When adult children consider cutting off their parents, what role should therapists play? A perspective on validation, reflective functioning, and the complexities of family relationships.

Clients often tell me they started therapy because they want an "objective" perspective on a conflict they're facing, as if there is one absolute truth and the therapist simply knows what it is.  They may be looking for the thing that will make them less depressed, whether they should leave their marriage, what career path they should take, how they should handle a conflict with a friend, etc.  Understandably, this concept is widely portrayed to the public through books and televisions, and heck – even other therapists.  Here’s the problem with that. 

Do you find yourself repeating the same relationship patterns, struggling with anxiety, or wondering why you react the way you do? Psychodynamic therapy helps you understand the emotional patterns beneath the surface so you can create meaningful, lasting change.