by Jeff Levy | Jan 1, 2018 | Uncategorized
There have been many times over the years, when someone shares with me something new, sometimes even when we’ve known each other for many years. This comes up not only in my work with clients, but also with people with whom I have had longstanding friendships. I...
by Jeff Levy | Dec 31, 2017 | Uncategorized
During my first meeting with clients, I try to allow time to talk about what is bringing them to therapy while still saving time at the end of the meeting to talk about how I think therapy works. Sometimes, I don’t have to reserve time for this, because my clients...
by Jeff Levy | Dec 30, 2017 | Uncategorized
While meeting with one of my clients this week, we came upon the realization that her husband had died three years ago almost to the day. This wasn’t how we began our conversation. When we settled into our respective chairs, she started the session by sharing a...
by Jeff Levy | Dec 29, 2017 | Uncategorized
I was having dinner with friends recently and remember looking around the table. I was there with my partner of 23 years. A lesbian couple was there with their adopted 9 year old son. There was also an old friend from high school and his wife, whose children were...
by Jeff Levy | Dec 28, 2017 | Uncategorized
Over the weekend I was cleaning my basement and found one of my appointment books from 10 years ago. I have a history of saving these as a way to chronicle the year and to keep track of phone calls and messages I need to return. Back then, when I received a voice...
by Jeff Levy | Dec 27, 2017 | Uncategorized
Last week I finished teaching a trauma course for students pursuing their graduate degree in social work. More than any other time in the 30 years I’ve been teaching has it been more difficult to balance what has been happening in the world with what I am teaching in...
by Jeff Levy | Dec 26, 2017 | Uncategorized
Endings have been a topic of conversation at Live Oak recently, as our current group of graduate interns and postgraduate trainees are concluding their year with us. They are all ending their relationships with their current clients, and we’ve been having exchanges...
by Jeff Levy | Dec 25, 2017 | Uncategorized
I received a phone call earlier this week from Ray, a long time client. He rarely calls between sessions so when I listened to his voicemail asking me to call him back, I knew there was something important happening in his life. When we eventually spoke, it was...
by Jeff Levy | Dec 24, 2017 | Blog
“You need to take care of yourself!” “You need to leave your work at work!” “You shouldn’t be thinking about your clients when you’re not at work.” “You must have poor boundaries and must not be a very good social worker if you can’t separate...
by Jeff Levy | Dec 23, 2017 | Uncategorized
Abby shot up from her seat and ran out of my office. I asked her to stop and tell me what was wrong, but she left without saying a word. I quickly called her cell phone but she didn’t pick up so I left a message. I tried to reach her later that evening and I still...
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