Staying Power (and a little more on money)

In one of my groups recently, we were wondering about our own staying power. Not with clients, though that's certainly always a great topic. But our staying power with our own supervision and therapy. We were pondering the following question: How can we help clients to stay and do good work if we ourselves don't stay with our own supervision and therapy?

Somehow, I think there is an aura to all of this. Over the last fifteen years of my practice, I have had ups and downs in my caseload, a swelling of more difficult client issues, and times where things felt a bit lighter. But I always had the notion that my own supervision and therapy should remain constant, both to support my work and to benefit my clients. And of course to model good treatment consistency and cast my vote, feet first, for the benefits of staying the course and reaping the rewards. And I think it pays off.


What happens when we go to extremes or let our own anxiety dictate our decisions to stick with our own work? Do we speak the truth to our advisors about what is bothering us about our treatment or work with them? Can we remain committed to our own work even if our caseloads drop? It may very well be the overall, year in year out dedication to our own ongoing progress and work that will serve as the platform for a solid practice.

And a bit more on money, but not fees from Richard Trachtman,PhD: Beyond The Fee: Addressing Non-Fee Money Related Issues in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis. recently published in The Candidate: Perspectives from an Evolving Psychoanalytic Community.