty Psychotherapy Professional Clinical Counselor, Inc.</span><br />
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<br />Minjun (Christine) Wang, LPCC 2970 Psychotherapist; Hypnotherapisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15425941913996031540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718939008788963114.post-34817210367347239692016-09-23T12:00:00.000-07:002016-09-24T20:30:37.576-07:00What Does Psychotherapy Look Like? (Part I) <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgod0ZJarokpOdUJMdJhiXyHDMjYfol7yphdlwsK5eKyUTUaG7LtISjspRuK0Pu2usFzDlenfMrhryimaqFb5r0-k6MyWe8XdMiSei-mYd_ydbp-Hcda0h9hIDS9R6RQbCFCXwNFxv8RU0/s1600/Rustic+Psychotherapist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgod0ZJarokpOdUJMdJhiXyHDMjYfol7yphdlwsK5eKyUTUaG7LtISjspRuK0Pu2usFzDlenfMrhryimaqFb5r0-k6MyWe8XdMiSei-mYd_ydbp-Hcda0h9hIDS9R6RQbCFCXwNFxv8RU0/s200/Rustic+Psychotherapist.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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The past few decades had witnessed exponential increase in
societal acceptance of psychology /psychotherapy due to the fact that
its profound healing effect on human well-being has been repeatedly
reported and documented by clinicians, medical professionals, patients and even
scientific researchers. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Psychology, as a term in modern English, can be traced back
to late 17th century in modern Latin ("Psychologia"). The more
ancient form of psychological intervention, such as Sleep Temple, was recorded
over 4000 years in Ancient Egypt. It is safe to say that human beings had had a
long history to utilize psychological intervention for treatment of various
mental and emotional conditions. Unfortunately, under-utilization of such
a powerful tool for restoration of mental health had been a fact in many
parts of the world, including well-developed countries because of mistaken
beliefs and social stigmas. </div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal">
Demystification usually starts with accurate and updated
knowledge about the subject. This also holds true for psychotherapy. Today
we are going to dissect different major schools of psychology in hopes that
this comparison will serve as a clear illustration for our readers. For the
ease of writing and reading, I will start from the two on both extremes in the
field. </div>
</blockquote>
Now, let's first look at the behaviorism. The following
picture can be a fun way to get the<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkPevWu7tO2TBbd-4hHzD2XPj6ED2S9K3TslCuk58uVubCw3PcQXuR55tZc-3YMxMRCfsr3CoSpj9djFqxLh621VEDGQjj7v_F9EtL_Usej9Wa1ccHgSFewUoMX3Fm6wrUndqyz7Vcl4o/s1600/richdiesslin_pavlovs_dog.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkPevWu7tO2TBbd-4hHzD2XPj6ED2S9K3TslCuk58uVubCw3PcQXuR55tZc-3YMxMRCfsr3CoSpj9djFqxLh621VEDGQjj7v_F9EtL_Usej9Wa1ccHgSFewUoMX3Fm6wrUndqyz7Vcl4o/s200/richdiesslin_pavlovs_dog.png" width="200" /></a>get behaviorist beliefs across. Behaviorism believes that like animals, human beings' behaviors can be
shaped and predicted through stimulus-response conditioning
process since introspection / independent thinking does not significantly
impact this process.<br />
<br />
If you're convinced that human beings are more
subject to external stimuli and force of habit than the effect of
internal conflicts /unresolved business, or even consider it minimal, you
probably see eye to eye with this school of thoughts. In therapy, you can
expect to experience relaxation training, modeling, social skills training,
behavioral rehearsal, systematic desensitization, exposure & response prevention,
and the like.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<br />
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Next, please allow me to introduce the opposite of
behaviorism--psychoanalysis. Yes, you </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1MJy4q19NqCo0_OONx8NwNxONJgsAcfAY25eZR9AsRHfmCutg1Q_B1xPV9zZfzLNxXo5-oL5yhbV4-k_QBVHudkffSgyzrNQbWBjPV5C8Z6omy-oAHirDkLJrCywqnfn37m6q9vXOuk/s1600/Psychoanalysis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1MJy4q19NqCo0_OONx8NwNxONJgsAcfAY25eZR9AsRHfmCutg1Q_B1xPV9zZfzLNxXo5-oL5yhbV4-k_QBVHudkffSgyzrNQbWBjPV5C8Z6omy-oAHirDkLJrCywqnfn37m6q9vXOuk/s200/Psychoanalysis.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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are right---<o:p></o:p>--- Sigmund Freud, childhood development
analysis, classical couch, therapist sitting behind, controversial topics
(psycho-sexuality), seemingly detached "blank slate " /
"sounding board" role assumed by the therapists. </div>
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psychoanalytic
clinicians believe that insight into unconscious conflicts or long forgotten
events in early childhood can help patient "dis-empower" the factors
that perpetuate their symptoms and problems. If you suspect that some of
your feelings, thoughts, attitudes and behaviors seem to be driven by
something vague other than lack of knowledge, skills and awareness, then you
can lean more toward this approach (compared to behaviorism). In the
sessions, you will likely go through dream analysis, free association (naming
things coming up in your mind freely), fantasies, etc. </div>
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All right, we have outlined the two extreme approaches in
the field of psychotherapy. Do some of the practicing therapists use one of them? Maybe. But the majority of clinicians fall somewhere
on the continuum. In the next post, I
will bring up two other major schools that fall in between: Cognitive
Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Psychodynamics. (I “see” you later in Part II) <o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
©Minjun Wang 2016 Liberty Psychotherapy, Inc.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Minjun (Christine) Wang, LPCC 2970 Psychotherapist; Hypnotherapisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15425941913996031540noreply@blogger.com01838 El Camino Real #230, Burlingame, CA 94010, USA37.5958991 -122.3839788999999912.073864599999997 -163.6925729 63.1179336 -81.075384899999989