I have often thought that psychotherapy can be too abstract and mysterious. Often, I think, there is a belief that the therapist has the exclusive window into the client’s unconscious drives or motives. This view tends to over-pathologize the individual seeking help, with the client having the problem and the therapist holding the solution. I don’t really think that it works that way. I have often found that people know what changes they need/want to make in their lives, have good reasons (motivations) for making these changes and have clear ideas of how they can get there.
In my private practice, I seek to join with the client to form a partnership by which the individual is able to identify the focus of change, identify their personal reasons for changing and develop a plan to get there. This approach empowers the individual, identifies the strengths and resources they already possess and respects the autonomy and wisdom within each person to make choices that are in their best interests.