What Makes a Great Therapist? The Tori Olds Series

We have a problem in our field. I call it the "Monday Morning Problem."

You go to a training on Friday. You learn incredible theories, see moving demonstrations, and feel inspired. Then Monday morning rolls around, you sit down with your first client, and... you're stuck. You know what should happen, but you don't know how to make it happen in this specific moment with this specific person.

This gap exists because we rarely see what therapy actually looks like frame-by-frame. We learn the theory of the game, but we never watch the game film.

That changes today.

I am launching a new video series: What Makes a Great Therapist?

In this series, we aren't just talking about models. We are using the science of Process Coding to break down real sessions from master therapists, second by second. We are going to look at the micro-movements—the shift in tone, the pause, the specific phrasing—that separate good therapy from great therapy.

Why Tori Olds?

For our first deep dive, I chose Tori Olds, Ph.D..

If you don't know Tori, she is a licensed psychologist who has been studying experiential therapies for over twenty-five years. She specializes in integrating approaches like AEDP and leads international training groups. She is a master at translating complex psychological concepts into human language.

But more importantly, her work is a goldmine for process coding because it is so explicitly experiential. She isn't just talking about feelings; she is helping clients feel them in the room.

The 5 Lenses of Excellence

In this series, we are going to analyze her work through five specific lenses. These are the keys to decoding clinical excellence:

1. Motivation & Resistance: How does she handle the moment a client pulls back? Does she push, or does she pivot?

2. Persuasion: How does she invite the client into a new way of seeing without triggering defensiveness?

3. Body Language: What is her body doing? What is the client's body doing? And how are they speaking to each other without words?

4. Experiencing: How does she deepen the emotional experience in the room?

5. Silence: How does she use the "types of silence" to let the work land?

   
   

Watch the Breakdown

This isn't just for entertainment. This is deliberate practice. By watching a master therapist work and breaking down why it works, you can start to spot these same opportunities in your own "Monday morning" sessions.

Check out the first video in the series here:

Let's stop guessing at what makes a great therapist and start seeing it for ourselves.

Listen here:

Best,

Jordan (the counselor)

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Jordan Harris Ph.D, LMFT-s, LPC-s, is a specialist in what makes a master therapist. He regularly offers trainings teaching this skills of master therapists. You can learn more about Dr. Harris's trainings here.

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Jordan Harris Jordan Harris, Ph.D., LMFT-S, LPC-S, received his Doctor of Philosophy in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Louisiana Monroe. He is a licensed professional counselor and a licensed marriage and family therapist in the state of Arkansas, USA. In his clinical work, he enjoys working with couples. He also runs a blog on deliberate practice for therapists and counselors at Jordanthecounselor.com