Although we usually think of therapy as being about change, it’s often more accurate to say that it is about doing more of what you already know how to do well. It’s not so much about change, as it is about identification and amplification.

When someone is complaining of an unwanted habit, a lack of ability, or bad feelings, an effective therapist will guide them towards identifying their strengths and resources, and will redirect their attention away from the bad stuff, and towards a constructive and more positive way of being.

While there is a lot of learning that goes on in therapy, even if learning something new, the simplest way to do this is to start with things the client already knows how to do, and which uses their existing skills or talents.

You might ask “Then why does anyone need a therapist at all?” The simple answer to that is that if they could already identify the qualities they need and make use of them, they wouldn’t. But when someone can’t, that’s the therapist’s job.