Therapists can become too comfortable doing the same things over and over again, asking the same questions, and falling into what James Bugental called the content trap. This is especially common when working with clients who are locked into rigid patterns of thinking and acting at the expense of a more fully lived emotional experience. What therapists need in these instances are both effective ways to move beyond words to help clients explore their own inner experience, and skills to do the same within themselves as they work with these stuck clients. This is exactly what you will learn as you watch Victor Yalom model vulnerability, use here-and-now process comments, prompt clients to connect to their inner world of emotions, and bring his whole self into the therapeutic moment.
Client Tim lived through childhood trauma and struggles to connect emotionally with others. Danielle, his therapist, is both uncomfortable around deeper emotional expression, and, in her words, “pushing Tim too hard.” As a result, she has reached an impasse with him and decides to consult with Yalom. In a series of riveting demonstrations of his work with Danielle, Tim, and later both together, you will see Yalom directly yet supportively guide them through the process of emotional exploration and expression using here-and-now reflections, somatic awareness techniques, and exploration of parallel process.
