Making Sense of a "Failed" Therapy Session

October 25, 2016 Ili Rivera Walter, PhD, LMFT

We all have them--sessions that are a struggle all the way through and that leave us feeling defeated. Even as a seasoned therapist, I’ve been caught off-guard by the unexpected failed session. The truth is, no matter our level of experience, we will have these sessions here and there, and I suppose my point in writing this post is to remind you (and myself) that we shouldn’t be surprised by them. After all, we are fallible.

That's the reason the word failed is in quotation marks throughout this post. There are no failed sessions, if we learn from them.

When we take lessons from these sessions

Family of Origin Exploration for the Therapist: How To Overcome Your Fears

October 18, 2016 Ili Rivera Walter, PhD, LMFT

Although I am writing this series for therapists, the truth is, when it comes to facing our families, just as when it comes to our personal change, we are only human--we are the same as our clients. This is one of the benefits of our own family of origin (FOO) exploration: We can confidently ask clients to examine their histories, because we have, and we know what it takes.

How to be Generous as a Therapist, AND Generate a Full-Time Income

October 11, 2016 Ili Rivera Walter, PhD, LMFT

Many of us become therapists because we want to help people, and when we start our own businesses, this desire to help, and our need to make money, are often in conflict. The good news is, we don’t have to choose one over the other--we can generate an income and be generous!

In today’s brief post, I offer 4 practical strategies for incorporating a culture of giving and generosity into your business, while still prioritizing profit.

Family of Origin Exploration for The Therapist: Why it Matters, and Its Benefits

October 4, 2016 Ili Rivera Walter, PhD, LMFT

In today’s post, I explain how I learned about and implemented family of origin (FOO) exploration and its resulting impact on my relationships. I also present background on the idea of FOO exploration for therapists, as well as its benefits.