
In The Therapy Room
True tales and lessons from the therapist’s chairA Puncturing of the Soul
Facing Racial Trauma and Internalized DevaluationIf clinicians continue to assert that "trauma is trauma," the uniqueness treating racial trauma will remain on the margins of what we extol as best practice. Read more
Here are some "hacks" to help your clients be more mindful in their relationships—using the Gottman Method. Read more
Healing the Invisible Wounds of Racial Trauma in Therapy
A Conversation with Kenneth V. HardyNetworker discusses racially-sensitive, trauma-informed interventions and strategies with Dr. Kenneth V. Hardy. Read more
Treating Survivors of Narcissistic Abuse
The Road to Clarity and AgencyPeople in relationships with narcissists are rarely going to catalyze meaningful change in their partners. How can therapists support them, whether they leave... Read more
Are You A Conflict-Avoidant Therapist?
Harnessing Antagonism in the Therapy RoomFor therapists who shy away from confrontation, harnessing their reactions to an antagonistic client in clinically useful ways may require learning new skills... Read more
Behind the Pursuer–Distancer Dynamic
Encouraging Men to Face Their Hidden FearsHow to help men face the hidden fears that keep them stuck in unhealthy relationship patterns. Read more
When One Partner Won’t Budge
The Magic Wand Question, the Compliment Sandwich, and More StrategiesIf you’ve done couples therapy, you’ve probably run into this conundrum at one point or another: one partner simply isn’t as invested in therapy as the... Read more
When Caregiving Ends
Managing Grief and ReliefWhat is certain is that, at some point, caregiver duties will come to an end. The impact of that moment catches many caregivers off-guard, and the flood of... Read more
Teaching Kids Resilience through Storytelling
A Conversation with Psychologist and Children's Book Author Amy HowellFor a therapist who writes children’s books, story time provides what might be the most important parenting opportunity of the entire day. Read more
The New Premarital Counseling
A Good Match for Therapists?Premarital counseling is growing in popularity, and research indicates it has numerous benefits. So why aren't more therapists offering it? Read more
Quieting the Relentless Inner Critic
Memory Reconsolidation in ActionPulling back the curtain on the mysterious and often misunderstood reconsolidation process can bring greater precision and depth to our interventions. Read more
Will I Survive My Therapist’s Retirement?
Breaking Up Is Hard to Do...When it comes time for your therapist to retire, hope like hell that it's not right after your marriage ends and your mother dies. Read more
Reducing Client Dropout
What Makes a Difference?How to build a therapeutic relationship from the first session that keeps clients coming back. Read more
Therapy for People Living with Dementia
Creating Possibilities for Clients and Their FamiliesWith an estimated 6.2 million Americans in need of mental health support tailored to the challenges of dementia, why are so few therapists working with them? Read more
A Feeling of Fullness
Reflections on Therapy with Kids in Foster CareWith plenty of misconceptions about treating traumatized children, one clinician shares why it's a chance to help them share their stories and a personal... Read more
The Narcissistic Client
Four Ways to Break ThroughWhether it's vanity, a failure to take constructive criticism, mistreating family and friends, or lacking empathy for others, clients with narcissistic traits... Read more
How I Start and End Therapy
Six Clinicians Weigh InUnfortunately, there's no playbook for beginning and ending therapy. So how do you make first and last sessions not only less awkward, but memorable and... Read more
When senseless tragedy turns a child's world upside down, parents are looking for mental health support for the whole family. Read more
Shattered by Suicide
Helping Families in the AftermathSuicide isn't simply the tragedy of someone taking their own life: it's also the long, excruciating nightmare of being left behind. Read more
Moving Through Grief
An Emotionally Focused ApproachOnce blocks to the organic grief process are identified and removed, how can therapists choreograph corrective emotional experiences? Read more
The Inheritance of Loss
A Therapist and Client Grieve TogetherWhile grief can be a familiar creature that lives inside us, we often treat it as a stranger Read more
Cultivating Empathy
Do We Really Know How Our Clients Feel?Rather than proclaiming that you understand a client's experience, you're far better off assuming that you don't have a clue what they're going through. Read more
De-escalating Disputes
How Therapists Can Stop Runaway ConflictExploring “high conflict” with a bigger picture in mind. Read more
“Be Yourself—But Don’t”
Mixed Messages from a Mother to Her Gay SonWhat happens when loving mothers of gay sons unknowingly send them mixed messages about being themselves? Read more
Is There Meaning in Loss?
Helping Our Clients and Ourselves Navigate Grief WorkMany grief specialists talk about helping clients finding meaning after loss. But often, loss feels meaningless. One therapist working with grieving clients... Read more
When Adult Siblings Struggle
Three Steps Toward RepairThe session was supposed to be a consultation between two middle-aged sisters—my client, Annie, and her sister, Carol—about sharing their multigenerational... Read more
“You Have Borderline Personality Disorder”
Sharing a Difficult Diagnosis with a ClientTherapists need to consider not only what diagnosis to give, but also the pain or hardship that can result from sharing it with a client. Read more
The Perpetual Student
A Trauma Treatment JourneyA long-term client leads a therapist to discover that maybe the hard way is how we learn best. Read more
To Take Notes or Not to Take Notes?
When a Valuable Tool Becomes a DistractionWhen a therapist begins to sense that her in-session note taking may be distracting her clients and impeding their work together, she begins to wonder whether... Read more
Surrogate Partner Therapy
Crossing Lines or Expanding Boundaries?The debate around surrogate partner therapy. Read more