The upcoming book will be titled The Marble Game: Therapeutic Metaphors for Life. I wrote it because after a few years of doing this work, I noticed that the problems people were bringing to me felt singularly overwhelming and complicated to them, but in actuality, most new clients were seeking answers to the same few simple human questions:
1) Who am I and why do I feel so crazy*?
2) Who is that other person I thought I knew, and why is s/he driving me so crazy?
3) Why do I keep doing the crazy stuff I do, even though I want to change?!
4) In the face of all of all my flaws how do I become the person I want to be?
5) How do I get that other person over there to be and do what I want?
6) Why does life/God/the universe either a) seem so crazy that the way the world works makes no sense, or b) hate me personally so much that I get punished again and again no matter how hard I try?
7) Why bother to ever do anything? What is the point?
Over time, I found I was creating metaphors and parables to translate seemingly complicated human behaviors and patterns into simple and practical concepts that my clients could use to feel empowered and create change in their own lives. When people were able to see the problems and solutions more clearly, therapy became a more efficient use of time and money. I often joke with my clients about the fundamental irony of being a psychotherapist, i.e. I am in the business of trying to put myself out of business! It’s true though. I want you to get free of all the unconscious baggage that weighs you down and keeps you from being your finest self -- from living your most excellent life. I want you to acquire an adventurous sense that there might be a lot to know about you that you don’t already know. And even though it could seem scary and dangerous to learn about yourself, until you see yourself clearly, you will never be free to be the author of your self, your life, and your own destiny. That’s what The Marble Game is about. I will let you know as soon as I have a release date!
1) Who am I and why do I feel so crazy*?
2) Who is that other person I thought I knew, and why is s/he driving me so crazy?
3) Why do I keep doing the crazy stuff I do, even though I want to change?!
4) In the face of all of all my flaws how do I become the person I want to be?
5) How do I get that other person over there to be and do what I want?
6) Why does life/God/the universe either a) seem so crazy that the way the world works makes no sense, or b) hate me personally so much that I get punished again and again no matter how hard I try?
7) Why bother to ever do anything? What is the point?
Over time, I found I was creating metaphors and parables to translate seemingly complicated human behaviors and patterns into simple and practical concepts that my clients could use to feel empowered and create change in their own lives. When people were able to see the problems and solutions more clearly, therapy became a more efficient use of time and money. I often joke with my clients about the fundamental irony of being a psychotherapist, i.e. I am in the business of trying to put myself out of business! It’s true though. I want you to get free of all the unconscious baggage that weighs you down and keeps you from being your finest self -- from living your most excellent life. I want you to acquire an adventurous sense that there might be a lot to know about you that you don’t already know. And even though it could seem scary and dangerous to learn about yourself, until you see yourself clearly, you will never be free to be the author of your self, your life, and your own destiny. That’s what The Marble Game is about. I will let you know as soon as I have a release date!
* Word definition - “Crazy”: Giving the appearance of making no sense. Some of my colleagues may take issue with my use of the word “crazy”, because “crazy” has become a pejorative judgment-word used to oppress the mentally ill. I use “crazy” because my clients use it. They use it a lot. They fear it. It has power over them. It has been used against them. They use it against other people. “Crazy” is the cardinal sin of the mechanized industrial world. I am out to reclaim and normalize it. People make sense. If you get to know anyone well enough, and you get inside the unique cocktail of each person’s brain structure, and genes, life experience, and chemistry, people make sense. But we are all “crazy,” in that we all look to others as if we don’t make sense, at least some of the time.