This is a book that asks, How do we change? and answers with In relation to others.
The relationships I write about here, between therapists and patients, require a sacred
trust for any change to occur. In addition to attaining written permission, I have gone
to great lengths to disguise identities and any recognizable details, and in some
instances, material and scenarios from a few patients have been attributed to one. All
changes were carefully considered and painstakingly chosen to remain true to the spirit
of each story while also serving the greater goal: to reveal our shared humanity so that
we can see ourselves more clearly. Which is to say, if you see yourself in these pages,
it's both coincidental and intentional. A note on terminology: Those who come to
therapy are referred to in various ways, most commonly as patients or clients. I don't
believe that either word quite captures the relationship I have with the people I work
with. But the people I work with is awkward, and clients might be confusing,
given that term's many connotations, so for simplicity and clarity,
I use patients throughout this book.