Posts Tagged ‘good therapy’
Preschool as Therapy: 5 great ideas for adult wellness
1. All feelings are allowed. At my child’s preschool, they have a saying: You have to get the bad feelings out to let the good feelings in. In therapy, we know there are no “bad” feelings. However, feelings such as anger, sadness and hurt don’t feel good, and they need expression. To express your true…
How to find answers in your feelings
As a therapist, I will tell you a big secret – the most important question I ask is “How did that make you feel?” Yeah—a running joke for we’ve all heard—all you have to do is say that phrase on repeat to be a therapist. But in practice it is the hardest question for most…
Fog and Mood: everyday invitations to deeper feeling
“The weather and my mood have little connection. I have my foggy and my fine days within me; my prosperity or misfortune has little to do with the matter.” —Blaise Pascal “Everything that irritates us about others can lead to an understanding of ourselves.’ —Carl Jung The fog of a mood San Francisco’s foghorns were…
12-step doesn’t work for everyone: why I love harm reduction
An alternative to 12-step She comes in and sits on the edge of the couch, anxious. As she tells me why she’s sitting in my office, she looks over furtively, both fearful and defended. I ask personal questions, some that she hasn’t answered even for herself. For example, I ask her what alcohol does for…
The psychology of fertility
When Jennifer Seibel Newsom’s documentary Miss Representation came out in 2011, I watched it four times, recruiting as many friends as I could. Why? Because it captured something—in a fact-based way—about the chauvinism that lingers in our society, despite the advances we have made. A synopsis of the film says this, “In a society where media is…
On choosing a psychotherapist (part 3 of 3)
In Part 1 of this series, we looked at the various licenses and certifications that psychotherapists hold and at some of the similarities and differences among them that are wise to consider when choosing a psychotherapist. In Part 2, we explored some of the best ways to find a psychotherapist. In this article, I will…
What is mental health?
It’s mental health awareness month in May and I think it apropos to define mental health. Of course, this is no easy task, as there are many different definitions of mental health. So what is mental health? You can watch this video clip or read on. Click here to download the Taking Care of Your Mind Worksheet to…
On choosing a psychotherapist (part 2 of 3)
In Part 1 of this series, I reviewed some of the various licenses and certifications that psychotherapists hold, as well as some of the similarities and differences between them; in Part 2, I will offer some ideas to consider when choosing a psychotherapist. A world of information We live in the information era. The World…
Mental health matters — May is mental health awareness month 2014
May is mental health awareness month 2014, and we are teaming up with other mental health groups and advocacy organizations to raise awareness and banish stigma around mental health issues of all kinds. Good Therapy is one blogging partner and a fantastic resource for finding referrals to local therapists and other readings on mental health topics.…
Getting to “The Good Part” of Therapy
When I was much, much younger than now, my mom would drive me to the airport for my return flight to California after a visit with my family on the east coast. The trip to the airport was about 20 minutes. Inevitably we would get into a very intense and personal conversation where I would…
Championing Your Weirdness
“Life is short and celebrating who you are by championing your weirdness is pretty groovy once you get the hang of it!” – Traci Ruble Championing Your Weirdness by Traci Ruble, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist I have always been a little weird. You? As a young girl my family did not understand nor celebrate…