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Psychotherapist and Counselor in Seattle, Washington | |
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Leland Shields 2800 E. Madison, Suite 206 Email: |
These are a few of the people and ideas that have inspired my work as a counselor and psychotherapist.
While seemingly diverse, all these have commonalities that link them soundly together. I often find Jungian ideas meaningful in therapy, particularly his thoughts on our continued development through our lifetimes, the use of dreams to re-connect to lost and estranged parts of ourselves (re-energizing), and the connection we share with others and the world. Also, I am currently the president of the Jungian Psychotherapists Association and have written a book about dream work. (Click here for more about the book.) (Click here for comments by Google co-founder Larry Page on dreams) Mindfulness and Meditation Practices Meditation traditions offer practical relaxation exercises and alternative perspectives on living - such as emphasis on “being” instead of “doing.” In our culture we learn well what to do, and how to do things, but not always so well how to just “be,” take pleasure, or accept the difficulties in our lives that cannot be changed. (Click here for more about meditation) Existentialism and Humanistic Psychology Each of our lives has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Existentialists take this reality as a starting point for examining life. We are, for example, isolated in some ways, and we will die. I find many clients directly or indirectly bring related questions and want companionship in search for ways to live peacefully and fruitfully in such a world. Existentialists emphasize fulfillment through finding meaning and engaging fully in life through one’s own choices. An approach to counseling focusing on these uniquely human issues is called humanistic psychology. (Click here for samples of exercises) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) For those with concrete goals for change of behavior or reduction in persistent thoughts, CBT offers structured and straightforward tools and suggestions. (Click here for more about CBT tools) Chaos and complexity theory bring fascinating perspectives on ways to work with complex systems, such as our minds, bodies, and psyches. These theories also remind us to be respectful of ourselves as individuals: Simple explanations don’t capture or predict who we are and how we work. My clients have exposed me to more helpful perspectives and approaches than any other source. Many times I’ve received a good idea from one client and offered it (anonymously, of course) to others, who have also found it helpful. I’ve compiled a list of resources that describe some of these perspectives, including Non-Violent Communication (Marhsall Rosenburg), The Happiness Project, When Things Fall Apart (Pema Chodron), The Power of Now (Eckart Tolle), and more. For a listing of some of these perspectives, click here. Appropriately, counseling is often serious, and the pain we all sometimes feel is real. In the midst of it all, humor can also help us hold our lives and ourselves a little more lightly, even while being genuine and maintaining honesty. Through laughter, our perspectives can broaden, and though circumstances haven’t changed, they can feel different. (Click here for a selection of comics by topic) |
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People
and Ideas I Draw From