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It is difficult to say how consciously psychotherapists work, acting according to the principle “Created a problem, solved the problem, cured it!” It can be assumed that many specialists really sincerely find problems with clients where they originally did not exist, after that they successfully remove a non-existent problem and triumphantly inform the client: “Now everything is in order, your problem is gone!”
Considering that many of the client’s problems are dummy problems, contrived problems, extensions of their fears and their usual desire to talk about themselves, the technique «Created a problem, solved the problem, cured it!» is quite effective, helps customers. There is a fact — negative emotions go away (at least for a while), it becomes easier for a person … Another question is for how long?
We propose to analyze several cases of consultations known to us.
Am I pushing men away?
A woman wants to get married, but for several years now she has not succeeded. She came for a consultation because she was told: “Probably the reason is that you don’t really want to get married? Maybe you have some kind of indoor unit?
An interesting assumption, but obviously not of the first order. You can assume anything, while more professionally consider more obvious reasons: the age of a woman, some difficult traits of her character and an elementary misunderstanding of how to make a choice, which man to take seriously.
The psychotherapist, a supporter of systemic family therapy, suggested that she move the toy figures of various members of her family and look for her place in her current environment, after which he said that the whole point was that she was looking for a man to take her father’s place.
Logically. Almost any woman in an interesting man is looking for herself, including her father. Why not be a girl next to dad, if it’s easy and cool? It is important that this in itself does not constitute a problem: wise women know how to be in different roles, they know how to be a girl next to dad, and mom next to a silly child, and a muse next to a great man — and all this she is alone next to one and by the same man. But what, does our client have enough logic and professionalism to object to an authoritative specialist?
Having thus found the problem, the psychotherapist invited the woman to work with this topic, quickly found difficult moments in the relationship between the woman and her already deceased father, after which it was necessary to respond to difficult feelings, and the woman cried for two hours in a row.
Excellent breathing exercises. After that, of course, she felt better, like any normal woman.
Everything worked out in the mind of the woman: the problem was found, the problem was dealt with well, the problem was removed. Her self-confidence naturally increased and she saw her marital prospects as more prosperous. The psychotherapist helped the woman. The main mechanism of influence is suggestion. In fact, by pure suggestion a problem was created, and by pure suggestion the woman was told that after crying about her father, she would now be all right.
Other advice:
Is slouching a consequence of restraining emotions?
It is interesting to analyze the consultations of Margherita Spagnollo Lobb from this point of view: the girl complains about her stoop, the psychotherapist suggests that this is all because of the containment of her emotions (created a problem). At the suggestion of the psychotherapist, the girl allowed herself an open expression of her feelings (simply, she and the psychotherapist emotionally hugged), the girl felt better, she felt better, she seems to have forgotten what problem she came out with (the problem was removed). The psychotherapist in this regard formulated the belief that now everything will improve, that she has become more slender and more mature (positive suggestion for the exit).
It can be said that in this technique there is no logical connection between the request that the client comes up with and the problem that the therapist finds. And we can say that this is a technique that is universal for many cases. Which wording seems more appropriate to you?
And another tip:
Why am I scared when they yell at me?
The therapist invites the client to focus on his feelings and supports the client’s idea that the whole point is that he was afraid of his father yelling at him as a child. Now you can work with the fear associated with the image of the father — there are many methods, all are quite effective. This fear was removed — the client receives confidence that now he will not be afraid of screams. The problem was created, the problem was removed — the client gained self-confidence!
Colleagues, what is your position? Is it worth it to work like this? Is it professional to work like this? Will we work like this?