The Art of Therapy

In Episode 21 of The Art of Therapy, Dr. Warwick Phipps and Marizaan Koen introduce Interactional Pattern Analysis (IPA) — an integrative framework that helps therapists bring clarity, structure, and direction to complex clinical work. They explore how IPA allows therapists to remain deeply person-centred while also observing communication, interaction patterns, and systemic dynamics — without bec...

In Episode 20 of The Art of Therapy, Dr. Warwick Phipps and Marizaan Koen bring together the core ideas explored throughout the season — and answer the essential clinical question: What does a therapist actually do with all of this? They explain how the presenting complaint serves as context, focus, and guide — helping therapists decide where to look, what to prioritise, and how to move therapy fo...

In Episode 19 of The Art of Therapy, Dr. Warwick Phipps and Marizaan Koen explore how trauma fundamentally changes the way people relate, communicate, and behave. They unpack trauma as a deeply disturbing experience that can temporarily disrupt concentration, empathy, emotional regulation, and preferred ways of relating — often without the person realising what is happening. Crucially, this episod...

In Episode 18 of The Art of Therapy, Dr. Warwick Phipps and Marizaan Koen explore a subtle but powerful interpersonal dynamic: a person’s capacity to elicit acceptance or rejection in relationships. They unpack how behaviour — often outside of awareness — can draw others closer or unintentionally push them away. Importantly, this episode highlights the difference between intention and impact, show...

In Episode 17 of The Art of Therapy, Dr. Warwick Phipps and Marizaan Koen explore flexibility — the often-overlooked skill that links control, adaptation, and mental wellbeing. They unpack why being effective in one environment doesn’t guarantee effectiveness in another, and how rigid “preferred ways of relating” can quietly contribute to distress, conflict, and stuck therapeutic processes. Throug...

In Episode 16 of The Art of Therapy, Dr. Warwick Phipps and Marizaan Koen explore one of the most challenging — and most essential — principles in mental health: control. They break down why control is uncomfortable to discuss, how it shapes relationships, and why therapists must learn to observe influence, yielding, helplessness, and excessive control in the room. Through clinical examples, they...

In Episode 15 of The Art of Therapy, Dr. Warwick Phipps and Marizaan Koen explore how problem-solving skills strengthen mental wellbeing and therapeutic effectiveness. They outline three core steps that move us from reactivity to clarity — defining the problem, understanding its causes, and systematically testing solutions. By learning to step back and observe rather than react, therapists and cli...

In Episode 14 of The Art of Therapy, Dr. Warwick Phipps and Marizaan Koen explore metacommunication — the powerful skill of talking about communication itself. They explain how reflecting on communication—intention, impact, context, and timing—helps clients and therapists resolve misunderstandings, strengthen relationships, and create shared understanding. This episode clarifies how learning to me...

In Episode 13 of The Art of Therapy, Dr. Warwick Phipps and Marizaan Koen introduce one of the most transformative ideas in systems thinking — circular causality. They explain how human behaviour can’t always be understood in straight lines of cause and effect, and why seeing interaction as circular helps therapists recognise mutual influence, relational patterns, and the dynamic “dance” of commun...

In Episode 12 of The Art of Therapy, Dr. Warwick Phipps and Marizaan Koen explore how understanding and expressing needs is central to mental wellbeing and therapeutic growth. Building on Carl Rogers’ person-centred approach, they examine how self-concept and positive regard intersect with the way we communicate our needs — and why assertiveness is the bridge between awareness and connection. This...

In Episode 11 of The Art of Therapy, Dr. Warwick Phipps and Marizaan Koen explore positive regard, self-actualization, and confirmation — the need to feel seen, valued, and acknowledged. Building on Carl Rogers’ person-centred theory, they explain how congruence, empathy, and unconditional positive regard lay the foundation for growth — but confirmation adds something vital: the experience of matt...

In Episode 10 of The Art of Therapy, Dr. Warwick Phipps and Marizaan Koen explore how emotional closeness and distance influence every therapeutic encounter. They unpack how therapists can observe connection—not just feel it—through subtle cues like eye contact, posture, and openness. The discussion shows how these observations reveal much about a client’s internal world and how emotional distance...

