Trying on different personas can help clients step outside of their comfort zones and challenge their assumptions about themselves, others, and the world. Read more

Vulnerability, doubt, fear, and uncertainty—feelings most people try to avoid—are essential to cultivating creativity. Read more

A therapist reflects on a key lesson from his long career: clients don’t necessarily need new answers to their questions—they need new questions. Read more

Many times, when clients cry, clinicians feel an urge to rush in and “fix things” that aren’t broken, which can actually make things worse. Watch as Jay... Read more

In our profession, it’s often more alluring to explore new gimmicks than to acknowledge that our success largely hinges on simple, commonsense factors. Read more

Therapists aren't supposed to discuss personal problems, or even acknowledge having any. While preaching congruence, who among us has never pretended fondness... Read more

Helping families heal cutoffs is painstakingly delicate work, with a high risk for stumbling over buried land mines. Read more

When we find ourselves haunted by a particular case, it may mean that we’re more invested in the client making changes than the client is himself. Read more

When clients feel blocked, therapists can help them tap their inner artist and view feelings of vulnerability, doubt, and fear as part of a creative... Read more

Our understanding of what happens when we weep hasn't progressed much beyond Freud's theory of catharsis. However, knowing how our nervous systems work can... Read more

In a memorable scene in Fiddler on the Roof, the main character, Tevye, pretends to have been awakened by a nightmare that he concocts to convince his wife to... Read more

At last count, therapists could choose from among 500 different treatment techniques. But after all these years, there's still no evidence that the overall... Read more

Where's the science in psychotherapy? Read more