“Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by…” ― Ray Bradbury
Why are psychotherapists so well placed to help writers? It has been said that the fundamental task of the psychotherapist is to help their patients to feel real. This, of course, is exactly what a writer should do for their characters.
Psychotherapy is essentially the study of personal development, the exploration of what makes us who we are. It helps people to tell their own stories, to understand the past and how have they have become the person they are today. The psychotherapist’s role is to make sense of a confusing or fragmented history, working with their client to construct a coherent and meaningful narrative – a story that feels real.
This, we believe, is why therapists are uniquely qualified to help authors bring their characters to life.