Written by Thomas Giardini, MHC-LP
CoreStory Clinician
[Click here to read more about him]
Technology is increasingly present and unavoidable in our lives. As a therapist, I find myself regularly thinking about the impact of technologies—some potential, and some already here—on how we live and engage with one another in an increasingly digital world. For example, it is now common for people to meet with therapists over chat and text lines through providers that primarily rely on textual exchange as the medium for “listening” and intervention. Moving a step further from embodiment, there are a growing number of platforms that allow users to engage in or supplement therapy through automated conversations with artificial intelligence.
To me, the experience of partnering with a person in talk therapy to listen and explore a person’s life stories is founded in genuineness, acceptance, and empathy. The implications of nonhuman or technologically mediated treatment offer a dizzying array of opportunities and challenges. As you consider whether now may be the right time to begin or perhaps resume therapy, I encourage you to keep in mind three beneficial aspects of exploring your story (whether in person or across virtual space) with a human therapist:
1. Building patience
Therapy functions in contrast to a world focused on problem-solving and immediate gratification. It encourages us to slow down and take stock of the details that form our personal narratives. Talking to a therapist offers an enduring venue in which to bring understanding to the various complexities of your life, and to generally put words to your journey. By engaging in a weekly protected process, we become accustomed to the benefits of exercising patience toward ourselves and our growth.
2. Embracing presence
A therapist provides a special kind of listening–one that empowers us to discover ourselves in the presence of others. Emerging from a relationship between a listening therapist and person sharing stories of their life is a safe, positive sense of individual and shared presence. The development of therapeutic rapport provides a social context for transformation and invites us to discover our own patterns of independence and interdependence. When we connect with our therapist, we engage in an opportunity to experiment with how we interact and maintain a sense of curiosity and presence in our lives.
3. Locating intention
It is often the unplanned moments, the unexpected revelations, and the unrehearsed exchanges that bring us closer to breakthroughs and transformation. In therapy, balancing intentionality and improvisation can guide conversation and challenge our assumptions. When working collaboratively within a therapeutic framework, we remain open to unforeseen insights that may arise and consider how our actions (and reactions) can help propel us closer to our goals.
Your stories are valuable. By sharing them in therapy, it is my hope that each person can find solace, develop understanding, and foster growth.