“Are you OK?” Is a question we ask a lot but do we stop to consider what it might really mean?

In 1973, Thomas A. Harris first published his book I’m OK, you’re OK. Those words describe neatly one of the fundamental principles of the style of psychotherapy that I practice.

A therapist should think of their clients with unconditional personal regard. Knowing that that deep down we are all OK, we come into the world OK and along the way we make decisions that modify our behaviour and we build a view of who we are and how we expect to be treated by others.

Maybe we make assumptions that are flawed or maybe our experience or the experience we have of other people and events makes us feel as if we or others are not OK.

Psychotherapy is based on the ability for people to literally and actually change their minds about who they are and how they will be in relation to others. A change of mind can be life altering and can bring us and others back to being OK.