In Episode 9 of The Art of Therapy , Dr. Warwick Phipps and Marizaan Koen explore how clarity—or the lack of it—shapes every relationship. They discuss how a therapist can observe communication patterns that reveal much about a client’s presenting problem: clarity of expression, logical flow, and how intention and impact often differ. Even small communication lapses can influence connection, trust...

In Episode 8 of The Art of Therapy, Dr. Warwick Phipps and Marizaan Koen introduce a new lens for understanding human interaction—the definition of relationship. Building on the foundation of congruence, empathy, and unconditional positive regard, this episode explores how therapists can observe and describe how people relate. Dr. Phipps explains three fundamental relationship definitions—compleme...

In Season 2 Episode 7 of The Art of Therapy, Dr. Warwick Phipps and Marizaan Koen explore the third and final element of Carl Rogers’ person-centred approach: unconditional positive regard. They unpack what it means to experience true acceptance, to be regarded without judgment, and why this sense of being “okay as I am” is central to emotional and psychological wellbeing. The discussion connects...

In Episode 6 of The Art of Therapy, we explore the second essential quality of therapeutic relationships: empathy. Dr. Warwick Phipps and Marizaan Koen unpack why empathy is more than just understanding,it’s the act of accurately entering another’s frame of reference. Drawing from Carl Rogers’ person-centred approach, they explain how empathy can be both profoundly healing and, at times, exhaustin...

In Episode 5 of Season 2, we look at the first key quality of relationships that supports mental wellbeing: congruence. Dr. Warwick Phipps and Marizaan Koen explore why congruence—alignment between what is said and how it is said, both verbally and nonverbally—is essential in therapy and in everyday relationships. They discuss how congruence builds trust, why in-congruence often leads to “double m...

In Episode 4 of Season 2, we ask why relationships matter so profoundly to mental wellbeing. Dr. Warwick Phipps and Marizaan Koen explore Carl Rogers’ person-centred principles—congruence, empathy, and unconditional positive regard—and how these qualities support self-actualisation and emotional health. They connect Rogers’ ideas to more recent research, including Liesl van den Berg’s 2008 study,...

In Episode 3 of Season 2, we ask a key question: where should therapists focus their attention? Dr. Warwick Phipps and Marizaan Koen unpack how context determines the meaning of behaviour and why this helps therapists know which relationships to observe. Drawing from Gregory Bateson’s work on systems and communication, they show how a client’s presenting problem can act as a “flashlight,” guiding...

In this episode, we dive into the first step of diagnosis: describing the client’s presenting problem. Dr. Warwick Phipps and Marizaan Koen explain why careful description of symptoms is often overlooked, and yet so essential. They show how listening actively and accurately not only supports diagnosis but can itself be profoundly therapeutic—sometimes the act of being heard is already healing. The...

In the first episode of Season 2 of The Art of Therapy, we return to the foundational skills that shape meaningful therapeutic work: observation and diagnosis. Join Dr. Warrick Phipps and psychologist Marizaan Koen on an exploration of the role of trained observation in therapy, not simply as a passive process of noticing, but as an active, clinical tool that shapes the entire therapeutic journey....

Series 2 of The Art of Therapy is here. This all new series ventures deeper into the craft of psychotherapy, exploring not only what therapy is, but how to practise it more effectively. Join Dr. Warrick Phipps and fellow psychologist Marizaan Koen as they unpack how the presentation of difficulties can shape the direction of therapy, as well as why particular interactions and relationships matter,...

In Episode 15 of The Art of Therapy, we deepen the conversation about the integrative-interactional approach. We explore how different therapeutic lenses — person-centred, communication, and systems — combine to create a richer, higher-order way of seeing clients. This integration helps therapists observe more, understand more, and ultimately help more. 🎧 Subscribe now and master the art of commu...

In this episode of The Art of Therapy , we explore how to move beyond single-school approaches into an integrative-interactional model . By weaving together person-centred principles, communication theory, and systems thinking, therapists gain a powerful higher-order lens for practice. We discuss how this synthesis helps therapists adapt to each client’s unique needs, making therapy not only effec...

In this episode of The Art of Therapy, we talk about bridging the gap between knowing and doing. We explore how therapeutic theory becomes powerful when applied in real time, in the room, with the client in front of you. From integrating multiple approaches to staying grounded in the moment, we unpack what it takes to bring theory to life. 🎧 Subscribe now and master the art of communication in th...