Do you want to go shooting? [60]
“Do you want to go shooting?” asked Ray many years ago, while he and Judy were over for dinner. “Sure,” I said, intrigued with the idea of firing a high …
Borderline Personality Disorder 2: Projective identification can transform into sacred tantric practice [53]
Roxanne looks at Jason and narrows her eyes. “You let me down again. You don’t care about me, about us!” Jason looks at me hopelessly. He knows Roxanne will probably …
If You Are a Therapist in Training, I Suggest You Develop Your Natural Healing Style and Lose Most of the “Musts” [49]
I conducted my first therapy session in 1973 as a peer counselor working in the Student Counseling Center at UCSB. My client was a sophomore coed with typical issues—boyfriend anxieties, …
Tribal Leadership Is a Business System That’s Totally Useful in Therapy [30]
Jim—mid-twenties, strong and good-looking, strides frowning into my office. He usually arrives bummed out and in a hurry. Jim loves hiking in the mountains behind Santa Barbara, sometimes bulling his …
The Castle, the Gate, and the Threshold [23]
In fairy tales, the Castle can be a fortress of strength or a prison of solitude, depending upon who is in charge. Castle as fortress-of-strength shows up frequently in Tolkien’s …
“I Am a Psychologist. Let Me Help.” [21]
Psychologists show up all the time in jokes. “How many psychologists does it take to…?” “A guy walks into a psychologist’s office and….” The general theme is that psychologists reflect …
Sorry if I’m Making this Sound Easy! [15]
I looked at Henry, my 52-year-old businessman client, and said, “I want to apologize for making this sound so easy.” He looked a little puzzled, “I like how clear and …
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) – Are YOU Borderline?
Borderline Personality Disorder is a complicated condition where people have unstable relationships, rapid shifts into rage and alarm, endless nasty dramas, and cycle in their attitudes towards loved ones from “You are the greatest” to “You are slime and deserve punishment.”
Charlie Sheen – Poster Child for Pathological Narcissism – And he's not alone
There’s something fascinating about a train wreck. Watching one unfold over an extended period both horrifies and magnetizes us. You probably are someone (or know someone) who’s experienced train-wreck fascination …