A Psychotherapist's Sanctuaries from Soul-Sadness


Book Description

As psychotherapists, our patients share with us the joys and sorrows, pain and pettiness, betrayal and cruelty, the lies and misery in their lives and relationships. We listen carefully and empathically. Between the lines of dialogue, however, therapists hover along a continuum of self-protection located between soul-sadness at one extreme, and a cool, isolated detachment at the other. Natural disasters, genocide, suicide bombings, hostage executions or beheadings, and sick and starving children leap to our attention in the media. Our patients often mention these events, and we try to listen empathically to their feelings and fantasies about them. We suppress or deny our own strong emotions so we can work with our patients. But our feelings can accumulate and lead to soul-sadness. Psychotherapists can use art, music, poetry, or creative writing to help contain and manage soul-sadness. This works by discharging, soothing, containing, or sublimating these realities in our daily work life. During 45-plus years of practicing teaching and writing about medicine, psychiatry, psychoanalysis, and psychotherapy, I have come to realize how draining psychotherapy is for the therapist. The use of writing as a means of catharsis and processing of stress has been valuable for me, so I wanted to share writing as a means of healing soul-sadness and preventing burn-out. Prevention soul-sadness and burnout in psychotherapists is very important for us and our patients.




Depression and the Soul


Book Description

In Depression and the Soul, John Peteet proves the old adage that the best physician is also a philosopher. He considers how to approach the problem of depression within a larger context, and reviews current concepts of successful living relative to the heart (emotion and volition), the mind (cognition and coping), and the soul (the self in relation to transcendent reality). Each chapter goes on to further explore the relationship between depression and the context of a patient’s entire life. This is done through consideration of how the existential struggles of depressed individuals engage their spiritual lives, by reviewing current empirical literature on depression and spirituality, comparing the perspectives of various spiritual traditions or world views, and summarizing ways that spirituality and depression interact.




Therapist as Life Coach: An Introduction for Counselors and Other Helping Professionals (Revised and Expanded)


Book Description

In 2006, U.S. News and World Report listed coaching as one of the 10 top growing professions. The first edition of Therapist as Life Coach, published in 2002, anticipated this trend, and since its publication it has become a standard for therapists who wish to transition or expand their practices into life coaching. Pat Williams and Deborah C. Davis have finally revised their classic practice-building book for today's therapists and future coaches. Every chapter in this second edition has been updated and rewritten, reflecting the growth of the coaching field and its increasing appeal to not only therapists, but all helping professionals. The book begins by exploring the history of the coaching movement and shows how society is hungry for life coaches. The second part of the book explains in detail the differences and similarities between coaching and therapy, discusses the coaching relationship, and considers some of the skills therapists will need to learn and unlearn in order to reclaim their joyfulness about their work. Professional transition tools such as developing and marketing your practice and honing your coaching skills are discussed at length in Part Three. The final section moves beyond basic life coaching to introduce coaching specialties such as corporate coaching, offers self-care strategies for life coaches, and peeks into the future of life coaching. There is new material throughout, including an overview of recent coaching developments, updated liability concerns, new business opportunities, and a new section on the research about coaching. Coaching gives practitioners the opportunity to break free of managed care and excessive reliance on the insurance industry and to work with a wide range of clients—specifically, those who are not suffering from mental illness but, rather, seeking to maximize their life potential. This book will help you enter this lucrative and personally enriching world with the skills and knowledge you need to build a successful coaching practice.




