Defining Moments (PDF)

Defining Moments is for readers knocked down by loss from natural disasters and the recession; and who cannot afford psychotherapy. Dr. McArthur, a Diplomate Clinical Psychologist with 33 years in private practice, sensitively shares defining moments from her productive form of psychotherapy and her own life. The book allows readers to acquire understanding, clarity, and coping mechanisms needed to get back up again with confidence.Examples and solutions are provided about taking care of oneself, relating to others, and parenting children. Dr. McArthur emphasizes integrity, honesty and ethical behaviors as a means of building depth-of-character, self-esteem and making a difference within a successful life.Dr. McArthur also presents effective ways to examine unresolved issues that may be causing anger, anxiety, or depression by looking at each persons' unique life story to discover childhood survival skills needed to handle adversity. These skills are then altered to better accommodate the changed present and future in a successful way.She demonstrates ways in which time in nature and with pets can be a wise guide, leading the reader to kind natural solutions for depression, insomnia and loneliness. There are also special sections about being an impacting creative artist in a struggling world.The book also provides an example of one kind of psychodynamic psychotherapy for graduate students in Clinical Psychology. Students can meaningfully compare and contrast her work with other theoretical orientations, as part of determining how they wish to approach psychotherapy.