Monday, December 11, 2006

The Role of Wisdom in Psychotherapy

One danger for psychologists is that they can become so power hungry that they will assume that they know what is best for the clients. That therapist can begin to tell the client how to live and stifle or oversimplify the client's own experience. Such an attitude is dangerous for two reasons: the therapist can certainly be wrong AND the client needs to make their own decisions. Yet I want to talk about how this second problem is not so clear cut and why giving advice can at times be a part of a healthy therapeutic experience.

Therapy works in a myriad of ways. From simple empathy to complex interpretations to assigning homework, therapists use a variety of techniques to help a person grow. Yet the sharing of wisdom is often frowned upon unless it is backed by research. Such an attitude does not need to be held if the therapist thinks of wisdom as brainstorming rather than providing solutions.

Some consider that the time to quit therapy is when one can "hear" the therapist in your mind throughout your day. If the client is merely blindly obeying the therapist that is unhealthy. But if the therapist has not simply provided a clear cut answer to each situation but rather a way of thinking that discerns and weighs alternatives, then that voice can help remind the client how to think in tough situations.

Psychologists can be trained in making interpretations and being empathic but wisdom is a bit more elusive. But with the hope that we will be more mature than many of our clients we can assume that we have at least some tidbits of wisdom to share that will teach the client how to live and be in relationship with others. If we stay humble then the psychologist can give some very meaningful and helpful advice that is perhaps outside of their professional training.

No comments: