By Rich Simon As therapists, many of us practice in two different worlds. In the first, we see polite, well-behaved, articulate clients with solid values. They engage fully in therapy, talk cogently about their problems, listen attentively to our responses, make reasonably good-faith efforts to follow our suggestions, and sooner or later get better. No wonder we genuinely like these people! 
By Rich Simon A thousand years ago, during the palmy days of generous insurance reimbursement, therapists could maintain the illusion that, since therapy was paid for by an unseen hidden hand, clinical practice was somehow untouched by the tacky subject of money. Even the style of therapy reflected this disjunction: 
CE Credits: 3 • Price: $39But there’s now been a quiet shift in attitude among many practitioners: rather than actively trying to reengineer clients into some future state of mental health perfection, many are helping them learn to be more accepting of themselves and the reality in which they find themselves. In this Reading Course, Michael Ventura weaves together themes of time, memory, courage, and the paradoxical quality of “doing” nothing to evoke the expanding, deepening quality of the fully-conscious self. Neuropsychiatrist Daniel Siegel takes readers along on a week of meditation, sharing the frustrations of trying to tune in to the chaotic jumble of one’s thoughts. Neurophysiologist and physician Robert Scaer explains why our brains are wired for distraction as an ancient way to protect us from predators. Reid Wilson describes helping his anxious clients discover that by not resisting the present moment, they can find a way out of their suffering. Douglas Flemons explains how learning to embrace doubt and fear can actually enhance performance. Steven Hayes shows how accepting our unpleasant thoughts and feelings helps us become braver, more serene, and happier.
Course Readings
Appointments with Yourself: Don’t Mistake Your Schedule for Your Life by Michael Ventura
A Week of Silence: Quieting the Mind and Liberating the Self by Daniel Siegel
The Precarious Present: Why Is It So Hard To Stay In the Moment? by Robert Scaer
Facing Our Worst Fears: Finding the Courage to Stay In the Moment by Reid Wilson
Finding Flow: Embracing Your Worst Can Bring Out Your Best by Douglas Flemons
Hello, Darkness: Discovering Our Values by Confronting Our Fears by Steven Hayes
Learning Objectives
1. Understand what it means to live in the “now.”
2. Discuss the effects of meditation and other spiritual practices on therapy.
3. Describe the benefits of staying in the present moment for trauma patients.
4. Discuss the therapeutic benefits to staying in the present moment as a vehicle for confronting fear.
© 2013 Psychotherapy Networker