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From: Ellen-Marie Silverman
Date: 12 Oct 2006
Time: 20:53:43 -0500
Remote Name: 152.163.100.12
Hello, Megan. To answer your question, I want to encourage you, as I am fairly sure you will, to work with each client and each client's issues, concerns, and strengths individually. Help them replace beliefs and behaviors that you help them see do not serve them well with those that you both believe will help them be the person they wish to be and can be. This involves mutuality, i.e., negotiation with the client regarding goals and possible sequencing of goals and time lines. This also involves creating experiences that are real and compelling for the client, not necessarily using generic exercises and drills. Some clinicians concentrate primarily on changing behavior first and then talking about it and the beliefs that led to the unwelcome behaviors as contrasted with the new beliefs surrounding the new, desirable ones. When I was a Transactional Analysis therapy trainee, our instructor quoted the founder of Transactional Analysis, Eric Berne, as saying to his clients, "First change what you're doing; then we'll talk about it." That can be a very motivating approach for many clients. I hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your studies. Sincerely, Ellen-Marie Silverman