Life as a Psychotherapist

As a psychotherapist (Marriage and Family Therapy) trainee, I spend a part of my day seeing clients with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, Panic Disorder, Avoidant Personality Disorder, Depression, etc. For the most part, I find my work as a psychotherapist very enjoyable. After all, I help clients see themselves in ways that they probably have never thought of seeing themselves before. I point out parts of their life stories that reflect strength and resilience — characteristics they have forgotten they had — and watch as their eyes twinkle with delight: “yeah, you’re right. I overlooked that part of me” often is the response.

But, I would be lying if I said it is always good. There are times in this early part of my career when I am left wondering and asking myself “what is going on?” I watch as a client’s eyes twinkle in amazement as he discovers a part of himself he’d never thought of one week only to find that twinkle replaced by the look of confusion the following week.

Most weeks are great, while others not so. So, I take it a client at a time, on a week-by-week basis. No matter the modality of my theoretical leaning, the best I offer is a curious understanding and hope — hope that my clients will see that no matter how bad life gets, they have it in them to persevere and succeed.

Coping with a child with maladaptive behavior and/or psychiatric diagnosis in the home

Child(ren) with maladaptive behavior and/or psychiatric diagnosis living at home affect a family’s stress level and emotional well being.

Theories abound, and numerous studies have shown, that a family’s socioeconomic status, coping mechanism, means of communication, and overall emotional stability exert influence on a child’s behavior and future coping skills. Being born into and growing up in a socioeconomically disadvantaged family (low educational level, single parent homes, demographics) and having at least one parent with maladaptive behavior problem are good predictors that the child(ren) would exhibit maladaptive behavior (Schultz & Shaw, 2003) which may contribute to suicidal ideation (Kashani, 1998) during adolescence, if not earlier.

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Family Systems Rules, Rituals and Myths

The unifying force that rules, rituals and myths have does not limit itself on the larger community. On a micro level, family units follow their own set of rules, rituals and myths. Their rigidity or flexibility, permeability or closedness to the outside world determine how the family function as a system and how its individual members adapt (or not) to their ever changing environment…

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Sleepwalking

I have four exams and a 25-35 page paper due next week re effect of alcohol consumption on performance on stroop test, not to mention a 7-10 page goal statement due by Monday. As always, it’s Saturday and I found every excuse in the book not to read or write a single page, thus far. I feel like my life has been spent sleepwalking — a lifetime of daydreaming interspersed with sporadic, but minute moments of self awareness and then back to daydreaming.

Wonder what Rene Descartes meant when he said “Cogito, ergo sum” (”I think, therefore I am“)? Was he daydreaming, too? I would care to argue that his statement was uttered not in support of the question of our existence. I believe that is a given. Rather, what he meant was that reality is subjective, and that each person creates his or her own version of what is real. Simply put, whatever it is “I think” has to be true. hmmm… brings to mind another dilemma found in Tao writings (Dao — a Chinese philosophy) wherein a character dreamt he was a butterfly and then he woke up. When he did, he wondered: is he a man who dreamt he was a butterfly or is he, in fact, a butterfly now dreaming he is a man?

ahhh… Matrix. What hath thou wrought?

Okay, that’s enough. Gotta read.