Patricia Sherman KeyboardCulture Healing is Possible

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Part 6: Characteristics cont’d.*

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 09:00:00 -0600

Let’s continue our discussion of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy by taking a look at some additional characteristics of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is very structured, and each Cognitive Behavioral Therapy session follows a specific therapist-driven agenda. While remaining focused on the client’s goals, the therapist teaches the client specific techniques for positively reacting to unwanted problems or situations. It is important that during a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy session that the therapist teaches the client how to do – not what to do.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Part 5: Characteristics cont’d.*

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 09:00:00 -0600

Let’s continue our discussion of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy by taking a look at some additional characteristics of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy does not tell clients how they should feel. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy does tell clients that if they are upset about their problems, then they have 2 problems:

1. The problem itself

2. Their upset reaction or feelings about the problem

The therapist focuses on showing clients how to react calmly to a problem by teaching them that when they learn how to face a problem calmly, they will feel better, and will also be able to put themselves in a better position to resolve the problem.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy therapists know the power of asking good questions. Asking your client questions helps you, as a therapist, get a better understanding of your client’s problems and concerns.

The better the therapist understands a client, the better prepared the therapist is to successfully help the client.

Join me as we continue to explore Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and its characteristics.

Hope Makes Healing Possible!

Patricia Sherman, Ph.D., LCSW

*Written in collaboration with Jessica Hicks

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Part 4: Characteristics cont’d.*

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 09:00:00 -0600

Let’s continue our introduction to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy by taking a look at some additional characteristics of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

• A strong, positive, trusting relationship between the client and the therapist is extremely important for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to be successful. This is because Cognitive Behavioral Therapy centers around the idea that clients change because they learn how to think differently and they begin to act on that learning. This means that, as a therapist, when you use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, your primary focus will be on teaching your client rational self-counseling skills.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy requires collaboration between the therapist and the client. When using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, it is important that, as a therapist, you learn what your clients’ life goals are, and then you help them achieve these goals. It is the therapist’s job to listen, teach, and encourage the client; and it is the client’s job to share concerns, and learn how to use the techniques of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

Join me as we continue to explore Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and its characteristics.

Hope Makes Healing Possible!

Patricia Sherman, Ph.D., LCSW

*Written in collaboration with Jessica Hicks

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Part 3: Characteristics*

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:00:00 -0600

Let’s continue our introduction to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy by taking a look at some of the characteristics of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is built on the concept that a person’s feelings and behaviors are caused by his or her own thoughts; not outside influences like people, events, or situations. This is important because it helps clients understand that they have the power to change their emotional responses by changing the way they feel or react to a situation.

• On average, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy provides results in about 16 sessions. One of the reasons why Cognitive Behavioral Therapy provides results within such a finite timeframe is because it is a time-limited therapy.

When you begin Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with clients, they understand from the beginning of the therapy process that there will be a firm end point for the therapy and that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is not open-ended or never-ending.

Some of the reasons why Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is so effective within a specific time limit are because it is highly instructive, and it requires clients to complete homework assignments between sessions.Join me as we explore Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and continue to take a look at the characteristics of CBT.

Hope Makes Healing Possible!

Patricia Sherman, Ph.D., LCSW

*Written in collaboration with Jessica Hicks

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Part 2: Objectives*

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 09:00:00 -0600

Let’s continue our introduction to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy by taking a look at the objectives of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

The objectives of Cognitive Behavior Therapy are:

• To identify the client’s irrational or unrealistic thoughts, assumptions and beliefs related to debilitating negative emotions.

• To identify how these thoughts, assumptions and beliefs are dysfunctional, inaccurate or unhelpful to the client.

