Case Study

Therapists need to be prepared to go against the conventional clinical wisdom in helping later-life recouplers and stepfamilies handle the unique challenges... Read more

Traumatic experiences are often the root of athletic and other kinds of performance blocks. Read more

Too often both clinicians and clients fall into the trap of pursuing weight loss as a therapeutic goal. Read more

While many therapists are skeptical of open relationships, some believe that, with the right couple, they can work. Read more

To create deep change, we need to help people mine the sources of intense pleasure in their lives, wherever they may find them. Read more

When a client has been sexually abused, it can be difficult to find the balance between creating safety and challenging old patterns. Read more

By replacing the exotic aura of spirituality with the language of science and a down-to-earth self-help approach, mindfulness has brought practices once... Read more

Openness to the larger mystery of our lives can deepen the therapeutic encounter. Read more

The case of a young man hearing voices shows how even problems that first appear to be extreme can be resolved by empowering clients to alter subtle aspects of... Read more

Life today is, in many ways, easier than it used to be. Therefore, shouldn’t we be less anxious than we once were? Read more

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

A therapist takes an unflinching look at a puzzling case that spanned 14 years, wondering if he made a wrong turn. Read more

Many well-intentioned therapists have suggested that their clients just “let go” of hate, as if it were a heavy load that they could simply drop to the... Read more

Part of the epidemic of misdiagnosed ADHD in young children today results from a failure to understand how trauma often leads to difficulty learning in school. 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

Since the publication of DSM-IV in 1994, a massive body of neurobiological research has accumulated, revealing how protracted childhood abuse and neglect can... Read more

We don’t become therapists to inflict emotional pain, but eventually we learn that sadness, anger, shock, and disillusionment can be part and parcel of... Read more

Therapists must offer abused children a different felt experience of who they are. Read more

We frequently need to confront our clients, and putting aside a fear of confrontation—not to mention a fear of losing clients—means that we must risk the... Read more

Raising the issue of race in therapy can help African American clients connect their personal struggles to an enduring cultural legacy that many insist isn’t... 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

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

When we’re spinning our wheels from one session to the next, the key to progress often lies in shifting the therapist-client relationship. Read more

Far from being evidence of marital bankruptcy, a woman’s affair can be a way of expressing a desire for a different self and an opportunity to breathe life... Read more

There’s something about healing from the deep emotional suffering that feels like death and rebirth—not the quick kind that some claim to receive in... Read more

Healing from an extramarital affair is rarely a simple process, especially when embarrassing sexual secrets and incompatibilities are exposed. Read more

Few cases offer as eerie a therapeutic challenge as a suddenly noncommunicative child, lost in a dissociative shutdown. Read more

A therapist uses a Hollywood analogy to help a client learn an important lesson about distinguishing behavior from identity. Read more

There are advantages to integrating an in-depth understanding of traditional therapy with a more coaching-oriented style—but therapists shouldn't lose sight... Read more

Men with anger problems are generally highly reluctant clients who come to our offices only because they’ve gotten “the ultimatum” from their wives... Read more