Trading Markets – When therapists first meet with their clients, they do a lot of listening. What they’re listening for are themes–patterns that run through people’s lives. Sometimes these themes are ones of emotion: people feel certain ways in particular situations. Other times, the themes involve patterns of action. On still other occasions, we find thought patterns. Whenever someone seeks help, it is because a pattern is interfering with their lives, and they want to change that situation. The role of the therapist is to figure out what that pattern is and then introduce a set of measures for changing it. As a result, a great deal of a therapist’s time is spent deciphering the thematic patterns that run through a person’s life, just as a reader will discern themes in a well-crafted novel or symphony.<\/p>\n
Markets possess their themes as well, and deciphering them can prove quite profitable. Consider the past 25 trading days in the stock market. Seemingly, not much has occurred. The S&P 500 Index (SPY<\/a>) is up less than a tenth of a percent in that time. On a closing basis, we’ve stayed within a 2.5% range over that span. The average trader would discern no theme, no trend, and leave it at that.<\/p>\n But let’s be psychotherapists and look beneath the surface.<\/p>\n