back in the 80s, i was approached by PIA to work out a new program for patients who weren't responding to "straight" talk therapy. it is similiar to what you're using.

i use specific photographs to elicit feelings that are buried or are very hard to talk about. and the photographs are mostly ones that i took and have had for a long time although i've staged a few.

i also give everyone a camera and they have to photograph how they feel about themselves. and that one is hard. and i take headshots and i teach them various techniques to change their portraits. the finished product is very telling in that you can find out how they feel about themselves........by what they do to the photograph.....

it's complicated. but really effective....especially with men. we all know how hard it is to get some of them to talk about their feelings.

i've spoken about it at various seminars around the country. it feels really good to do something that works and isn't widely used here. and to do something that i wrote.

thanks for the support. i'm really excited. i start tomorrow. i'll be given the patients who are resistant to therapy. first time out of the box when i say, "how do you feel about this photograph?"..they always say "i think, etc, etc."

we may eventually work with soldiers who have returned from conflict in the Middle East. the armed forces are having trouble because their system is overloaded with the needs these men and women have now.