Anxiety and Depression: Poems from the depths of the soul


Book Description

📖 Author's Introduction: Navigating the Depths of the Mind Welcome to a journey that transcends the ordinary and ventures into the extraordinary landscape of the human experience. My journey as an author began in the shadows of depression and anxiety, where I unraveled the complexities of the human psyche. Through introspection and the transformative power of poetry, I found my way out of the labyrinth of my own mind, offering readers a unique path toward understanding and healing. Join me in "Anxiety and Depression: Poems from the Depths of the Soul" as we explore the profound interplay of emotions, confront darkness, and illuminate it with introspective verse, ultimately embarking on a journey of self-discovery and resilience. 📖 Author's Introduction: Unlocking the Depths of the Mind Imagine diving into the uncharted waters of the human psyche, exploring the hidden caverns of the soul, and deciphering the cryptic language of emotions. That's where my journey as an author truly began - not in the light, but in the shadowy depths of depression and anxiety. For years, I found myself entangled in the intricate web of these two formidable adversaries, trapped in a relentless struggle to understand the whispers of my own mind. It was a labyrinthine voyage, where darkness held hands with despair, and anxiety painted intricate mazes of doubt. But within this labyrinth, I discovered the power of introspection and the healing magic of words. I learned that the emotions that once seemed like turbulent storms could be transformed into poetry, each verse a lifeboat navigating the tumultuous sea of the soul. These poems became my lifeline, a way to navigate the treacherous waters of my own thoughts, and ultimately, a path toward the light. Through this book, "Anxiety and Depression: Poems from the Depths of the Soul," I invite you to join me on this unique journey. It's a journey that transcends the ordinary and ventures into the extraordinary landscape of the human experience. Together, we will explore the intricate interplay of emotions, confront the darkness within, and illuminate it with the poetic power of introspection. As you turn the pages, you'll discover not only the depths of my own struggles but also the resilience of the human spirit. It is my hope that these words will resonate with you, offer solace in your own moments of darkness, and inspire you to confront and conquer the emotional maelstrom within. 📕 What you will find in this book: 📕 🌌 Discover the Emotional Universe: As if traveling through a cosmos of feelings, you will explore the depths and heights of human emotions, uniquely revealing how complex the experience of anxiety and depression can be. 🐦 Verses Like Feathers of a Bird: Poems are like the feathers of a bird flying deep into the soul, enveloping you in the beauty and grace of words. Each verse will gently carry you through a range of emotions. 🎭 The Theater of Human Emotions: This book is a theater of human emotions, with dramatic acts of anxiety and depression, as well as moments of light and transformation. You will feel like you are on stage, experiencing every word. 🧭 Navigating the Rolling Waves of Healing: Words and verses will guide you through a tumultuous navigation of inner healing, offering you tools to find your balance and peace. 🕊️ Returning to Self: In the middle of the book, you will discover that poetry can be a means of returning to oneself, of rediscovering authenticity, and of deep connection with your own essence.




Counselling and Spiritual Accompaniment


Book Description

Counselling and Spiritual Accompaniment presents the key spiritually-focused writings of Brian Thorne, one of the most influential thinkers on the convergence of spirituality with counselling, along with new material reflecting his recent work in spiritual accompaniment. Reflects the increasing focus on spiritual issues as an essential part of therapy Represents the culmination of an intellectual quest, undertaken by the most senior figure in the field, to integrate spirituality with counselling and the person-centred approach Features chapters that span thirty years of work, along with new writings that bring readers up to date with the author's most recent work in spiritual accompaniment An invaluable guide for counsellors and therapists who acknowledge the importance of spirituality to their clients, but doubt their abilities to help in this area




Resilience


Book Description

I describe a group of unique individuals I worked with in psychotherapy or encountered in my clinical work. Their stories are interesting and poignant but the characteristic most striking about them was their resilience. It was so necessary for success in their/our hard work of psychotherapy. I chose them to write about because of my admiration for their candor and resilience. None of them were severely psychotic or psychopathic. However, they all had significant issues and conflicts necessary to master in- order- to move forward with success in their lives. Each therapy involved my patients' families in various and significant ways. Though cooperation by families was often important, it was not always possible or imperative for a positive therapy result. I have carefully made efforts to protect the confidentiality of my patients. This involved disguising places, names and some events. However, I think the essence of their life story and therapy process has been maintained. The form I use is the short story. I have sought concision in the stories. I have sometimes condensed time periods and intervals by editing- out descriptions of lengthy periods involving the fallowing of insights obtained, and the gradual working through of an insight or domain of mindfulness. I sometimes emphasize dramatic and important psychotherapy events by exact dialogue and descriptions. I hope these convey the essence of important psychotherapy work. At the end of each chapter I will describe what I learned from each psychotherapy process.Unlike many melodramatic Hollywood movie scenarios about psychotherapy, changes occurring in psychotherapy are often deceptively quiet...often muted. Psychotherapy involves many emotional experiences...anxiety, fear, fascination, wonder, boredom, humor/laughter, anger, sadness and often pain. The more severe and ominous forms of pain, destruction, and even a death prevented, go unheralded. They are unnoticed because existentially they like a suicide prevented, never in fact exist or occur.




