Rethinking Therapy

by Lydia Giordano, LPC, LCDC

I was trained to be a therapist. I have multiple licenses to prove that I know the methods and can deliver them. But Managing Your Crazy Self! is causing me to rethink therapy! What should I and what can I provide to my client? What does empathy look like?

My training tells me to guide the client to self discovery, and to do that I have to ask a lot of probing questions. With MYCS we question, and we ask for some detail, but the probing questions that often cause clients to re-experience painful memories are not only unnecessary, but hinder the process!

Even the name, Managing Your Crazy Self, has therapists rethinking! I was concerned that the name would cause clients to feel labeled or negative, but I’ve found the opposite to be true! Realizing that we all have a part of our brain that can make us feel Crazy is a relief! They’re not alone! They just need to learn to manage it, and that, too, is fantastic news!

In using MYCS with clients and in groups, I’ve discovered so many gems that, on their own, are life changing for clients. As a program, these gems have revolutionized my practice, my daily life, and even my worldview.

I will admit, it’s not easy to get out of old habits. Diving into a client’s story when they open up is still too easy a mistake. Assuming that a client isn’t a good fit for MYCS because their condition is too severe, or too simple, is another mistake.

My focus now is one of client empowerment...to control the mind, manage the emotions, succeed, have positive relationships, grow self-esteem, and be their true self. No longer am I simply hopeful to facilitate improvement gradually. I know that change comes quickly when the client understands their brain wiring, trusts our instruction, and implements MYCS techniques! The brain learns quickly and change remains. My goal of helping clients heal and move forward is faster and more enduring than we ever believed possible with MYCS!