William Doherty

Contributed by William Doherty

33 Results

An illustration of a figure walking down the trunk of a tree

Magazine Article

March 1, 2015

New Choices for New Times

To stay relevant in a changing world, we need to address the engagement styles of today’s prospective clients. Read More

Online Story

April 10, 2014

VIDEO: What to Do When Therapy Stalls

Bill Doherty on Handling the Issue of Progress Before it's a Crisis

Rich Simon & William Doherty

Bill talks about a proactive approach that can lead to positive developments when therapy starts to stall. Read More

Magazine Article - Case Study

July 1, 2013

Life After Betrayal

Getting Past the Victim Identity

Steven Stosny & William Doherty

When working with clients who’ve experienced an intimate betrayal, it’s important to empower them to move beyond a victim identity. Read More

Magazine Article

May 1, 2013

When Therapy Is Going Nowhere

Escaping the “Groundhog Day” Cycle

William Doherty

Why do we get stuck in “Groundhog Day therapy”—cases in which we spin our wheels from session to session? Before lurching on to alternative treatment strategies, the key to progress is recognizing the need to shift the therapist–client relationship. Read More

Magazine Article

September 1, 2012

One Brick at a Time

Therapy is More Craft Than Art or Science

William Doherty

In this era of medical necessity and evidence-based therapies, it’s easy to lose sight of a basic truth. We heal not through prescriptions and procedures, but through talking and listening. Read More

Magazine Article

November 1, 2011

In Or Out?

Treating the Mixed-Agenda Couple

William Doherty

At least 30 percent of couples coming to therapy have fundamentally different agendas about whether to try to save the marriage. If we’re ever going to improve our success rates, we need to address that ambivalence from the moment they arrive in our offices. Read More

Magazine Article

July 7, 2010

Couples on the Brink

Stopping the Marriage-Go-Round

William Doherty

Let's face it: psychotherapy isn't dramatic, and most therapists don't rate high on a "need for thrills" scale. Someone unfamiliar with our craft might even... Read More

Magazine Article

November 1, 2008

Beyond the Consulting Room

Therapists as catalysts of social change

William Doherty

Too much is at stake these days for us to take refuge in our practices after the election. In such challenging times, therapists need to create for themselves a new professional role as agents of social change, not just critics of what isn't changing. Read More

Magazine Article

May 1, 2007

Fixing Health Care

What Role Will Therapists Play?

William Doherty

The crisis in healthcare delivery presents therapists with a unique opportunity to help revamp the system and expand their practices. Read More

Magazine Article

November 1, 2004

Finding the Right Lever

A primer for Changing the World

William Doherty

A veteran therapist offers lessons on how any therapist can get started in trying to make a difference in the wider world. Read More

William Doherty, PhD, is professor of family social science and director of the Minnesota Couples on the Brink Project at the University of Minnesota. He’s the author of the forthcoming book, The Ethical Lives of Clients: Transcending Self-Interest in Psychotherapy.