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My approach to helping is holistic. When people are suffering from symptoms (depression, anxiety, meaninglessness, etc.), it is a sign that something is out of balance. I listen carefully, even to that which is not being spoken in words, to understand the nature of this imbalance. I offer comments, ask for clarifications, and share impressions. Together, in the dialogue we create, understandings emerge.
Symptoms are like dream elements. They have a dual purpose: to reveal and conceal. Symptoms are important, in that they are the starting point of a therapeutic journey.
Very often, people are eventually grateful for the symptom that led them to open up a whole new world. Good therapy can enliven, enrich and expand a person’s capacity to live fully, to work with passion and interest, and to create and nurture meaningful connections with people.
Understandably, people want their symptoms gone. So do insurance companies, who want the fastest treatment possible to solve the sleep problem, the eating problem, the alcohol or codependency problem, the anger problem. Sometimes a person finds themself in a particular quandary, related to some specific stress or loss. An adjustment is needed and relief comes rapidly with a brief course of treatment.
Other times, however, a symptom or symptoms are linked into and embedded in a personality, and therefore difficult to eradicate. The stubbornness of these symptoms is often due to factors outside of conscious awareness. This is where a deeper approach, based on facilitating a structural change in a person’s view of self and others, is needed.
While it is hard work, psychotherapy and psychoanalysis can also be fun and richly rewarding. The shared creativity of both participants is a fascinating thing to watch unfold. I am always excited to see the unique path emerge with every new patient.
The patient’s job is to teach the therapist what they need in particular, aside from charts, norms, textbooks, religious and social pressures, etc. The therapist’s job is to listen carefully and be open to being taught, afresh, with each new relationship and beyond that, with each stage of the relationship.
A good therapist is strong, yet also flexible, with a broad knowledge of problems and interventions, and with an ability to set all that knowledge aside and LISTEN. No two people need exactly the same thing so listening is key!
It is important to find the right therapist for you. I encourage you to follow your heart and your intuition to find the right match. A profile like this is a good place to start, but certainly no substitute for a real-life meeting. If you are interested in scheduling a time for us to meet, please email me at slisaacman@aol.com or call my office.
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