AlterNet / By Michael Bader
9 Blind Spots Most Even professionals forget that there are exceptions to the rules.
Does your therapist have a blind spot? Every therapist has to have a theory that guides his or her work. We can’t function without one. The problem with theories is that they can often obscure what people need rather than clarify it. Theories that are held too strongly create blind spots.
The reason is simple: Therapists forget that there are always exceptions to their rules. Most generalizations about how therapy is supposed to work, usually derived from theory and learned in training from cherished teachers, can be blind to the infinite differences among people. In order to be effective, therapists have to have an approach that allow for maximum flexibility. They have to have an open-minded intention to tailor technique to people’s special and idiosyncratic needs. Lastly, they have to subordinate theoretical allegiances to the only goal that matters in every session: therapeutic progress.
Personal note:
This is a good article. For the most part, I dislike labeling people I coach/counsel, though the system–insurance companies, hospitals, govt. agencies etc.–requires it. Sometimes it’s necessary. But often it further isolates the person labelled and reinforces the problems. We need to look for solutions instead.