Thought for the Day: As the year draws to a close, it is a time for reflection. On Mondays, I have been sharing Miraculous Moments from therapy with couples. Up to now I have shared techniques that I used with them to help resolve their differences and make their marriages work (Psychotherapy: Miracle or Science? & Can Writing a Letter Save a Marriage?). Today, I will share a technique that I used to help someone move on after a divorce. In light of the New Year, ways to move on when we are stuck seem relevant.
Judy, came to me for an initial session many years ago. She reported that she was depressed, had no energy, cried for no reason and had no motivation to go out or have fun. When I took her history, I found out that 10 years prior to coming to see me, Judy's ex-husband, John, had an affair with and then married her best friend, Colleen. John and Colleen lived just blocks from Judy. She spoke about the affair as if it had happened yesterday. She said it. "still felt like a bad dream and that, eventually, I will wake up and find out it was just a nightmare." She told me that she had kept everything just the same as the day John left.
