I look out for representations - images, writings, movies that might help me communicate better what therapy could be like, from my perspective. I was delighted to come across the book Big Panda and Tiny Dragon by James Norbury. A beautifully illustrated book, every page has a message to take home. One that captured the essence of a therapeutic relationship , for me was the image below:
Therapeutic approaches matter, yet enough research points to the therapeutic relationship between the patient/client and the therapist being a significant determinant in the outcomes of therapy. In that relationship, the therapist needs to be able to stay with patient - wherever they are in a session. Therapy is'nt only about fixing things, finding solutions, uncovering some brilliant insight. Sometimes, its just about 'coming and sitting with them.' Being a witness to their experience in the here-and- now.