Reading
This page lists a variety of articles and information sheets by us and selected others. Click on a title to open it in a new window, right-click (or Control-click on Mac) to download it to your computer or open it in a new tab (if your browser supports tabbed windows). We update this page from time to time, so you may want to check back here regularly.
Scroll down for a couple of links to articles about the holiday season.
Choosing a Psychotherapist
If you're new to the idea of finding a counselor or psychotherapist, you may not know where to start. The task can be a complex one even under the best of circumstances, and when we're feeling quite distressed, the prospect can be daunting. This article is intended to assist you in sorting out your choices.
Does Therapy Work?
(This is a link to an article on the Psychology Resource Information System web site—with thanks to Paul G. Mattiuzzi, Ph.D. Clicking above will open that web page in a new window.)
About Fees and Insurance
Not everyone thinking about using their health insurance to help pay for counseling or psychotherapy realizes that there are several potential disadvantages to doing so. This is our handout
describing these as well as several types of benefits or gains people often get from psychotherapy.
Is Therapy a Wise Way to Spend Your Money?
A short article by Ivan Miller, Ph.D. The title says it all.
Getting The Most Out Of Therapy:How To Collaborate With Your Therapist
(This is a link to a recent article on the Medical News Today web site. Clicking above will open that web page in a new window. Because of legal and copyright issues, we cannot make this article downloadable from here.) This information may not only help you get the most from your psychotherapy or counseling, but help if it seem not to be going well.
Hazards of Using Health Insurance to Pay for Counseling or Therapy
(This is a link to an article on the MSN Money web site. Clicking above will open that web page in a new window.) Even using health insurance to pay for certain medications can have a major impact on whether one can obtain individual health insurance and on what it will cost. This is information you will not get from your insurance company.
Clients, Not Practitioners, Make Therapy Work
(This is a link to another article on the Medical News Today web site. Clicking above will open that web page in a new window.) Two of its main points are "that the most important factor in successful therapy is a client, or patient, who is motivated and engaged and who is able to use therapy to build on his or her strengths" and "a strong relationship between therapist and client is one of the best indicators of a positive therapeutic outcome, and is far more significant than a therapist's particular techniques and approach."
The Pursuit of Happiness
(This is a link to a recent article by Carlin Flora on the Psychology Today web site, with a subtitle of "Has the happiness frenzy of the past few years left you sad and anxious? Herein we report the surest ways to find well-being." Clicking above will open that web page in a new window.) Some quotes from the article: "According to some measures, as a nation we've grown sadder and more anxious during the same years that the happiness movement flourished." "A body of research shows instant indulgences do calm us down—for a few moments. But they leave us poorer physically and mentally."
The Art of Now: Six Steps to Living in the Moment
(This is a link to a recent article by Jay Dixit on the Psychology Today web site. Clicking above will open that web page in a new window.) It contains much useful information—and of course those Six Steps—about mindfulness and its many physical and psychological benefits. A quote: "Mindful people are happier, more exuberant, more empathetic, and more secure. They have higher self-esteem and are more accepting of their own weaknesses."
