Milton Erickson Wisdom – Artful Dance of Therapy

“Every client deserves to have a therapist that has the courage to challenge them with compassion and perseverance.” Milton Erickson showed me the artful dance of being a good therapist. Since every person is different with different histories, different personalities, different likes and tastes, each person’s therapy must be  custom honed to that person. Milton was creative and he used his intuition to guide him when working with a client. I do the same. When entering into a therapy session with a client I automatically enter into an altered state of consciousness myself. My focus leaves my own concerns and turns toward my client. In some ways I become my client, standing in his or her shoes. I listen for their every veiled hint at who they are. When they are visualizing or recalling something in regression I see and feel what I imagine they are seeing and feeling. When I sense they are afraid to move forward I step back. When they are ready to move I step forward. It is a wonderful dance and that dance encourages trust in both of us. They trust I will not leave and will move them through something they could not do on their own and I trust that they are sincere and willing to do the work. Good therapy is an artful dance that Milton Erickson helped inspire.