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Therapy can be transformative by exploring what's happening between client and therapist in-session.

Healing often occurs through present-moment emotional experiences, not just past analysis.

Therapists acknowledging their role in the dynamic can deepen and enrich the healing process.

This isn’t a knock on therapists. It took me a number of years to become more informed about this myself, to the point of intentionally incorporating it into my own practice. What I’m referring to is the ability to discuss the therapeutic relationship and everything occurring in the room (or in a video session).

Typically, when we think about therapy, we believe it’s about talking with our therapist about the issues we’re having. And while that’s certainly true, it’s also important to pay attention to how it’s being done. When clients start therapy with me, I make it very clear that there’s a distinction between “there and then” and “here and now.” “There and then” is about the events, issues, relationships, and behaviors that happened in the past. “Here and now” is about the emotions, sensations, thoughts, and feelings that are coming up in the present moment.

Often, therapy starts and ends with talking about the issues and feelings that occur outside the therapy office. We talk about the difficult relationship, the addiction, the trauma, arguments with partners, the shame, or whatever else brought someone into therapy. But........

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