Books by Daniel J. Wiener // Chapters & Journal Articles // Newsletters // Presentations

Our Philosophy

RfG Newsletter, Volume 1, Number 1 Fall, 1991

We see our task as therapists to bring a spirit of playful adventure and artistry to our work with clients. Since we can only share what we have, it behooves us to enliven ourselves with that spirit.

The therapist sets an example to clients by not taking self so seriously and accessing his or her non-anxious playfullness. When one goes toward the danger and takes the risk of being out of complete control, one allows the unexpected to happen. Since so much of our lives is regulated by our desire for making things work out according to our desires, we become anxious and defensive when something unanticipated occurs, with the consequence that we lose the opportunity to open to the wonder of experiencing difference and novelty in the world and in ourselves.

RfG games and exercises are designed to help us explore what happens when we take on playing at being someone else. Such pretense allows us to explore sides of ourselves that we normally are unaware of or seldom invoke. Interpersonally, we are constantly involved in co-creating social realities with others. RfG

games are both methods to explore and re-create social realities and also tools to assist us in learning many of the skills needed for good relationship functioning.

--Daniel J. Wiener & Gloria J. Maddox