• To replace these thoughts, assumptions and beliefs with more realistic and self-helping alternatives.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Part 1: An Introduction*

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 09:00:00 -0600

This week, I want to share with you a psychotherapy technique that you can use with your clients called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on modifying a client’s cognitions, assumptions, behaviors and beliefs. The aim of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is to influence or alter the client’s disturbed emotions.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy’s broad approach is derived from many different therapies, including:

• Cognitive Therapy

• Behavior Modification Therapy

• Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy

• Rational Living Therapy

• Dialectic Behavior Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy combines certain components of each of these different therapies, and is used by therapists to help clients overcome various mood and anxiety disorders.

Emotional Freedom Techniques Part 3: What Are the Benefits?*

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 09:00:00 -0600

Let’s wrap up this week’s look at Emotional Freedom Techniques therapy, or EFT, and how it can work for your clients by learning about its benefits.

Benefits of EFT:

• Your clients will make enormous strides in as little as 1 session.

• EFT can usually be completed in as few as 2 sessions.

• Your clients will not only get relief from their negative emotions, they will also experience relief from their physical pains and ailments.

• EFT can be used to treat just about anything from stage fright to severe emotional trauma.

Join me next week as we continue to explore therapy techniques available to you and your clients.

Hope Makes Healing Possible!

Patricia Sherman, Ph.D., LCSW

*Written in collaboration with Jessica Hicks

Emotional Freedom Techniques Part 2: Where Did it Come From?*

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 09:00:00 -0600

Let’s continue this week’s look at Emotional Freedom Techniques therapy, or EFT, and how it can work for your clients by learning about where EFT originated.

EFT was developed by Gary Craig a little over a decade ago. EFT is designed to be a simplified and improved version of Roger Callahan’s Thought Field Therapy, which we discussed last week.

Craig’s EFT therapy is designed to draw its power from:

• Time honored Eastern discoveries that have been around for thousands of years.

• Einstein’s theory that everything is made up of energy – even our own bodies.

Keep tuning in this week as we continue our look at how you can put Emotional Freedom Techniques to work for your clients.

Hope Makes Healing Possible!

Patricia Sherman, Ph.D., LCSW

*Written in collaboration with Jessica Hicks

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) Part 1: What Is It?*

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 09:00:00 -0600

This week I want to take a look at a therapy you can use with your clients to help them eliminate their negative emotions – Emotional Freedom Techniques, or EFT.

EFT is based on the theory that disturbances in the body’s natural energy fields cause negative emotions. The idea behind EFT therapy is if the client taps on the meridians of the body’s natural energy fields while the client is thinking about a negative emotion, the body’s energy field is restored to its balanced state, and the negative emotion disappears.

Continue to join me this week as we take a look at how you can put Emotional Freedom Techniques to work for your clients.

Hope Makes Healing Possible!

Patricia Sherman, Ph.D., LCSW

*Written in collaboration with Jessica Hicks

Thought Field Therapy (TFT) Part 3: Frequently Asked Questions*

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 09:00:00 -0600

Let’s wrap up this week’s look at Thought Field Therapy by answering some of the more frequently asked questions about Thought Field Therapy.

Is Thought Field Therapy painful to the client?

Absolutely not. Thought Field Therapy doesn’t use any tools or instruments, and it doesn’t require the client to discuss a traumatic situation or event in any great detail.

Is Thought Field Therapy a good therapy to use with children?

Thought Field Therapy (TFT) Part 2: How It Works*

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 09:00:00 -0600

We’ve taken a look at what Thought Field Therapy is. Now let’s examine how you can put it to work for your clients.

A Thought Field Therapy session begins with the therapist asking the client to think about a specific situation or event, and rate how uncomfortable s/he feels thinking about the event on a scale of 1 to 10, with ten being the worst the client could feel and one being the client has no problems thinking about the event.

Then, the therapist directs clients to tap with two fingers on various pressure points on their bodies. The points you direct your clients to tap are done according to a specific algorithm developed based on the emotions your clients feel when thinking about the specific event. As you instruct your clients where to tap, they rate how they are feeling.

This series of therapist directed tapping lasts five to six minutes. At the end of the tapping session, the Thought Field Therapy treatment is complete and the client’s distress is eliminated.

