Elisabeth LaMotte
Denial is a powerful force, and many of us in the helping profession do not take the steps that we are ethically obligated to take in order to prepare for sudden illness or death. It was illuminating to learn more about this topic through a conversation with Dr. Ann Steiner who was our guest on…
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The book jacket for Diary of a Mad Housewife describes the novel as “a classic of urban women’s fiction that gave a wry voice to the nascent feminist stirrings of the 1960s.” I’m not sure how I missed it on my mother’s bookshelf while growing up in the 70s, but she confirms that it was…
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Family therapists love a good genogram. For those unfamiliar with this term, a genogram is a comprehensive family history framed through the psychological lens of Family Systems Theory. Family Systems Theory is a relationally oriented approach to therapy emphasizing the formative importance of the family landscape. Systemic therapists believe that relational patterns are often passed…
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Engaging in therapy, it is quite common to look back on past choices and scan for patterns. Reflecting on past decisions often illuminates insights about the present and the future. Honest examination in this mode is a template for therapeutic change. Let’s say a therapy client is working on a pattern of choosing unhealthy relationships.…
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When my book club selected Emma Donoghue’s bestselling novel, Room, for our monthly read, I was not too psyched about revisiting this memorable, haunting tale. I saw the 2015 film in theaters and sat riveted through Brie Larson’s masterful performance which won her academy award for best actress in a lead role. Given the emotional…
Read MoreSpencer recently spoke with Huffington Post about the controversy sparked by this New York Times opinion piece: I Married the Wrong Person, So Glad I Did You’ll find Spencer’s powerful perspective at this article’s conclusion, and you can check out experts from her full answers below: What Therapists Thank About Staying in a So-So Marriage…
Read MoreSpencer recently spoke with Huffington Post for an article about committing to one’s “second-choice”. Below is some interesting Q & A with Spencer’s insights about a complicated and controversial topic. Do you think this dynamic of going with the second choice when the first is not available is more common than people realize or care…
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Practically speaking, preparing for foot surgery feels surprisingly like preparing to have a baby. I stopped taking new therapy clients two months prior to my surgery date in an attempt to mold my work/life balance into the most manageable place during the 3 to 6 month recovery period. Not since giving birth two decades ago…
Read MoreWe all know people who seem to need to be in a romantic relationship no matter what. The short answer is that typically people who “cushion” the end of one relationship with the beginning of another do not have a clear but rather a fragmented sense of self. So they need another person in order…
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As a systems therapist, family roles and dynamics are an important area of exploration. Developing a deeper understanding of the roles directly or indirectly assigned in childhood helps therapy clients reflect on how such roles are internalized and carried into adult careers and adult relationships. Developing a grasp of how past roles play out in…
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