“Erin” came to counseling with all the signs of depression. She was unhappy with her career, her health and her family. Her mother was distressed, her father was distant and her disabled brother was sick. Erin spent a lot of energy calming and directing her family, and she complained about
Tag: self-discovery
Many clients are tempted by the lure of obtaining ‘happiness,’ but counselors can help identify goals and ways of living that ultimately offer more enduring satisfaction.
To be who you are, you don’t have to wait a lifetime. I knew at age 5 that I was attracted to the same gender. This realization occurred during a time when, in my mind, it was not OK to be gay. I just couldn’t see it. It wouldn’t get
When I turned 39, I had a midlife crisis. I wasn’t home on my 39th birthday. I was on another continent, sitting in a hotel lobby at stupid early o’clock, jet-lagged and writing because I couldn’t sleep. I looked up, saw the date and realized my birthday had occurred while
Like the dandelion, we can learn to persevere in the most unlikely of circumstances.
I often think about the pursuit of potential and try to imagine what “reaching potential” would look like exactly. I think about how it could be helpful to assist my clients in identifying their beliefs about personal potential and then developing a navigational tool to assist them in moving toward
Psychiatrist Irvin Yalom is a giant in the field – a well-known author and scholar. But his life hasn’t always taken an easy or clearly-marked route to success. The new documentary Yalom’s Cure offers a glimpse of the man beyond his many degrees, accolades and accomplishments. Yalom offers insights through
One of the common reasons people start counseling is because they want to know themselves better. The time required to achieve this self-understanding varies, but some counselors make helping clients get a clearer picture of their personalities the first order of business. Many of these counselors find that certain personality