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Dr. Richard Grossman:
Hi everybody,

Finally (after 7 months), I have some time to come up for air.  To those who sent their “well wishes”, I want to thank you again.  I’ve decided not to pursue my “autobiography.”  What I was going to do was write it in the standard psychological way... then tear it to shreds and re-write another version.  The new view would have reflected what I have learned over the past 35 years of sitting with others—and myself—and then talked about what most people need in the therapy office.  This (what most people need) is, of course, something I never found, and in hearing what other people experience in therapy offices, something that simply is not available.  It centers, of course, around people being alone and voiceless in the world.  It is the healthy, loving attachment between two people (therapist and patient) that makes lives better (yes, the therapist’s life is better as well!)

But I can’t write the first version because 1) it is too boring for me, and 2) because telling the truth potentially hurts people I care about, and not telling the truth (even from a distorted psychological perspective) has little value.  (I still have Chekhov’s plays on my office desk as a reminder of his advice to writers:  “Tell the truth.”)

So, at some point, I will reflect upon all of the above and write it in a different form.  I’ve just started to think about this, but I’ll keep you posted.  In the meantime, on to another topic…

Richard

Hopalong:
That sounds like such a wise decision, Doc G.
You've liberated yourself from many hours of re-experiencing the awful failure of hollow therapies...

I wonder if there's a novel in you?
A story of someone unheard who was hunting for that healthy, healing connection, and hopped through a few therapy efforts without finding it, and then found someone like you?

(I always hate it when other people tell me what to write about though.)  :)

warmly,
Hops

ann3:
Congrats, Dr. G!
I think figuring out what we don't want to do is as important as figuring out what we do want to do.
Like Hops, I don't want to tell you what to do, but sounds like you're having a dilemma about form: "standard psychological way" vs. "another version".
If you want to write (and you do not have to write anything at all if you don't want to), maybe don't worry about the form, just write what flows or dictate into a recorder?
Your post made me think of a book that I love: "Notes To Myself" by Hugh Prather.  I discovered it in my T's waiting room and it sang to me.  It's written in a kinda prose poem melange.

PS:  Speaking of Chekhov, this is a nice collection of BBC plays: http://www.amazon.com/Chekhov-Collection-Platonov-Proposal-versions/dp/B0013D8M4O/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdt_img_top?ie=UTF8

BonesMS:
I understand.

I think creative writing is a better alternative ... possibly a fictional novel?

lighter:
Doc G:

The only way I know to approach these things is to spend 8 hours brainstorming all the obvious ideas OUT of your head.   Just vomit it all out on the pages.  Read it, then vomit some more.

Edit, and brain storm another 8 hours.  Repeat until you have a few ideas worth investing time into, then spend another 8 hours on each, edit, and start again.

Eventually you're in a place beyond the expected.

Some place that provides an unexpected viewpoint, and maybe more than one. 

I can't wait to see what you come up with.

Lighter

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