In addition to other healthy life practices, I find great resiliency in a self-book: Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others. This book provides a framework for managing vicarious trauma. The text outlines 16 possible imbalances within a caregiver or service provider–such as cynicism, deliberate avoidance, hypervigilance, and an inability to embrace complexity. Readers can self-assess their experience and make adjustments. This collection of research and anecdotes relates to various human services, including social work, law enforcement, education, and medical fields.
Therapy Style, continued…
Another important part of my therapy style is seeking and developing Exceptions. Exceptions are times/places/relationships when the problem does NOT present itself.
It can be argued that some suffering is part of the human condition; however, the worst problems have a way of becoming a dominant theme, encroaching on multiple areas of life. I help people develop problem-free zones. Articulating and building these exceptional experiences helps develop nuanced awareness and the increased personal agency required to respond to difficulties.
Therapy Style
When asked about my therapy style, people often want to know two things: what are some of my core assumptions? how do I relate to clients?
- I understand that people have variation, including biological variation. One person may be fundamentally different from other people.
- An individual’s biochemistry and personality may vary and adapt throughout time.
- A pattern of thoughts/emotions/and actions may be described as a relational template. Relational templates that are adaptive in a previous context may become generalized into other parts of a person’s life. Unfortunately, the generalizations may become problematic in newer contexts. In that case, the person may revise their thoughts/emotions/actions.
- I position myself as a collaborator with the client. Rather than take a prescriptive approach or a passive approach, I solicit the client’s participation. I expect clients to challenge themselves while I am an active respondent. We share power and control so that new dynamics and opportunities develop.
The Grand Prix of Hallucinations
A community-based treatment culture in Japan empowers people with schizophrenia to live meaningful, connected lives by sharing their self-directed research, interactive presentations, and theatrical Hallucinations and Delusions Grand Prix . These activities foster inclusion and accountability. “I used to be a captive of my symptoms. Now I investigate them.” Bethel House.
Live Through This
A powerful photo essay collection that promotes awareness, care, and transparency: “Live Through This is a collection of portraits and stories of suicide attempt survivors, as told by those survivors.” This project was initiated by someone challenged her suicidal thoughts and behavior. She invited other suicide attempt survivors to share their experiences of suffering and moving forward.
Book Synopsis: Heart of Desire
Stella Resnick wonderfully dissects sexual relationship problems in Heart of Desire: Keys to the Pleasures of Love. Although the book’s title is cheesy, Resnick offers insight based on research and clinical experience with couples. Resnick identifies variations of the love-lust dilemma–difficulty in maintaining a playful, pleasurable sexuality with a partner once they become family. She identifies family and sociocultural projections that contribute to the love-lust dilemma and guides readers through exercises to reconnect body and mind.
Trauma and Avoidance
Trauma often disrupts or prevents otherwise healthy relationships. One way to conceptualize this effect is through Attachment Theory, specifically the avoidant attachment style. People with avoidant attachment may provide vague descriptions of past events, idealize a person in a previous context, dismiss many problems, devalue intimacy, and over-emphasize self-reliance. With such clients, the therapist’s first task is to develop a safe relationship where a client can tolerate connection, exposure, and vulnerability. When a person experiences this vulnerability within a secure connection, he or she has a corrective emotional experience and may enhance other safe relationships.
Book Review: Your Life as Story
I’ve been facilitating a workshop Gilda’s Club Kansas City for over a year: the Autobiography Workshop. We use the tools of literature and autobiographical writing to conceptualize and share a personal story, including a flawed hero, adversary, crisis, and resolution/meaning. The book Your Life as Story, by Tristine Rainer, has been an invaluable resource for these workshops. Her book provides inspiration and practical writing prompts to help the reader explore memories, develop writing tone, and create a structure “the way a stargazer recognizes constellations.” I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to develop or share their narrative or anyone wanting to interview a loved one and record their legacy.
Brain-Gut Connection
The mind-body connection has become a prominent discussion. The microbiome has been less discussed. However, it has interesting mental health implications. Scientists published evidence that microorganisms in our gut may correspond to mood and nervous system problems–including anxiety, depression, and mania. Here are two media clips that summarize some of the recent research. The first clip is a short and sweet summary, 8.5 minutes. The second clip, 23 minutes, is an interview with two medical researchers.
Schizophrenia Simulation Video
A journalist wore wore headphones that simulated audio hallucinations. This short video describes his experience.