As a certified group therapist, I often get calls from people seeking support groups. But after speaking with them, I realize that many of these people would actually benefit more from a therapy group and that’s actually what they’re looking…
Across the circle we took surreptitious glances at each other. This was a diverse group of men and women; Caucasian, Asian, Hispanic, gay, straight, shy, extroverted. Yet, I felt especially different from the man sitting directly across from me. He…
My client, in a terse, authoritative tone, announced to the group that he had something to say. He locked eyes on me and said, “I know you want me out of the group.” My heart thudded in my chest in…
You feel hopeless, frantic, doomed. You feel like you’re on the brink of failure, of giving up hope. Your situation seems impossible. Anyone who has ever experienced desperation knows that it feels horrible. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone…and yet. …
In the wake of celebrating our country’s Independence Day, it’s a good time to consider what kind of dictatorship you’re living under. Far more controlling than the President or the police, your own beliefs dominate you and dictate your behavior.…
As in most families, my family had secrets too. Those secrets were mostly about how we felt about each other; the love, the hurt, the unspoken judgments about each other. There were also the facts: that there were problems and…
My 13 year old brain had a shocking revelation. I was sitting in my little desk/chair combo in Ms. Higgin’s 8th grade classroom, quietly working on the school newspaper, laying out a page about my graduating class. Amy Silver was…
The other day I had a conversation with someone that I’d just met. The point of the conversation was to get to know each other. We both wanted to build a friendly relationship. Could we be friends? She was welcoming. …
A crowd was gathering outside the theater, waiting to be let in to take our seats. My friend Melissa joined the crowd with an unfamiliar man at her side. This man instantly shook my hand and introduced himself. “I’m Charles,”…
When I was in my 20s I had a very influential experience with the shifting of perspective. I had gotten the amazing opportunity to work at a Club Med as a member of my improv group. I was so excited…