9-Attitudes of Successful Therapy
And of fulfilling life-changing relationships
- To be consistent: keeping all appointments, being punctual. Our human nature is such that there might be days in which you will not want to come, but it is often those days that you need to show up the most. (this is another reason for my 24-hour cancelation notice policy)
- To be “I-centered”: the subject and object of change is yourself; what we change about ourselves may influence how others react to us; yet the focus of change is limited to ourselves
- To be communicative and engaged: You are a treatment partner and need to help shape and direct our therapeutic process in order for you to get unstuck. I bring a professional expertise; you bring a personal and relational life expertise
- To be open: the goal of therapy is to discover new ways of understanding the problem and discovering better solutions; all of which is cognitive, emotional, physical, and relational.
- To be curious: encouraging your imagination to wonder, “What would it be like if…”; a flexible attitude of excitement about the richness of possibilities; being inquisitive about the many possibilities that lay outside of your customary comfort level.
- To be candid: an atmosphere of genuineness and trust that is necessary for our therapeutic relationship to be meaningful and helpful.
- To be responsive: this is a collaborative relationship as we design an improved process of change for your living.
- To be flexible: creating and incorporating new ideas, patterns, approaches, attitudes, and techniques requires working through a natural initial sense of awkwardness.
- To be expectant and patient: Plan on change continuing from, and beginning with our first session; realizing that it will take some time to get there from here! Remember how long it took to grow the problem.