Check back this week as we wrap up our look at Thought Field Therapy, and answer some frequently asked questions about this treatment.

Hope Makes Healing Possible!

Patricia Sherman, Ph.D., LCSW

*Written in collaboration with Jessica Hicks

Thought Field Therapy (TFT) Part 1: What Is It?*

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:00:00 -0600

This week I want to take a look at a safe and effective therapy you can use with your clients to help them eliminate emotional distress – Thought Field Therapy, or TFT.

One of the greatest benefits to Thought Field Therapy is that the client sees immediate results; and, Thought Field Therapy is extremely versatile – it can be used to treat a variety of addictions, phobias, fears anxieties, and even post-traumatic stress disorder.

Thought Field Therapy works by eliminating negative feelings a client previously associated with a specific thought. You see, a client’s negative emotions create disturbances in their body’s energy system, and it’s these disturbances that may cause the client’s physical problems, negative emotions, addictions, and cravings.

Thought Field Therapy works as a mind-body therapy for clients by combining modern science, oriental medicine, and the body’s own energy system to help the client overcome their negative feelings.

Continue to join me this week as we take a look at how you can put Thought Field Therapy to work for your clients.

Hope Makes Healing Possible!

Patricia Sherman, Ph.D., LCSW

*Written in collaboration with Jessica Hicks

Traumatic Incident Reduction (TIR) –What’s It Useful For?*

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 09:00:00 -0600

There are 3 types of clients who find Traumatic Incident Reduction, or TIR, particularly beneficial:

• Clients who have experienced a traumatic event they feel adversely affected them

• Clients who react inappropriately or overreact to certain situations and their reaction could be connected to their past traumatic experience

• Clients who experience uncomfortable negative emotions in response to certain triggers.

If you have clients who fall into any of these categories, then Traumatic Incident Reduction therapy may be a good option for them.

Join me next week as we take a look at Thought Field Therapy.

Hope Makes Healing Possible!

Patricia Sherman, Ph.D., LCSW

*Written in collaboration with Jessica Hicks

Traumatic Incident Reduction (TIR) –Step By Step

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 09:00:00 -0600

We’ve taken a look at what Traumatic Incident Reduction, or TIR, is. Now let’s take a look at how you can put it to work for your clients.

A TIR session begins with clients thinking of a specific past trauma they want to move beyond. Clients treat the past trauma like a movie, and play it in their heads from start to finish without talking about the incident.

After clients have “viewed” the movie of the past traumatic incident, they describe what happened in it and their reactions to viewing it.
Then, clients “rewind” the movie and replay it.

After replaying the movie several times, clients will experience an emotional peak. As they continue to replay the movie, their negative emotions will eventually lessen. They continue to replay the movie until they no longer have any negative emotions about the incident.

Once clients have reached a point where they feel good about the traumatic incident, the session is over. Most sessions take about 90 minutes, but this can vary depending on each client’s needs.

Continue to join me this week as I show you how TIR may be useful for your clients.

Hope Makes Healing Possible!

Patricia Sherman, Ph.D., LCSW

*Written in collaboration with Jessica Hicks

Traumatic Incident Reduction (TIR) –What Is It?*

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 09:00:00 -0600

Traumatic Incident Reduction, or TIR, is a client-driven treatment method for successfully eliminating the negative effects of a client’s past traumas.

What’s great about TIR is it’s brief, it’s simple, it’s successful, and the clients do all the work on their own!

During a TIR session, you provide your client with no interpretation or feedback – you only give your client step-by-step instructions. You offer no advice, evaluation or reassurance.

Using the simple steps of Traumatic Incident Reduction, you allow your client to permanently eliminate the negative emotions tied into a past traumatic experience.

Join me this week as I take you through the steps of a TIR session and show you how you can put it to use for your clients.

Hope Makes Healing Possible!

Patricia Sherman, Ph.D., LCSW

*Written in collaboration with Jessica Hicks