Are you interested in play therapy or therapy with children and adolescents? Do you have a child in therapy and you wonder how playing with toys is going to possibly help you child? Learn more about therapy with children and adolescents in this episode of The Psych Files. In part 1 I interview Dr. Martha Straus – experienced therapist and author of No Talk Therapy and the book Adolescent Girls in Crisis. If you’ve ever wondered what psychotherapists do and say in therapy then this episode is for you. We also touch upon evidence based treatment, goals in therapy, and parent expectations of therapists. Come have a listen to an experienced therapist talk about her work.
Mike Baker
December 7, 2008I don’t experience myself as jealous of Dr. Phil. I experience myself as having respect for my profession. It is interesting to read a response encouraging a “taming of judgement” when you imply that therapists that don’t like Dr. Phil, such as myself, are jealous and feel inferior. I don’t like Dr. Phil because he doesn’t base his interventions on any sound models or research, and he is more interested in the entertainment value than the wellness of the client. I am amazed that other mental health professionals don’t see that. I don’t think we all are jealous or feel inferior. That is just, well, ridiculous.
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December 7, 2008[…] No Talk Therapy for Children and Adolescents.  Here is a podcast interview with Martha Straus, Part 1 and Part 2. In itunes, search for Psychology in Everyday Life: The Psych Files. (Posted to […]
Michael
December 7, 2008Excellent points Fallynn. Jealousy and inferiority probably do play a role in why Dr. Phil is, shall we say, “frowned upon” by other (non-famous) therapists. A good .02.
Fallynn C. Cox
December 7, 2008So many people, especially therapists have such horrendous things to say about Dr. Phil. Not only is he a great businessman, but he brings numerous issues we (as a society) have swept under the rug for years. THANK goodness for Dr. Phil and it is my belief that he is doing a great job.
He is not a therapist and he is not ‘doing psychotherapy’, he is on television trying to bring some important issues to the fore. Unfortunately it is Hollywood and sometimes there is too much drama injected in to the show. I am sure this is not always helpful to the actual participants.
The participants sign numerous releases and are very well informed that this is ‘not therapy, but entertainment. As we know, for some reason many people will do almost anything for 15-minutes of fame. Others are just desperate for help and I hope they receive it via the Dr. Phil show.
All in all I do think he does more good than harm. Maybe as therapists we can tame our judgment. Is Dr. Phil rich and famous…absolutely. Have all therapists worked through their feelings of jealousy and inferiority? I leave it to you to answer that one.
Just my .02
Dr. Fallynn C. Cox
Michael
December 7, 2008I see what you’re saying. Can’t argue there – he’s definitely an entertainer. It’s a pitty that we don’t have a therapist in the public light that we are not embarrassed by. I suppose Seligman and Zimbardo get a lot of press and are not embarrassments.
Mike Baker, LMFT(T)
December 7, 2008Well, what I meant was, that Dr. Phil is an entertainer. He kinda makes us real therapists cringe just a bit. 🙂
MB
Michael
December 7, 2008Yes, I thought Dr. Straus speaks for play therapy quite well – very professionally. Glad you agree. (I thought Dr. Phil was a therapist – guess I don’t watch him enough). – Michael
Mike Baker, LMFT(T)
December 7, 2008Amen! Love this podcast. So many people, even my fellow therapists, just don’t get how to work with children. So glad to have this podcast to educate others that play therapy is actually REAL therapy.
Mike
PS- “Dr.” Phil isn’t a therapist!
SCIENCEPODCASTERS.ORG » Talking and Not Talking in Psychotherapy
December 7, 2008[…] Click here to listen to Part 1 of the interview. […]