Today I was thinking about my father–a self-made man and author in his own right. At my last book signing, for Counterfeit Lottery in Vegas, I felt his presence by my side and thanked him. Maybe if there are 5 sense, there really are 6 senses and 7 and INFINITE senses.

So, it’s important to blog, just so you know I’m out there. And I am out there! Hopefully you are reading and enriching your life.

The greatest way to get your name out there is to have a subject that appeals to “everyone.” Well, duh, that isn’t so easy, but what is easy is determining that many people need or want a therapist. But how to get the right therapist is the question. I dedicate this post to helping you, the consumer figure that out, then pass it on. You want someone who is well recommended, who you have already met at another venue, or who works with either talk therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy depending on the problem you present. If you have an addiction such as alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex, etc. you will want a cognitive behavorial therapist–you will be “doing” something each session to enhance your power over your addictin. If you have more long term problems from childhood, and who doesn’t? you will want talk therapy. It works. You gain rapport with your therapist. And if he or she doesn’t talk too much, you will be able to present your story, find out where your feelings come from and gain control over them. More next time.

I’m a big John Grisham fan and when I read about 25 of his novels I thought, wow, I can do that?  Oh yeah?  Six long years later I finally finished my first comedy/mystery novel, COUNTERFEIT LOTTERY, learned a little bit about structure and got myself published  by a pretty good publisher, Timberlake Press.  My first book, ACT IT OUT, is a bestselling non-fiction book for adults sexually, physically and emotionally abused as children and it was published by New Harbinger Publications, Inc., in Oakland in 2002 then lasted nine long years in their catalogue.  When it had gone about as far as it could there, Praeclarus Press picked it up for a second edition and a YouTube presentation.  So writing is my life (along with my glorious husband) as well as private practice as a clinical and forensic psychologist.

In fact, the two professions go hand-in-hand and I would suggest to anyone going into the arts that they have a strong work profession first so that the many rejections and twists and turns artists get along the way won’t discourage them too much.  It’s always comforting to know you have something to fall back on.

Rejection, depression, hopelessness really get in the way of creativity, but I noticed when I actually sat down to write (even this little blog) I was energized and all kinds of thoughts and shares came to me.  It’s important to DO the action first, then the feelings and enlightenment will come.  Kind of like a particular way of acting.  Some like Lee Strasberg’s inner feelings first way of working, but others like Michael Chekov where you do the action and the feelings automatically come.  Hit a pillow hard for multiple times, and suddenly you’re furious.  Same thing here.  Start writing and suddenly you have lots of things to say.