In my work with dissertators and others experiencing writer’s block, and in my own work as a writer, I have found that troubling emotions are powerful obstacles that prevent us from committing our thoughts and ideas to paper. Chief among those emotions is fear. The fear may be different for each of us, but often includes: fear of criticism, fear of humiliation, fear of being exposed as a fraud, fear of failure, and even fear of success.
There is something about the blank page that arouses terror even in those of us who have achieved considerable academic or professional success. Often this fear becomes so debilitating that, despite many hours of self-imposed torture sitting at a desk or at the computer, no words actually accumulate on the page. Deeply frustrated, it is at this point that many blocked writers seek my help.
My clients often know what they should do, and yet they do not do it. They have accumulated advice, catch phrases and rules to guide their behavior, but the terror of the blank page overwhelms their ability to remember what they know. In my work with blocked writers, I help them to recall these intentions that are so easily forgotten.
I offer a combination of a psychodynamic and a hands-on, directive approach, developed over many years of helping individuals resolve writer’s block.
In our work together we will:
