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SecretGarden said:

My concern is reading about how the process should work may not allow the experience to evolve naturally. It seems kind of canned that way and who really knows what is real in terms of the process. Was it therapy produced or produced because it was determined the time it needed to happen per Hoiley... and not the client or the therapist.

I think that we need to trust our therapists to do therapy. I too bring things in from time to time... an article to discuss or whatever about a concept but I am leaving the process to the therapeutic experience. That is facilitated by my therapist and myself in therapy but he is the one that I trust to keep me on track or to have the perceptions as he knows me.... differently than I do and certainly better than Hoiley does..

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Bringing books into therapy is part of the process for me. If reading this book in between session is the only way that I stay connected, then how is that not a beneficial part of the process?

As I remember it, I was reading the book already, brought it upstairs with me, and he commented on how much he admired her work. This shows how much of a natural part of the process it was-- it's not like I brought the book in on purpose to use in therapy; nor did he instruct me to bring it in. I just happened to have it that day, we talked about it, and it has enhanced my understanding of the therapeutic process, both as a client and a T, ever since.

When you leave session, your T writes notes. He/she is probably conceptualizing your treatment based on a framework or a theory... this framework most likely was not made up by your T; rather it was heavily influenced by a particular theorist or school of thought. So how is bringing in the book any different? You are bringing the framework right into the room, and understanding the conceptualization of your problem.

It also serves as a connection for me--we both admire her work and we can discuss it both professional and personally (in regards to my stuff, of course).

Just to clarify, it's not like we use the book to guide the session. I might come in, free associate about some stuff, talk, curse him out (lol), for most of the session.... maybe I'll be talking about my anger, and say...."by the way.... I read something in McWilliams that really reminded me of what's going on in session..." Or vice versa. He might bring it up.

I really think it depends on the individual. For me, I have always been a very academic/artsy type person. For me engage in a process such as therapy without weaving in books, music, poetry, etc. would be insane to me. It is so much a part of who I am. And in regards to that, he has always been right there with me. If I came to therapy and filtered out my books or whatever else, then it wouldn't be my natural process anymore.

I think it's all about what works for someone... as we all know, what works for some people doesn't work for others. For example... I think that self-disclosure of Ts (not including the emotional self-disclosure in response to something appropriate), impedes the therapeutic process. BUT-- I know that a lot of therapists and clients alike, find this to be beneficial, and it is a natural part of the process. I

Books are definitely a part of my natural process. It's different for everyone. For me, this is not limited to books pertaining to psychology-- for example, we have discussed Russian literature-- in ways that it pertains. Not like a book club or anything-- but in ways that it can be tied in to therapy. That's how I operate, what can I say?

He gets me. For the most part. Not yesterday. But mostly.

I absolutely love this thread; thank you for starting it.