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I have a working definition of psychotherapy:
Giving people a different experience of themselves
in relationship. Quality psychotherapy is a process
by which people experience themselves in new ways
and develop skills for living more creatively and
adaptively. In this sense psychotherapy is about
cultivating skillful living. Moreover, it is about
learning to stay present with oneself to generate
these skills internally. The experience may be both
painful and joyous but it is the safe and
respectful experience of the therapeutic
relationship that encourages the transformations
you want in your life.
Over forty years of research into the benefits
of psychotherapy has provided two important
conclusions. First, psychotherapy works. Most
people report success and satisfaction with their
therapy experience. Second, it's clear why
psychotherapy works: It's the relationship between
client and therapist that's most important in
determining quality outcomes. Furthermore, that's
the evidence across all problem areas
(anger, depression, anxiety, ADD/ADHD, etc.).
What cultivates good client-therapist rapport?
Foundationally it is something called core
conditions. These conditions include how the
client experiences the therapist. For example, does
the relationship feel emotionally safe? Can the
client truly be her/himself? Does the client
experience respect and unconditional acceptance
from the therapist? Research has repeatedly
demonstrated that these relationship factors aren't
just nice, they are crucial to quality care. And
most importantly, these are always the
client's experience of the relationship.
This requires therapists to actively cultivate
feedback from clients to ensure the relationship is
helpful.
Although I have training in several
psychotherapy disciplines I primarily identify with
two traditions that are particularly compatible.
The first is the Existential-Humanistic
perspective. The core conditions outlined above
originated with this perspective. The second is Zen
Buddhism. I have been a formal student of Zen
Buddhism since 2002 but I have been interested in
its psychology since 1985. Both traditions
emphasize human experience in the present
moment.
In our daily life, with all its complexity, it's
easy to become detached from our core experience
and understanding of self. Perhaps a traumatic life
experience has deepened this rift. My method
attends to the client-therapist relationship and to
the client's internal relationship with
her/himself. The cultivation of love and compassion
for self is structured and honed. Authenticity is
also emphasized as I continually refine that
process within myself and facilitate the same for
my client. Therapy is a shared experience founded
on deepening trust between people.
Please feel free to call me with any questions
you may have about my practice at 503-252-3739.
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