Monday, February 25, 2008
Karen Maroda
I have been thinking about 2 person counseling a lot. I finally realized I know what it is but have no idea how to do it. My professors talk about 2 person therapy, but they withhold from actually using it. This is because 2 person therapy requires the therapist to own up to their power in therapy. This requires the therapist to actually answer questions, to own up to their own desires and emotions, and not hide behind their position. This goes so far beyond therapy. I think every relationship with hierarchy or any sort of power differential would be greatly helped with the concepts in two person therapy. I have been reading Karen Maroda on this subject, and I see why my professors have been resistant to really use two person therapy. It requires so much. I think I want nothing more than to be brave and honest enough to really be mutual.
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3 comments:
I've been reading Karen Maroda's books, too, and find them incredibly interesting. Unfortunately it seems that there are still very few counsellors/therapists/analysts who are willing to actually use two-person psychology in practise. I suppose it stems from the fact that using this approach will ask infinitely more of the practitioner than classic one-person psychology. A shame, really, since it means that patients will miss out on a lot of the therapeutic experience they had sought in the first place.
I believe you are very astute with an understanding of what human change looks like. I have trained (sweat, bled, laughed, and cried) in a relational orientation that requires a therapist to have a low level understanding of their own story. This is essential for the use of one's own countertransference in therapy, and I believe very powerful mode of change. After all is that not what we were created for but deep meaningful relationship.
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