Listen to Susan on the

Dr. Kim Taylor Radio Show! 

Susan answers these questions and more: What is shame? What are some common triggers for shame? How do to the two genders experience shame differently? How do we recognize shame in ourselves and others? How do we reduce shame in ourselves and others? From this Lecture: Being aware that we've got a shame process going on is extremely important. That's the first step. We also need to have the will to show caring and compassion for ourselves-- to actually take an active stance against devaluation. I'm thinking about a man whom I have worked with. Shame has been so prominent in his life, and I asked him if he stepped into a room where a teacher was belittling his daughter, what would his reaction be? Of course he would immediately jump to her defense, so I was suggesting... might he also relate to himself in that way? When he sees any kind of toxic shame process going on, would he have the will to interrupt that? So it's awareness and it's will.

Watch "When Therapy Stalls"

Susan presents at SFV CAMFT

Emotional intimacy is linked to relationship danger for many who seek psychotherapy. Thus, self-protective strategies and reactions often prevent the formation of a therapeutic connection and working alliance. This lecture discusses principles that can be used to help both the therapist and client navigate beyond common barriers to effective treatment. Helping the client to connect to personally meaningful therapeutic goals is one such mobilizing force. From this lecture: We need to help the client become viscerally connected to something she passionately wants in therapy. That is the engine of treatment.  If the client and therapist do not know what is driving the client to be there, they will not be fully engaged and they will not have the motivation to take the risks, which are often painful, to expose parts of ourselves that we have not exposed before.

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