Seasons of Grief


Book Description

The quiet letting go of Autumn, the reflective stillness of Winter, the bright rebirth of Spring, and the flourishing warmth of Summer trace the natural path of grief as it grows and changes to fit the spaces left behind by those we love. Easy-to-use exercise guides and activities invite readers to explore the changeable nature of grief through the ebb and flow of the seasons. As well as contributions from diverse creative practitioners, poems from Dr. Robert Neimeyer and reflections from Claudia Coenen create a starting point to delve into the emotional context of each chapter, encouraging the reader to view each personal account and case study through the lens of a different phase of grief. This heart-centred, compassionate approach infuses bereavement therapy with much-needed warmth, supporting clinically-proven techniques to guide users towards practical, healthy ways of processing their loss. Bringing together voices and art from across the spectrum of creative grief therapy, Coenen provides an accessible, compassionate guide to supporting those coping with bereavement throughout their journey.




ARTIST, THERAPIST AND TEACHER: Selected Writings by Bruce L. Moon


Book Description

Artist, Therapist and Teacher is a compilation of writings taken from the author's 40 years of experience. The book is organized chronologically, earlier works are presented first and the most recent, last. Chapters include writings from particular years accompanied with commentaries by Chris Belkofer, Ph.D. that highlight their relevance to contemporary art therapy practices. Bruce L. Moon uses music, performance art, poetry, sports activities, visual art forms, and other task-oriented modalities to cultivate relationships with clients. His vision of art therapy work is intimately connected to creativity, artistic self-expression, and exploration of meaning. Based on the author's art therapy practice, his overwhelming sense is that art therapy is continually being reshaped and transformed. This sense of ongoing “re-creation” is connected to the foundation of art's healing power, which resides in the ability of art to constantly shift and find new forms of expression. Unique features include: social applications of the arts, art-based group therapy, art therapy education as performance, metaphor, artfully constructed narratives, and case vignettes. Further enhanced with 12 illustrations to completely clarify the vignettes discussed, this book is a call to art therapists to embrace the artistic dimensions of professional identity, and use creativity when presenting ideas about the discipline of art therapy. This book will be an excellent resource for art therapists, art lovers, artists, art educators, and other mental health professionals.




Creating Sanctuary


Book Description

“In this beautiful, inspiring, and hands-on, practical book we are invited to look deeply at the landscape around us and create sacred respites from our busy worlds.” —Rosemary Gladstar, herbalist and author We all need a personal sanctuary where we can be in harmony with the natural world and can nurture our bodies, minds, and souls. And this sanctuary doesn’t have to be a far-away destination—it can be in your own backyard. In Creating Sanctuary, Jessi Bloom taps into multiple sources of traditional plant wisdom to help find a deeper connection to the outdoor space you already have—no matter the size. Equal parts inspirational and practical, this engaging guide includes tips on designing a healing space, plant profiles for 50 sacred plants, recipes that harness the medicinal properties of plants, and simple instructions for daily rituals and practices for self-care. Hands-on, inspiring, and beautiful, Creating Sanctuary is a must-have for finding new ways to revitalize our lives.




Within the Madness That Is Grief


Book Description

This book is about the grief of a sudden young death and the madness that I was hurled into as a result. On March 12th 2004 I found my beloved brother dead at his flat and I was overcome with the grief that followed. I am a Registered General Nurse and have dealt with death and suffering within my profession for over 20 years. However, the impact of my grief after finding Kevin dead lead to a nervous breakdown, the loss of my beloved job and the sense of myself as a person. I have had to write this book not only for me but also for the countless people out there who as I type are getting a phone call, a knock on the door, the news that a young person has died suddenly. The impact of this type of grief is within the pages of my book and I hope that my words and emotions experienced will support you within the madness that is created. But mainly it is for Kevin because I could not let his death mean nothing because he meant everything to me and his family. In memory of Kevin this book has been wrote but it is mainly intended for those that are left behind to live within the madness that their loss has created.