Welcome. You can find further information on the following topics by clicking on any of them. Also you can click on the case examples listed here for illustrations of psychotherapy from my practice. (The people I write about have all given me permission to use them as case examples and I have disguised their identities.) Behavior Therapy cognitive behavioral therapies psychoanalysis credentials – types of psychotherapists The post Case examples and more about psychotherapy first appeared on About Psychotherapy Blog ..read more

Here’s a short video recording (can we still say “video”?) with thoughts about when the standard – and excellent – guidelines we all hear for coping with COVID don’t work for you, how frantic that can make one feel, and the debate about on-line vs. in person psychotherapy ..read more

Shut in like everyone else, watching the world go through it’s paces, I’m going to break out of my usual role.  Instead of my more traditional offering of what psychology can teach and heal in you and in the world, I’m letting myself have a rant.  The Washington Post has it under submission but I think I missed the deadline – they published my last one – so here it is.  Have fun.   Diane Roberts (“In Florida, we love our beaches…”, 4/22/2020, you may need a Washington Post subscription to read this) strikes something of an admirable balance as she describes Florida’s failur ..read more

Andrea has been on top of this virus situation better than almost everyone.  She is keeping her physical distance, engaging in hobbies, developing new ones, working remotely, staying in touch with friends – again remotely – exercising, and eating well.  Yet in session and at her job the cracks are beginning to show.  One of the issues that brought her to treatment was a tendency to react with great timidity, inner rage, and feelings of being picked on when dealing with coworkers and superiors.  This could be very destructive as she works as high level support for even highe ..read more

Here is an account of what’s really going on under the masks, by the director of emergency medicine at a major NY hospital.   He beautifully tells the truth – to himself, and to us.   If we could all be this honest about what we’re going through, I’d have less business!  Notice, by way of comparison, about how the kid in Good Will Hunting hides what he’s going through from himself and everyone around him, how he lies to himself. Link to the article – from the Washington Post – here ..read more

Now the issue of children in the house.   For many I’ve talked to about it, the honeymoon period has ended and nerves are becoming frayed.   Here’s a good “How-To” column with sound, proven, and for the most part easy to institute suggestions.  It makes the excellent point that one of the first things to happen when we get anxious, stressed, and especially when more deeply afraid as many of us are, is that what we already know goes out the window.  So the reminders here are useful. Again, these won’t work for everyone.  They are excellent but a bit superficial.  When the problems run a little ..read more

This quick read has some good advice on this thorny topic, certainly what all of us therapists recommend.  And it’s only going to become more relevant as the weeks roll on. But if you find that it doesn’t work for you, after a good college try, that means there are things going on that there is more going on than you’ve noticed.  For that you may need a guide.  In a future posting I’ll talk about what to do when the good advice you’re getting from “how to” articles isn’t cutting it ..read more

Here’s some thoughts about handling the crisis that I think are quite helpful, especially the stuff about being “snippy” – something I’ve been seeing as I move through these days. But the advice only goes so far, as the authors state towards the end.  If you find all the efforts you’re making aren’t working for you, there may be more going on; I’ll post about that in the coming days. Meanwhile stay safe and stay well.   And here’s the article I recommend ..read more

This is a very common problem in psychotherapy.  There was a recent heartbreaking article in the New York Times which showed the dangers of it.  The article is linked below.  The Times published my response to it which I reproduce here because it is so central to what can go wrong in psychotherapy.  Unfortunately, my profession doesn’t always focus on catching this error because of shall we say other agendas. New York Times article is here.  My response is below or you can read it at the Times website:   Or course I never met the writer or her husband but I am a psychologist and I note ..read more

I usually post about psychology and psychotherapy of course, but this was irresistible.  Remember I said on the home page that exploring what we humans do and are “in all our glory and silliness, is for me great adventure and great fun”.  In that spirit – and I must acknowledge with an attendant depression at the way things are – I share this with you. A recent news report told us that Acting Shanahan would not be going through with the nomination process to become the U.S. Defense Secretary.   And why?  Because court records were surfacing which revealed that his wife of was arrested severa ..read more