Confessions of a psychotherapist

The evolution of a therapist is the result of personal style, training, and social context. The author describes how his active involvement with people, love of telling stories, and desire to interact with others set the stage for his training as a psychoanalyst. He also discusses how the specific needs of patients drew him toward more active interaction with them, both within and outside therapeutic sessions. Supporting patients in their need to cope with a daily life meant intervening in their total system. The author's parallel work with community mental health and the development of the Healthy Cities program led to a broader understanding of the holistic sociopsychological experiences of people. As a result, he combined storytelling, assisting with job placement, dealing with day-to-day emergencies, and many more activities with analytic and cognitive therapy. Although the author recognizes that as a therapist he breaks boundaries, he respects the approaches of therapists who work in more standard ways, which are also helpful, effective, and needed.