I'm Working On It in Therapy: How to Get the Most Out of Psychotherapy

by Gary Trosclair

Overview

Learn to get the most out of therapy to unlock your best self.

Millions of Americans will go to therapy this year, but veteran psychotherapist Gary Trosclair believes the vast majority of them will start the process with little to no sense of how to best use their sessions to achieve their goals. Recent research has identified effective client participation as one of the most crucial factors in successful therapy. What can one do to get the most out of their sessions to create lasting positive changes in their lives? What does it look like to “work on it” in therapy?

Trosclair covers these points and more, combining cutting-edge scientific research with years of fascinating anecdotal evidence to create a guide that is as compelling as it is indispensable. It teaches readers how to take off their masks and be real with their therapists, how to deal with emotions that arise in session, how to continue their psychological work outside of sessions, how to know when it’s time to say goodbye to their therapists, and much more.

Whether you’re already in therapy and looking to make more out of each appointment, or you’re thinking of starting the process and want to go in with a game plan, I’m Working on It in Therapy will show you how you can make every session count towards becoming your best possible self.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781632204486
Publisher:	Skyhorse
Publication date:	06/09/2015
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	575,310
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 6.00(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Gary Trosclair is a psychotherapist with more than twenty years of experience. His writing has been published in The Huffington Post, The Journal of Jungian Therapy and Practice, and Quadrant: The Journal of Contemporary Jungian Thought. He is also a member of the New York Association for Analytical Psychology. He lives in Westchester, New York.

Table of Contents

Dedication v

Preface vii

Introduction and a Few Things to Know Before Reading This Book xi

Chapter 1 Get Real: Take Off the Mask and Show Your Many Faces 1

Chapter 2 Channel the Flow of Emotion: Have Your Feelings without Your Feelings Having You 15

Chapter 3 Enough about Them: Look Deeply Within for the Sources of Change 36

Chapter 4 Don't Hold Back: Forge an Authentic Connection with Your Therapist 56

Chapter 5 Be Curious, Not Judgmental: Observe Yourself Honestly without Attacking Yourself 77

Chapter 6 Carry Your Fair Share, and Only Your Fair Share: Differentiate When to take Responsibility and When Not To 93

Chapter 7 What's Your Story? Identify the Recurring Themes and Fundamental Beliefs That Guide You 106

Chapter 8 It Ain't Necessarily So: Build a Better Narrative and Choose Your Beliefs Consciously 122

Chapter 9 Do Something! Continue Your Psychological Work outside of Sessions 135

Chapter 10 Into the Fire: Use Challenges as Opportunities for Growth 159

Afterword 182

Appendix A In the Beginning: Starting Therapy 184

Appendix B Are We There Yet? Stopping Therapy 191

Appendix C Does This Thing Work? Research Evidence Supporting the Efficacy of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy 195

Acknowledgments 198

About the Author 200

Endnotes 201

Index 213

What People are Saying About This

This is a compelling introduction to the opportunities and responsibilities of psychotherapy for those considering the process. Full of illustrative imaginal material and illuminating views of the work, it opens the way and helps guide the seeker to consider many of the foundational issues that arise. --Sylvia Pererra, author Dreams, A Portal to the Source

Editorial Reviews

[O]ne of the great strengths of this book is its accessibility.The ability to bridge the distance between complex psychological concepts and the common-sense understanding of "ordinary people" is no small accomplishment. But this is what Trosclair succeeds at over and over again in the course of this book. Through the use of humor, cartoons and homely metaphors, he may charm even his most skeptical readers.

Quadrant

The book is a fascinating look at self-growth, and one that's useful whether or not you go to therapy. Trosclair elegantly transforms complex psychological concepts into powerful, understandable tools.

PsychCentral