As parts of the country start to open back up from COVID-19 lockdown measures, a therapist worries about the risk of seeing clients in person again. Five clinicians give their take on some ways she might ease back into seeing clients in her office that ensures everyone is safe.

I’ve spent a long time doing therapy with conflict-avoidant men. Working with them isn’t always easy, but I’ve developed a three-part road map that’s helped me expedite what can often be a lengthy and difficult process. This is the story of a particular couple that fundamentally shaped my approach.

Therapists are continuously honing their craft. Much of what we learn through trial and error, and hours upon hours sitting across from clients, we were never taught in grad school. So we asked some seasoned therapists to pass on the lessons they wish someone had told them when they were first starting out.

What does Attachment Theory tell us? That emotion is the most powerful force in the therapy room, says couples therapist Sue Johnson, developer of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). Here, she explains how to establish a safe, supportive connection with the client and facilitate that same connection between partners in treatment.

Most clinicians need a mentor: someone who takes them under their wing and inspires them to be a better therapist. The five clinicians whose stories you’re about to read all agree on one thing: seeing how their mentors practice left an indelible mark on their personal and professional development that still resonates today.

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In my years of working with myself and my clients around self-care, I’ve learned that there is no such thing as perfect self-care. Instead, I’ve found authentic self-care, which is anything but perfect.

What do you do when kids get anxious, afraid, or angry at the prospect of going to school? Pediatric psychologist Mona Delahooke explains how Polyvagal Theory can help us better understand why kids react this way, and come up with targeted interventions to address the root of the issue.

By Irvin Yalom - As each of us grows older, we can try to embrace the full possibilities of aging, even alongside its challenges. In the following interview, iconic existential psychotherapist Irvin Yalom traces how his quality of presence with clients has changed over time.

A pervasive sense of shame makes many of us feel unworthy of human connection. Why the shame? Because in this perfectionistic culture, most of us believe we’re “not good enough." Professor and acclaimed TED speaker Brené Brown says that some people have escaped the shame trap. How? They let themselves be vulnerable.

The recent protests against racial injustice and police brutality have left many therapists wondering what they can do to be active forces for change in the therapy room and beyond. Four mental health professionals discuss where to begin.

By Lauren Dockett and Rich Simon - Over the years, physician Gabor Maté has challenged his audiences to stop asking “why the addiction?” and start asking “why the pain?” Here, he explains his view of how addictive patterns of behavior are rooted in alienation and emotional suffering.

Since its founding, Black Therapists Rock, a Facebook group for Black therapists, has gained tens of thousands of members. It's a resource where members can network, get clinical advice, and meet potential mentors. But it’s also where many Black therapists discover—often for the first time—a sense of community in a predominately white field.

Helping hyperaroused clients learn to manage overwhelming emotions is like helping them steer a ship in stormy waters, says therapist and mindfulness practitioner Linda Graham. Here, she breaks down her "ABCs" approach to helping clients retake the wheel.

Even the best therapists rely on advice from peers. In the spirit of building community, we're introducing Clinician's Quandary, a new forum where you can weigh in on how you'd handle a particular clinical quagmire. Here's this month's Quandary.

June 2020 Clinician's Quandary: Teletherapy allows therapists to notice their clients' subtle expressions, movements, and gestures. But some clients prefer phone sessions, which can make clinicians feel hindered. Here, five therapists offer tips and strategies that can help make phone sessions just as effective as those done over video.

With summer camps cancelled and many schools indefinitely closed, a therapist shares six homeschooling strategies that have served him well in helping the parents and support networks of children with ADHD.

When you practice in a rural town, sometimes it can feel like everyone is connected to each other. Instead of worrying about boundary and confidentiality violations, I've learned a strategy that embraces the dilemma instead of avoiding it.

How can white clinicians create a safe space in therapy for clients of color to talk about racial trauma? And if clients don't bring it up, should the therapist? Four mental health professionals give their perspectives on how to open the conversation.

If we spend too much time preoccupied with our clients’ symptoms, we’re likely to miss important clues to their hidden strengths. I’ve learned that turning a symptom into a client’s ally can transform the whole experience of therapy for both the therapist and client.

What can we do to do to address the overwhelming anxiety in our lives right now? What can we do to be kinder to ourselves, to be in a better position to effect positive change, as therapists and as human beings? Physician, trauma expert, and bestselling author Gabor Maté offers his perspective.

As we age, our bodies and relationships change, and the pace of change accelerates. At 70, we’re unlikely to be able to function as we did in our 50s. We require fresh visions and new paradigms for framing our experiences. What worked yesterday will not be sufficient for tomorrow.

For people of color, the murder of George Floyd reignites centuries of collective grief and trauma. Here, the two founders of Clinicians of Color share some of their members’ experiences with race-based trauma as well as their guidance on how white therapists can better support them and clients of color.

More than ever, therapists can use their role as helping professionals to contribute to positive change in their communities. Here are three important ways we can all meet this challenge.

What does it mean, exactly, to have a professional calling? When does it develop? How does it evolve as we live and grow? As these personal accounts show, a rewarding professional journey is rarely straightforward and easy. But if you can hold on tight, it’s worth it.