"What you don't realize, Sid, is that most of your life is unconsciously determined." When Erickson said this to me, I reacted as many of my patients do when I say the same thing. I felt that he meant my life was predetermined, and that the most I could hope for was to become aware of the unconscious patternings that were firmly set. However, I realized later that the unconscious is not necessarily unchangeable. All of the experiences that we have today affect our unconscious mind as well as our conscious mind.If  I read something that inspires me, my unconscious mind has been changed. If I have a meeting with an important person—that is, a person who is important to me—my unconscious is changed. In fact, the positive value of any psychotherapy is obviously based on the ability of a person to change, largely as the result of an encounter with another person or persons.In my opinion, this change is accomplished most effectively and permanently when the therapist focuse...