The Therapist Within

Book excerpt: The Therapist Within introduces an original, systematic approach for understanding and treating suffering clients through reflective processes, providing readers with the essential tools needed to alleviate their own personal suffering and live a fuller, more enjoyable life. Developed from knowledge gleaned from his five decades of clinical work and his own journey with anxiety, isolation, and despair, Dr. Brenner’s novel reflective psychotherapy is influenced by psychoanalytic psychotherapy, relational therapy, and psychodynamic psychotherapy. Advancing this innovative therapeutic method, the book provides a strong framework for guiding clients through the process of reflecting upon and re-encountering their life history, consciousness, inner and outer worldview, intrapersonal dynamics, and relationships, as well as for applying specific methods of intervention. Rejecting conventional approaches to therapy, this book provides therapists with a holistic treatment plan to use with clients and will teach all readers to use self-reflection, meditation, and journal writing to achieve a greater sense of wellbeing and psychological strength.