need someone to argue with, so to speak – it helps them to organize their thinking or to deepen their conviction about an important decision or change in their lives. Still others want a mediator, someone to slow them down, to help them consider another person’s point of view, or to consider consequences for their actions that they might not be aware of, or that they might not have the experience to anticipate. There are also patients who know there is something different about the way they think or feel – it may be anxiety of a kind, or depression, or problems with understanding their own thoughts or the people around them. Receiving feedback and support from an experienced professional can help them place their concerns in context and guide them to a path forward. Above all, therapy is a route to greater self-knowledge and more effective living.