Commentary by a Humanistic Psychologist

The main thing that strikes me about this is how the therapist puts herself down. Here is a woman with a very difficult history and a lot of trouble with making relationships, who is responding to therapy in a remarkable way. But the therapist does not take any credit for this, and seems to think she is failing.

One of the key things I watch for in therapy is the client taking fire - that is, being affected by the therapy between sessions. In this instance not only did the client think about the therapy - the upsurge of feelings was so strong that she did not even feel able to turn up to the previous meeting. This is a strong indication that the process has really taken root, and after only two months I would consider this a very good achievement.

It seems clear also that the client is beginning to rely on the therapy rather than on the tablets. This again is an indication that the therapist is doing a good job.

It also seems clear that the client has got some of the very important clues about therapy, and is using them herself - the connection between psyche and soma; more than one voice inside herself; the fact that therapy is a long process - and this, too, is evidence of good success on the part of the therapist.

I have often noticed that young therapists very often do not realise how effective they are being. They criticise themselves when they would do better to build on the sound foundations they have put in already. This session seems to be a classic example of this.

The client is good, too. The whole episode about the marriage, and the husband's weird habits, serves at least three purposes. One: it says to the therapist - “Look, I trust you enough to admit that I am thinking about you even when I am not with you.” Two: it says - “I trust you enough to deal with this sensitive and embarrassing material.” Three: it says - “I want to test you by giving you someone else's sexuality; if you treat that properly, I may trust you with something about my own.” This is