It seems to me that psychotherapy is apt to be a passive process, as opposed to an active, engaging and transforming event. In most instances, the therapist sits in a comfortable office with the client as she discusses problems, situations, goals, and reviews experiences or “patterns” that have affected her and her life in negative ways. Ideally, through the counseling process, the client develops insight and understanding into these patterns. More specifically, the insight leads to understanding that is used to make new choices in behavior in important areas such as relationships, work and family. This insight-change process can lead to greater success in adapting to situations and opportunities that the client encounters as an adult. This process is most likely to be successful when the client is working with a therapist who is supportive, nurturing and encouraging, thereby freeing the client to view past behaviors with compassion and detachment. This helps her let go of behavior adapted from early childhood events. That the client feels trusting of the therapist is key, creating a safe environment to work through emotional pain, vulnerability and shame — three common precursors to depression, anxiety, and trauma.
The above, in theory, has proven to be successful in helping people to change their lives and the way they view the world, and is arguably a standard formula for practicing sound dynamic psychotherapy. Naturally there are variations in this process, such as cognitive-behavioral interventions, behavior modification techniques, and other therapeutic methods.
But when one looks closely at a person who is engaging in unproductive or dysfunctional behaviors that were acquired specifically in response to similarly dysfunctional early family interactions, it’s easy to see that genuine personality changes as well as changes in how an individual views and responds to the world, are very difficult to attain, even with the best therapy. Often, the verbal process of “working through” abusive or neglectful experiences endured by someone, even with the most skillful listener, does not create immediate and permanent change.
I believe that people who suffer from depression, anxiety, and the residuals of physical or sexual abuse need more experiential opportunities beyond the hour-long weekly therapy session to make substantial, positive, life-enduring changes. This is somewhat like training soldiers in a classroom setting for actual combat experiences.
In my work, I view the Corrective Therapeutic Process (CTP) as the platform for permanent transformative experiences for clients. It includes a solid alliance between the client and me where we collaborate to identify opportunities outside of the therapy session for the client to practice new behaviors, experience new responses, and tolerate emotional discomfort so that “organically” ingrained beliefs and attitudes can be effectively altered.
In this regard, while I do utilize traditional therapeutic approaches, particularly when traumatic feelings emerge, I view my role as a personal guide, navigating clients’ psychological and often real “mindfields” with compassion, caring and commitment. The vast majority of a client’s time is spent outside of the therapy setting with family and friends who play a far greater role in the client’s life than I. It is with these people that the client’s newfound insights must experientially take hold. In this way, psychotherapy is an active and experiential process that leads to permanent character change, and therefore permanent elimination of symptoms and complaints.
