How many ways can you integrate an iPhone into therapy?!

How many ways can you integrate an iPhone into therapy?!

It turns out, several!  I have clients who download affirmations and receive mantras daily on their phones.  Other clients speak and record their own voice on the phone reminding them of their intention(s) and listen to it throughout the day and week.  I'm toying with the idea of integrating videoing into session with the client's consent of course…my idea is to record an argument or a conversation between the two - on one of their phones - and play it back in slower motion with them.  I've found in the past that if I can slow the pace of a conversation it's becomes really productive. 

Lately, a client described to me that one of her go-to coping skills for dealing with anxiety and worry is to call her mom.  She ends up calling her mom with all her concerns. This creates one version of her identity to her mom as a woman who is negative,  worried all the time, and fearful.  In reality, she admits she isn't these things all the time, but most of their conversations are filled with this type of content that it's no wonder her mom thinks this. 

She describes that as a child she would speak and sing into a recorder and listen to it back.  That's when we came up with an idea!  We would use her iPhone as her recorder, and instead of calling her mom to 'talk-it-out', she would record her thoughts and feelings.  Later, when she has a chance to take a step back, she is going to listen to her recording, and think about ways to respond as if it were her friend talking to her!  This addresses her need to talk, allows that conversation with her mom to evolve, and puts her in a empowered role of calming and reassuring herself. 

-Dr. Corinne Scholtz is one of Ft. Lauderdale's top-rated local marriage and family therapists. She specializes in marital therapy, couples counseling, individual concerns and more.   Corinne offers free phone consultations…contact her and get started today.