Reflection – The Gift of Therapy
I denote finding The Gift of Therapy by Irvin Yalom as a vital reading in this course. Mainly, it profoundly enhanced my awareness of the best mechanisms to use in articulating clinical psychology to foster the long-term well-being of both the psychologist and their patients. One critical point that I will take away from the book was the recommendation by the author for therapists to “give themselves time between patients” (Irvin, 2009). I concurred with the author that the endeavor is fundamental in helping a therapist to allocate ample time in treating a patient before they move onto the next client. Majorly, I find it essential to enhance value-based care. This situation arises because it permits therapists to allocate an adequate amount of time to address the critical and unique needs of their patients comprehensively to foster healing. In so doing, it enhances the quality of a therapy, which is crucial in empowering both the patient and therapist to attain closure hence move forward with confidence.
The second notable point that I will take away from the book is the recommendation by the author for therapists to strive to “create a new therapy for each patient” (Irvin, 2009). Similar to the author, I recognize that the diversity in the innate nature of every patient inclines them to display profound dissimilarities in their approach to therapy. Hence, a therapist must learn to approach each client from their point of need. This endeavor requires them to endeavor to create a unique treatment for their various patients while ensuring that it founds itself on addressing their critical needs. In the long-term, it enables a therapist to build a meaningful and trusting relationship with each of their clients by dissuading themselves from fitting them into a standard model of care. Such relationships are critical in fostering the long-term well-being of a patient.
Reference
Yalom, I. D. (2002). The gift of therapy: An open letter to a new generation of therapists and their patients. Harper Collins E-Books.