John,

Thanks very much for your interest, I appreciate it !

I think it best at this stage to answer you by pointing out a few specific observations, rather than offering an overall assessment. I've changed my approach as we previously discussed, and am continually evaluating and tailoring it to suit better.

It seems I have a busier client these days. He is very productive both in his writing (political and other) and his artwork, and seems to spend more time and effort on the creative process itself. He has new ideas which he works on and develops with a sense of purpose, and I can't help but notice some positive energy being put to work almost incessantly. He seems to have less time for prolonged bouts of depression and inactivity, and I hear less about physical complaints as well. He completed work for which he received much praise, and he is also undertaking to teach himself additional (and challenging) skills. Now, I am very careful about over-interpreting this, because I am well aware of the fact that people go through better and worse periods alternatively, but this is what I am seeing for now. It's as if he has less time for being anxious because he's too busy working out his ideas.

Another development is that there seems to be less resistance and more openness. With my previous, 'predominately CBT ' approach, many of the discussions were very intellectual in nature, and he went to great lengths to 'prove his points'. We probably both enjoyed the challenging discourse, but this is where I felt I was encountering resistance and not making progress. With the change of approach, I now hear him voicing doubts and pointing out the incongruent and contradictory in his own belief systems, while acknowledging that he very much needs to adhere to them as a source of hope and purpose in his life. There seems to be more acceptance and more utilizing, rather than debilitating anxiety. I realize it's all still deep in there,
but there seems to have emerged a better coping strategy. I know, it's still far too early to tell.

It's a long road, I am very careful about drawing far-reaching conclusions, but I feel this direction is more 'right' for him. As he puts himself to work more readily and energetically, opportunities for positive reinforcements abound, and that in itself is a great thing. I honestly believe that his own internal strengths, will power and defiance are pivotal to his wellbeing, more so than the sessions. I am growing gradually more confident in thinking that the best service I can render is to boost and help utilize this, rather than work toward effecting changes on deeper levels.

Thank you, John

Janet.