Since I began practicing as a therapist over seven years ago, I have always believed that the insight gained in therapy must lead to action for lasting change. My appreciation for insight stems from my training in psychodynamic psychotherapy. In essence, this approach is about understanding why we feel and respond the way we do.
Much like a wind-up music box, where the beautiful melody comes from hidden gears and springs working together inside, our feelings and behaviors often come from hidden parts of our minds—those internal parts shaped by early relationships and experiences, both known and unknown to us. In psychodynamic therapy, we “open the lid” to explore those internal gears and notice how our “gears,” or past experiences, memories, and unconscious thoughts, work. By understanding how these hidden parts influence the “music” of our emotions and actions, we gain insight into ourselves.
However, just knowing how the music box functions isn’t enough to change the melody. We also need to adjust how we wind it up and care for it. This is where action and behavior change come in; they are like turning the key differently or playing a new melody. Just like our minds, music boxes need occasional tune-ups to keep playing their melodies. Some music boxes from over 100 years ago still work, although their music may sound a bit off-key due to dust, rust, wear, and tear. With a correct assessment and understanding of what needs care, we can adjust and mend the internal parts – they can then continue to play us their tunes.
In psychiatry, we do this as well. We use therapy and insight to explore the “dust” of past experiences and the “wear and tear” of how old patterns or untreated dis-ease impact our life. Through action – whether behavior change, medication, lifestyle adjustments – all within the context of a relationship with a provider we trust we can keep the inner music playing. By using our insights to make real changes in how we respond and behave, we can create new, more harmonious “music” in our lives. The new name, Praxis, reflects our commitment to helping you gain insight and create lasting change through action.
