"Please, tell me why you are here today." This is what Lori Gottlieb, the author of this book, asks her patients to do at the beginning of their very first session. The patient's issue that caused them to seek the help of a therapist is called a "presenting problem." This problem can be precise, like psychological trauma, grief from the loss of someone close, or anxiety. However, it also can be blurry, such as a feeling of getting "stuck" — an inability to move on.

However, Gottlieb's experience has shown that the presenting problem often disguises the real issue. This means patients require an entirely different way to resolve them. А vivid example of this is one of the author's clients, John, a television writer. John's presenting concerns seemed quite ordinary — frequent quarrels with his wife, frustration with his colleagues, and persistent insomnia. His proposed solution mirrored the simplicity of these issues: voicing his grievances to a therapist and getting a good night's sleep.

Yet, both his issues and their solutions appeared to be much more profound. They were rooted in painful past events. When John was only six years old, his mother was run by a car and passed away. Many years later, his son fell victim to a car accident. By a tragic set of circumstances, the boy also was six.

These traumatic experiences resulted in several emotional and personal issues, such as fear of vulnerability and unrecognized grief. For six months, John concealed the tragic loss of his son, even from the therapist. He answered rudely to her questions, hiding behind jokes and witticisms, and sometimes openly showed disrespect by texting someone else during the session.

The path to healing for John involved accepting and expressing his grief and learning to show vulnerability. Understanding and accepting these deeper issues took a great deal of time, energy, and openness to help from others. While this journey is unique to John, it reflects the experiences of many therapy patients. Unmasking the presenting problem is often the first step in a complex but ultimately rewarding journey of self-discovery and healing.