Individual Therapy
Individual Therapy
Within a structured session, it is possible to address barriers and develop a realistic plan for creating desired changes. Individual sessions are weekly. Meeting twice a week can be done during times of a greater need for support. Meeting every other week or monthly sessions are also options when less support is appropriate. At the initial session and ongoing throughout therapy, it is important to determine how understood you feel. On the one hand, it impossible to get help with something without the needed disclosure, however, not everything has to or even can be covered in one initial meeting. The key is to take risks with disclosure, but still be aware of how you are feeling, and gauging what you share accordingly.
Assembly Line Approach
Every therapist has a personalized style that they blend with their clinical orientation. I call my style the Assembly line approach. This is my way of mapping out the beginning therapy process of intake – assessment, (all the questions to be asked and answered from the start) the ongoing work (with momentum) in therapy, and the revisiting of these sections (which I think of as stations).
Knowing about these stations and how therapy is often structured, may be helpful. You may decide to print the stations and make some notes.
Here they are:
Stations:
Station One
Immediate problem and current circumstances - what motivated you to schedule?
Station Two
Assets - Social support, sources of happiness, resources, the specific goals, hopes and dreams that prevent you from giving up.
Station Three
Liabilities - any source of pain, frustration, abuse, barriers/preventions of living life fully. Barriers include relationships, patterns, physical limitations, finance, and addictions.
Station Four
Recent history - this oxymoron sounding phrase expands on station one. This includes what has been going on lately within relationships, physical health, finance, memories, changes in those around you or in your environment, patterns or changes to routines.
Station Five
History - childhood and onward - as much as you feel comfortable discussing.
Station Six
Goals in therapy, goals in life. What would you like to accomplish?
Writing Exercises
Writing exercises are often helpful for expressing emotions and creating clarity.
Below are three writing exercises:
1. Job Description Exercise
Many aspects of your life can feel like a job. Even with your actual job, there is your job description and then there are the responsibilities you have that fall outside of your contract.
List each relationship or commitment as if it were a job. Then, create a job description for each.
2. REBT Worksheet
- The Activating Event – what was the environment and circumstances in which you experienced a problem
- Beliefs – what did you tell yourself, what did you say to yourself about A.
- Consequences – what changes took place (both externally and internally)
- Dispute – How can we argue against B
- Effective New Philosophy – What can you put in point B now
3. Playing the Tape Exercise
Think of the old term of playing the tape where you mentally see something through from start to finish before acting on it or not. Here you watch Gene visualize his day into a relapse of addiction and then his strong resolve to continue abstinence. Think of your own playing the tape moments and write down your own struggle. Your moments can be completely different than Gene’s. Addiction is the perfect metaphor for all types of undesired-harmful behavior. (also see questionnaire and workbook)